Heroism in The Saga of Grettir the Strong
Even though the ideals of heroism are very prevalent throughout human history, how humanity has defined them have not always been the same. A great example of how our definition of heroism has changed through time can be seen in The Saga of Grettir the Strong. Grettir, the main character of the episodic story, is violent, strong, brave, war-like, and has a rage to match Achilles. Pretty creepy picture right? I didn't know Grettir looked so much like a murderous Peter Pan. Anyways, I mention Achilles here because the heroes of the Pre-Christian Vikings, like Beowulf, are very similar in their ideologies to the ancient Greek and Roman heroes of myth, like Achilles. Even though the medieval Viking culture and the ancient Greek culture are very different, their definitions of heroism are very similar. Killing, plundering, and honor in battle are all what matters to these iconic figures, and they were hailed as the great heroes of the time. Grettir the Strong fits right i