Broaden your understanding of the concept of the hero in this course that examines these characters in the greater context of world history and culture.
Heroes and Legends: The Most Influential Characters of Literature
Overview
Syllabus
- By This Professor
- 01: Frodo Baggins-A Reluctant Hero
- 02: Odysseus-The Trickster Hero
- 03: Aeneas-The Straight Arrow
- 04: Guinevere-A Heroine with Many Faces
- 05: The Wife of Bath-An Independent Woman
- 06: Cressida-A Love Betrayed
- 07: Beowulf-A Hero with Hidden Depths
- 08: Thor-A Very Human God
- 09: Robin Hood-The Outlaw Hero
- 10: Don Quixote-The First of the Wannabes
- 11: Robinson Crusoe-A Lone Survivor
- 12: Elizabeth Bennet-A Proper Pride
- 13: Natty Bumppo and Woodrow Call-Frontier Heroes
- 14: Uncle Tom-The Hero as Martyr
- 15: Huckleberry Finn-Free Spirit of America
- 16: Sherlock Holmes-The First Great Detective
- 17: Dracula-The Allure of the Monster
- 18: Mowgli-The Wolf Child
- 19: Celie-A Woman Who Wins Through
- 20: Winston Smith-The Hero We Never Want to Be
- 21: James Bond-A Dangerous Protector
- 22: Fairy-Tale Heroines-New-Style Princesses
- 23: Lisbeth Salander-Avenging Female Fury
- 24: Harry Potter-Whistle-Blower Hero
Taught by
Thomas A. Shippey
