Today when we think of heroes most people instantly think of professional athletes or movie stars. However, fame and talent simply does not make someone a hero In my book. To me, a hero Is someone who has overcome great obstacles In their life, Is highly motivated, displays honesty, courage, skill, decisiveness, is dedicated to helping others, and shows humility.
I am going to examine two characters, one from early Western Civilization to modern day America.When I get one discussing their traits, one can see that the values from back in the time of Othello are basically the same as modern day American values. The two men that I chose to analyze are Othello from Shakespearean play Othello, and a man by the name of West Moore, a man that I studied In Core 1. Both Othello and West Moore grew up in poverty and basically had the odds stacked against them. Othello, a black man from North Africa, was separated from his home and his family early in life. He grew up in exile, slavery, danger, and despair.
Young Othello survived his unpromising life and made a good reputation for himself as being a skilful soldier and warrior, making him a valuable person to the Venetian government. In Venice, the Duke and the Senate pursued him for his great ablest, who put him In full martial and political command of Cyprus. West Moore also beat the odds. After his father died, when he was a young boy, his mother moved the family from Baltimore to the Bronx to live with his grandparent's. The neighborhood that he grew up in was run down and had lots of violence and drug deals.Even at a young age West got wrapped up with the wrong crowd.
He was a drug runner for an elite drug seller in the Bronx, and he also was now to vandalize a few places too with his graffiti. Since West had early academic problems and behavioral problems, his mother sent him off to military school. At first, he hated his mom for doing this to him. He was very self-centered, and was blinded by this to even realize all the things his mother was trying to do for him, to allow him to have a better life.
West eventually turned his life around, and realized how much his mother was doing for him.He eventually graduated as a commissions officer from Valley Forge Military College and went on to Hopkins University where he played football. West earned his bachelor In International Relations, and also became a Rhodes Scholar. After graduating from JUJU, he went to Oxford university to study International Relations there as well.
When West graduated from there, he became a paratrooper and captain in the U. S. Army, and served a combat tour of duty in Afghanistan with his 1st Brigade of the 82nd division.He also served as a White House fellow to Secretary of State, Condolence Rice, and serves on the board of the Iraq Afghanistan veterans of America.
One of his greatest achievements was finding criminal Justice system. This organization is committed to helping parent's, teachers, and advocates who serve our nations youth. In the following paragraphs I am going to discuss many values/traits that both Othello and West Moore have and portrayed in order for them to have success and recognition, as well as being well-respected heroes of their time. One of the most important traits in a hero is their courageous nature.
In order for a hero to be courageous, they must be willing to face their fears and meet them head on. A hero must be willing to make hard decisions, even when the likely outcome is rim. They are also committed to the notion of what is right and has the determination to keep pushing forward no matter what. In Othello case, even though he was considered an outsider, he still had the courage to do the right think and fight for the people's safety that he barely knew, and in a sense trusted. Even before he came to Venice, he was obviously courageous for beating the odds of exile and slavery.He did not give up and was determined to make a better life for himself.
Fast forward a couple of years to the late sass's early ass's, and we can see West Moore retorting courage. After being in military school for a month or show, he realized what his life was going to amount to if he kept up with his ways. He knew that he had to change his life that very second if he wanted to be somebody. Even though they were tough decisions for him, he got his life on track, became a great high school athlete playing football and basketball. He also turned is grades around from basically flunking to a honor roll student.After graduating college, he became a paratrooper and a captain in the U.
S. Army, where he served a combat tour in Afghanistan. He had to make quick decisions, and make sure they were the right ones for him and his team. I certainly could not even imagine the pressure it puts on a person like Othello and West Moore, to make life and death decisions for not only yourself but also a group of people that trust their life in your hands.
Another value that I think of when think off hero is skill. They have to be very good at something.A hero possesses an important skill, which makes it possible to face overwhelming odds, and make great success. West Moore has a great skill of being able to work well with other.
He most likely mastered this skill throughout his military school career, where they work with your fellow classmates and rank. He also was the quarterback so he developed there a role of leading a team, where he portrayed throughout his time in the U. S. Army. He uses his people skills also when helping people such as parent's, children, teachers, and other mentors through his foundation Stand.
He wants to make a difference in peoples life, and since he experienced what they are experiences first hand, he feels like he can really reach out to them, possibly touching their heart, making them want to change their ways, y getting out off gang, or a drug group as well. Othello also has great personable skills. He is a well-respected man, and is a skilled leader. He wooed Desman and her father by being a great speaker as well. Through his skill of command and respect of his troops he was a sought after war leader.
Everyone wanted him on their side, even if he was a black man.Both men had the skill of being decisive, since they had to think of a plan and implement it at a moments notice when fighting for their cause. Is one's own life. A hero is willing to face serious danger, which is likely to result in is or her own death.
Both men are willing to sacrifice their lives for the betterment of their country, or the country they are committed to fight for. In Othello case, after risking his own life for year's Just solely by himself, he is know fighting for Cyprus and putting his life in danger to protect Venice from the Turkish fleet's.West Moore put his life on the line in Afghanistan by fighting for the United States. Both men also showed traits of being helpful and dedicated to their selfless service. In West Moor's case he certainly dedicated on making sure that boys and arils of Baltimore, as well as other urban cities have a better life, and do not get caught up in violence, drugs, and alcohol. His organization STAND! (Students Taking A New Direction) is dedicated to youth that have had run-ins with the law, and wants to help them turn their lives around.
West Moore and his organization like to provide college mentors as well as West Moore himself to kids heading down the wrong path, losing interest in school, or simply do not have a great figure to look up to in their life. Othello helps out the Venetian community by using his skill of command and his airier like excellence to help defend of warriors. Since he did not have anyone to help him out through slavery and exile when he was younger, I truly think it shows how selfless he his to help out foreign people the Venetians, especially since he did not owe them anything.Along with all the other values that I have talked about, the last thing that makes a great hero is always being able to be humble about themselves. They do not boast, and are not over-proud of their accomplishments.
Even though both Othello, and West Moore have achieved great accomplishments in their life, neither one of them ally go on and on about them. They are both gracious for the things that God has given them, and are not overly cocky, or boastful about the great things that they have achieved.One is allowed to talk about their achievements, but not continuously brag, and talk about themselves ever moment they can get. I feel like since they were boot not overly cocky they can command respect from people, such as the youth that West Moore is helping out, or the soldiers in Othello and West Moor's group. The people under their wing see their great success and how it does not overpower them, o they are encouraged to change their life and be a better person because of it.
Really the only difference between Othello and West Moore is that Othello is a different kind of hero.Othello is considered a tragic hero, meaning that he was at a high station in his life, and had a flaw or mistake, which led basically to his downfall. In his case he had two significant flaws. One being that when he was very hot headed. When Othello got angry and emotionally riled, his brain basically shut down and he stopped thinking, and let his emotions get the best of him.
For example, hen he fires Cassia for fighting while drunk in the middle of the night, he fires Cassia without even hearing his side of the story.The other flaw is that when he made a mistake he was not always willing to admit it. Basically, Ago sees right through his flaws and is able to take advantage and destroy all that Othello cares for. He does this by flattering him, and convincing that all the decisions that Othello was making were always right.
Since Othello believed Ago, it led to him not listening to was telling the truth and realized what he had done, he then committed suicide. West Moore is not considered a tragic hero because he does not have any flaws, and he keeps achieving greatness through his charity.As one can see, the values that I emphasized on, are Just as important today as they were in early Western civilization. Since there really is not a difference, there is no historical development between the ass's of years. I feel like there may never be a development, because to me the values of being brave, trustworthy, being humble, as well as being well-respected, and having achieved great skill in the things you do is always going to be important when someone refers to a person as a hero.
