Thor vs. Hercules Which One Is the Best Hero Essay

All cultures have heroes and heroines who are present in a variety of myths and legends. But what exactly does it take to be a hero? A hero is a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities. Thor and Hercules are both perfect examples of heroes. Both heroes are from completely different cultures. Thor is from Norse mythology and Hercules is from Greek mythology. Despite their different cultures, they share many similarities. Although Hercules is from Greek mythology and Thor is from Norse mythology, the two heroes have many legends about their lives that make them heroic, reveal their culture, and exhibit similar archetypal elements. Hercules led a very different childhood from the very†¦show more content†¦One day Hera, still wanting to wreak havoc upon Hercules’ life, influenced Hercules to kill his own wife and children. When Hercules came to his senses and realized what he had done, he was overcome with grief. He immediately went to the oracle at Delphi and asked how he could cleanse himself of his sins. The Oracle replied, â€Å"You must go to Mycenae and serve King Eurystheus for twelve years. Only by doing this will you ever be free of your pain and guilt† (Richardson and Baxter 10). When Hercules went to Eurystheus, the king eagerly started to think of twelve labors for Hercules. What Hercules didn’t know was that Hera was influencing the king to think of tasks that seemed to be impossible. However, no matter what task Hercules had to complete, he always came back with the task completed. After twelve years and twelve labors, he was finally released. Hercules’ went on to live a life full of adventures, and he even remarried to a woman named Deineira. Deineira became very jealous when Hercules took King Eurystheus’ daughter Lole prisoner for vengeance. She feared Hercules was being unfaithful to her, and wanted to make sure she was the only woman he loved. She took the blood of a centaur (that she was tricked into thinking would make Hercules love her forever) and smeared it on his robe, but it turned out to be poison. Hercules began to die when he put the robe on, but it ended up only killing the mortal part of him. Hera decided to end her