Myths and Heroes - publié le 12/08/2020

Résumé du document

Le document joint sert de révision pour le BAC anglais. le thème Mythes et Héros y est abordé grâce aux oeuvres de Shakespeare.

Extraits

[...] Myths and Heroes Myths and heroes have populated the imagination of several people in history, inspiring to act justly and bravely. They have had an important role in shaping human culture, and they seem to be widespread, with each cultural group having their own. This year we have looked at different ways to define these concepts. I believe myths can be two distinct things. First of all, myths can be a legend transmitted, either in written or oral form, from generation to generation, with invented characters representing human struggles, realistic in a fantastic background. [...]

[...] While it could be argued that Shakespeare only wrote about topics that were popular with the public in order to do his job, I would argue that this is not the case. Shakespeare was a true hero that, as the heroes of his works do, showed his ambiguity, making us able to appreciate the conflicts of one of the best minds of the XVI century. In doing so, he performed a heroic act: making sure that the memory of his time would be kept alive. And it has, until our days. The true heroes, however, are the main characters in his stories. [...]

[...] His characters are heroes for the actions they perform fearlessly and for their reality. Shakespeare is a hero not for his actions, since he was well paid and never put himself personally at risk, such as other authors did, but for the consequences of his actions. He deserves to be remembered and treated as a hero because his actions inspired millions to act in a positive way and because, as a myth-maker, he will remain with us as long as his myths will. And that will be for a long time. [...]

[...] Marc Anthony does something similar with his famous speech: although in a setting very different from 16th century England, were the spectacle was played, he shows the sadness of a friend, crying for his friend at a funeral, minimizing his mistakes and emphasizing his greatness. In doing so Anthony risks his life. Yet Anthony decides that he is willing to risk his life for such an action, and in doing so achieves his role as a hero, showing both his divided character and his braveness to perform good acts even at the cost of his own life. [...]

[...] He wrote stories that, with the passing of time, became as famous as many myths, and continue being studied centuries after his death. What strikes readers the most is his ability to represent delicate situations in a work of fiction: his characters offer complex personalities, often in conflict with themselves in or in a conflict between honor and duty. This complexity reflects what a true myth is: a walk into a person's conflicted soul. This ability of his, besides ensuring Shakespeare's fame, makes his works interesting to read, making the reader connect with the characters, understand their mistakes, and relate to them. [...]