Cultural Heroes: Prometheus and Beowulf

Cultural Heroes: Prometheus and Beowulf

The cultural hero is an individual who embodies the values of his culture in an idealized fashion. He is tested by fire, figuratively and often literally. His mettle must be proved again and again, and every test is greater than the last -- Prometheus creates man only to realize he must find a way to give his creation fire; Beowulf slays the monster Grendel, only to be confronted by Grendel's mother. Often the cultural hero stands apart from ordinary men and women because of his towering greatness. The unique strength and courage he possesses is a curse as well as a blessing.

This is perhaps most notably seen in the example of the cultural hero Prometheus, from ancient Greek mythology. Prometheus was a Titan, the god of foresight, who was instrumental in creating humanity from his breath and dust. The other gods, like Zeus, feared the strength of men, and refused to give the human race fire. Prometheus took pity upon his creation, and gave humans the ability to keep warm, see by night, and also to cook their food. As he was a wise god he knew that he would suffer for the gift he gave to his creation. Zeus, out of anger for this other god's disobedience, tied Prometheus to a rock, and sent a vulture to tear out the Titan's liver day by day. Because Prometheus could not die, being divine, he would have to suffer this horror for the rest of eternity.

Prometheus was honored by the Greeks, not simply because he gave humanity fire, but also because he embodied the spirit of hubris the Greeks both feared and admired. Prometheus defies the will of Zeus, and pays the price. Unlike other societies which might admire such valiancy, or simply condemn it, the Greeks had an ambiguous view of hubris. On the one hand, they lauded clever tricksters like Odysseus, who could outwit the Trojans and sorceresses with his cunning -- but Odysseus must pay with many years of wandering, because of his arrogance. Likewise, Prometheus is a great creator on one hand, but he also is not rewarded for his defiance of the king of the gods. He is not freed in heaven, nor given any final redemption or pardon.

Beowulf, like Prometheus, stands apart from the rest of his society. He possesses great strength and wisdom as a king, and only he can slay the monster Grendel. He must wait alone in the Great Hall, waiting for the beast, and he has no choice. Only Beowulf is capable of inflicting death upon the monster, so he must be alone. If he does not risk his life, than many more people will die. As with Prometheus, his ability is a curse and a blessing -- he can release others, but his talent means he must suffer fear and risk death. Prometheus possesses the ability to create a race of sentient beings, but without sacrificing himself, humanity will never know its full promise. Beowulf has great strength, but his strength and simply his status as a king makes for a lonely life. Both individuals have great responsibilities -- to give fire to a new creation and to free people from fear.

Ironically, both men are very similar to the beings they create and destroy. Prometheus, a god, is rendered vulnerable as a human being to the elements and animals because of his sacrifice of fire. Like later Greek human heroes, he shows defiance in the face of a force he knows he cannot vanquish: the wrath of Zeus. Like Grendel, Beowulf is alone, and although celebrated as a great man, he is always held at a distance by his people.