[lit-ideas] Re: Hero-Worship, etc.
- From: John Wager <johnwager@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 07 May 2004 08:05:18 -0500
If you want to see the worst example I have come across of how "hero"
and "heroine" are different, take a look at these. For Hero:
http://undergraduatecenter.dhs.org/GladBook/pages/gladbook_p17-18.htm
For Heroine:
http://undergraduatecenter.dhs.org/GladBook/pages/gladbook_p17-18.htm
The "hero" slays the dragon. The "heroine" saves the children by running
away from the Indians.
(The whole book starts at
http://undergraduatecenter.dhs.org/GladBook/index.htm but don't go there
if you don't want to be bothered. I found this in a local grade school
library several years ago and couldn't resist scanning it in.)
Judith Evans wrote:
>There certainly are relics! "Heroine" connotes something really rather
>different from "female hero", yet "heroes" are of course male.
>
>
>
> 4. The man who forms the subject of an epic; the chief male personage in a
>poem, play, or story; he in whom the interest of the story or plot is
>centred.
>
>
>
>it may be that this usage, with the corresponding
>
>
>
> The principal female character in a poem, story, or play; the woman in whom
>the interest of the piece centres.
>
>
>
>helps perpetuate the problem.
>
>
>Judy Evans
>jaye@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
>Sent: 07 May 2004 04:02
>To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [lit-ideas] Hero-Worship, etc.
>
>
>
> "A hero is only a hero if he/she has some fear, some moment of
> wariness; they are concerned how the action will effect others or
>the
> situation." --
>
>
>The sexist Greeks -- there are relics in English! -- distinguished between
>'hero' and 'heroine'. 'Heroin' is however _German_: "a white crystalline
>alkaloid" -- the word 'said to be so derived because of the inflation of the
>personality consequent upon taking the drug'. Oddly, the use of
>'personality' (in the
>definition of 'heroin') suggests a re-write for the sentence in question:
>
> A hero is only a hero if she/he has some fear; the person
> is concerned how the action [has an effect] on others.
>
>The OED cites of 'heroine' are rather interesting, and I quote them below.
>They include one on Mrs Cox's on 'heroine-worship'. In a logical vein, all
>the
>definitions provided by the OED for 'hero' refer to 'man', only, and think
>of
>it, the definition of 'heroine' as _female hero_ is a bit biased (If so,
>then
>the OED should provide sex-neutral definitions for 'hero', I would think).
>
>Cheers,
>
>JL
>
>---
>
>I. "heroine"
>
>ad. L. hrna, -n, a. Gr. , fem. of HERO: see -INE. Cf. F. héroïne (16th
>c.).
>The Lat. form was also in Eng. use in 17th c.]
> A female hero. In ancient mythology, a female intermediate between a woman
>and a goddess; a demi-goddess.
>
>1659 CLEVELAND Mt. Ida v,
>Next Pallas that brave Heroina came.
>1725 POPE Odyss. XI. Argt.,
>He sees the shades of the ancient heroines.
>1835 THIRLWALL Greece I. v. 149
>Medea seems..to have descended..from the rank of a goddess into that of a
>heroine.
>
>A woman distinguished by exalted courage, fortitude, or noble achievements.
>
>1662 EVELYN Chalcogr. 61
>A Sardonix which he cut, representing the head of that famous Heroine [Queen
>Elizabeth].
>1697 tr. C'tess D'Aunoy's Trav. (1706) 85
>To distinguish herself from among the Heroina's of the most famous Ages.
>1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3796/12
>Providence..raised an English Heroine to dissipate the Designs of an
>Universal Monarchy.
>1732 T. LEDIARD Sethos II. x. 475
>The greatest heroins have but one life.
>1859 MASSON Milton I. 667
>Over Scotland..there were Presbyterian heroines very many, and Presbyterian
>furies not a few.
>
>The principal female character in a poem, story, or play; the woman in whom
>the interest of the piece centres.
>
>1715 J. RICHARDSON Ess. Paint. 106 The other Saints have regard only to the
>Heroine of the Picture. 1782 V. KNOX Ess. cxxi. (R.), They..forget the hero
>and
>the heroine, the poet and the poem. 1847 TENNYSON Princ. Prol. 217 ‘Take
>Lilia, then, for heroine’ clamour'd he, ‘And make her some great
>Princess, six
>feet high’.
>
>attrib. or as adj. Heroine-like, heroic.
>
>1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3810/4 A Soul truly Great and Heroine.
>
> Comb., as heroine-worship, -worshipper (cf. HERO-WORSHIP); heroine-like
>adj.
>
>1804 Something Odd I. 168
>Without screaming, or fainting, or practising any other of the heroine-like
>graces.
>1900 Westm. Gaz. 1 May 4/2
>Mrs. Cock has succeeded in giving a true and striking portraiture, without
>falling into mere heroine-worship.
>1916 A. BENNETT Lion's Share xxiii. 165
>‘Jenny!’ Audrey protested, full of heroine-worship.
>1943 BEERBOHM Lytton Strachey 11
>He was not a hero-worshipper, or even a very gallant heroine-worshipper.
>1970 R. RENDELL Guilty Thing Surprised ix. 111
>It was a case of heroine worship on one side and a sort of flattered
>acceptance on the other.
>
>Hence heroine v. nonce-wd., in to heroine it, to act or play the heroine;
>heroineship, heroinism, the condition or position of a heroine; heroinize v.
>trans., to make into a heroine.
>
>1759 STERNE Tr. Shandy (1802) I. xviii. 71
>She could not heroine it into so violent..an extreme as one in her situation
>might have wished.
>1778 Hist. Eliza Warwick II. 29 A noble effort of heroinism.
>1815 E. S. BARRETT Heroine III. 174, I therefore heroinized and Heloised
>myself as much as possible.
>1818 Blackw. Mag. III. 290 The heroineship of the book has passed to one of
>the daughters of Lady Juliana.
>1887 Graphic 16 Apr. 414 Both qualifications for heroinism are combined by
>Rhona Lascelles.
>1894 MRS. H. WARD Marcella I. xi. 210 Her sense of heroineship.
>
>II. 'hero'
>1. A name given (as in Homer) to men of superhuman strength, courage, or
>ability, favoured by the gods; at a later time regarded as intermediate
>between
>gods and men, and immortal.
>2. A man distinguished by extraordinary valour and martial achievements; one
>who does brave or noble deeds; an illustrious warrior.
>
> 3. A man who exhibits extraordinary bravery, ... a man admired and
>venerated for his achievements and noble qualities.
>
>
> 4. The man who forms the subject of an epic; the chief male personage in a
>poem, play, or story; he in whom the interest of the story or plot is
>centred.
>
>
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