hero
A hero (masculine or gender-neutral) or heroine (feminine) (, hḗrōs) is a person or character in literature who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, displays courage or self-sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good. Historically, the first heros displayed courage or excellence as warriors. The word’s meaning was later extended to include moral excellence. The word can be used as a gender-neutral term for both males and females because it has no gender-specific suffix in English. Stories of heroism may serve as moral examples. In classical antiquity, cults that venerated deified heroes such as Heracles, Perseus, and Achilles played an important role in Ancient Greek religion. Politicians, ancient and modern, have employed hero worship for their own apotheosis (i.e., cult of personality). Stories of the antihero also play a major role in Greek mythology and much of literature. The antihero is a protagonist who lacks the typical characteristics of heroism, such as honor, nobility, bravery, compassion, and fortitude. The favorite type of antihero is an individual who lacks moral character.
