The Medieval Hero

The epic hero of the medieval world is a problematiccharacter: he simultaneously embodies the brightdream of a protective and courageous aristocrat, andthe brutal fact of a violent man with a talent forkilling. This dichotomy is often found in thecharacters of medieval tales, who are at once bothresponsible for the protection of their society/stateand its stability, yet by virtue of their capacityfor violence, are bound to exist on the margins ofsociety they are never fully accepted as trustedmembers of their community. The hero has severalcomplex functions within epic literature: he servesas a mediator between the mundane and supernaturalworlds; he serves to protect his society, but issometimes the bringer of social chaos; he supportsthe monarch, yet often this relationship is filledwith tension. This book shows how medieval Christianand Muslim heroic literature deals with such conceptsas loyalty, honor, fame, uncontrolled rage, theOtherworld and above all the heroic code.Further, it examines parallels in eastern and westerntraditions, and discusses the origins of thetraditions themselves.