Over time, the definition of a hero has changed. Today's hero can be defined as a person who is admired for performing a brave and courageous act. The definition of a hero has had different meanings depending on the periods. The classical hero, the medieval hero, the romantic hero, and the modern hero all have different characteristics that define them. The main characteristics of a classic hero are that he must be born into royalty or half mortal, half god. A classic hero must accomplish extraordinary feats and be a noble character. The hero's death must come in an unusual way. A classic hero will fight for his own honor. An example of a classic hero would be Hercules (Norman). A medieval hero has different characteristics from a classical hero. A medieval hero must be loyal and obedient to the hierarchy. He must be a man considered to have good moral character. A medieval hero must also follow rules of chivalry, dress, courtesy and (Norman) code of conduct. Unlike the medieval hero, the moral codes of the romantic hero are eccentric; heroes can make their own rules. Romantic heroes should also not be loyal to a hierarchy, but rather to a certain project. For a romantic hero, self-knowledge is valued above physical strength and endurance (Norman). The modern hero seeks to survive. Unlike the medieval hero, the modern hero does not have a code of ethics but rather a code of behavior. The modern hero faces internal and external struggles. His internal struggles involve addiction to alcohol, money and drugs. The hero's external struggles concern corruption within government and formal organizations (Norman). Although the characteristics that define each of these heroes are different from those in the middle of paper...... the ps lost their lives. to protect the United States. First responders and troops are the definition of a true hero. Over time, the characteristics that define a hero have changed. Different cultures have impacted the characteristics that define a hero. The different types of heroes all have differences from each other. There are still some characteristics that have not changed in the definition of a hero. Bravery and courage are characteristics that have defined all heroes. Works Cited “Heroic Characters.” Change mentalities. Np, and Web. May 29, 2014.Norman, Vera. “Four conceptions of the heroic”. Community of Reason. NP, 2005. Web. May 29, 2014. “The Four Types of Heroes/The Hero Archetype Resource.” » NP, 2011. Web. May 29, 2014. Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. et al. A Brief History of Heroes. 2004. Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009. 69-72. Print.