epic hero

[ep-ik heer-oh]

noun

1. a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events.

   Beowulf, an epic hero with extraordinary strength.

Word History and Origins

Origin of epic hero¹

First recorded in 1745–55

When To Use

What is an epic hero?

An epic hero is the main character of an epic poem that tells the story of a grand quest in which they use their extraordinary or superhuman abilities to achieve great things.In literature, a hero is simply the protagonist, or main character. An epic poem (or epic) is a long narrative poem written in lofty language that usually tells the story of such a hero. Epic heroes perform deeds that you might call epic (impressively great), but they’re called epic heroes specifically because they appear in epic poems.Two of the most enduring examples of epic heroes are ones you’ve probably heard of: Achilles (hero of the Iliad) and Odysseus (hero of the Odyssey). Those ancient Greek epic poems are attributed to the poet Homer and are among the most influential works in Western literature.