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The words “hero” and “heroine” are used in everyday language to mean an exceptionally brave man or woman. There are many stories and songs about heroes. They were people who did great deeds; who were stronger and more courageous than ordinary people; who were sometimes supernatural beings. They often also communicated with supernatural beings.
In ancient Greek history, for example, there were many heroes. You may already have heard of Hercules, who had enormous strength and who did many heroic deeds, and saved the Greeks from many dangers.
There are so many Greek heroes that one can’t name them all here. One of them was Theseus, the son of King Pittheus of Athens. According to legend Pittheus left a sword and a pair of sandals under a rock. His son had to claim them when he was big enough. One of the dangerous tasks he had to do, was to kill the Minotaur, a monster with a human body and the head of a bull. It was kept in the labyrinth of Cnossus. It was a building designed in the form of an intricate maze, from which no one could escape. Every year Minos of Crete carried off a number of Athenian boys and girls to be given as victims to the Minotaur. Theseus went as a volunteer with one of these groups. Ariadne, daughter of Minos, helped him by giving him a ball of thread to unwind as he went in. This was how he could find his way out again. Theseus killed the Minotaur with his sword, so freed the victims and set off in triumph to Athens.
Many ancient Greek vases or urns show heroes doing great deeds. This vase (6BC) shows Theseus killing the monster.
The famous Greek writer, Homer, wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey , a long poem which tells the story of the magnificent hero, Odysseus. The Latin form of his name is Ulysses. The Odyssey describes his adventures on his journey home to the island of Ithaca after the Trojan War. This journey took ten years to complete and in that time Ulysses had many adventures.
1. Find Athens and Crete on the map of Greece.
2. Find a book about the stories of Ullysses’ adventures and read about some of them. They are quite hair-raising.
3. Write a short book report about this book.
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Find a book about the tales of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Read about at least one adventure. Form groups and dramatize the story. Dress up as knights and damsels. The villain (wicked person / enemy) must really look wicked. You must use your imagination. You can make that person look really evil by using make-up and by choosing the right clothes for such a character. The heroes and heroines, on the other hand, must contrast by looking as “good” and attractive and strong as possible. Consult books to see what people looked like in those days.
The learner will be able to communicate effectively in spoken language in a wide range of situations.
We know this when the learner:
2.3 uses additional language to communicate information:
2.3.3 describes people, objects and simple processes.
2.4 uses his/her language creatively:
2.4.3 performs a familiar short rhyme, poem or song;
2.5 challenges bias:
2.5.1 resists name-calling of any kind (e.g. cruel names, racist names, xenophobic names).
The learner will be able to read and view for information and enjoyment, and to respond critically to the aesthetic, cultural and emotional values in texts.
We know this when the learner:
3.5 reads for pleasure and information:
3.5.1 reads fiction and non-fiction books at an appropriate reading and language level;
3.5.2 evaluates books in a book report.
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