Heroes and Heroism

[Syd A]

Does anyone have recommendations for works – fiction and non-fiction – that explore the issues of heroes and heroism, other than Carlyle’s? I am definitely not looking for the standard hero soldier/cop/firefighter junk, or for anything that involves patriotism or nationalism, or any kind of Tom Clancy crap. I’m looking for serious, philosophical exploration of what it means to be a hero, great heroes of history, classics that explore the issue, etc. Your help is appreciated.
Syd

[dfloyd]

Profiles in Courage - John F. Kennedy
History of Early Rome - Livy
Leonidas at the Pass - Herodotus

[Theunderground]

Hamlet and the Odyessey.

[Dark Muse]

Carl Jung wrote some interesting things about the archtype of the hero

[Lokasenna]

Try the Old English poems Beowulf and The Battle of Maldon.

[scoobyd]

I'd say Sir Gawain and the Green Knigh. It's worth going through ;)