Comparing Heroism In Candide And The Love Suicides At Amijima

What is heroism? Heroism is typically described with qualities such as courage, bravery, fortitude, unselfishness, or someone who has achieved some fantastic goal or status, or even someone who has accomplished a great task. Heroism consists of always striving to do what is right, rather than what is pleasant, or convenient, or what everyone else is doing. In the stories "Candide" and "The Love Suicides at Amijima," it is proved that almost anyone can be a hero. This is established when people of the so called "middle class" emerge as heroes. Candide finds himself in several situations where it is necessary to be a hero. The first situation in which Candide is a hero is when he is kicked out of the castle in Thunder-ten-tronckh, for having a sexual encounter with Cunegund. Thereafter, Candide is captured by the Bulgarians and is given a choice
As a reader, we hope for Jihei to come along and save Koharu since she truly loves him; however, there is a catch, Jihei is shown to be a weak man that's unable to choose between two women (his wife – Osan, and Koharu). When Jihei's wealthy rival in love, Tahei, buys Koharu off, Jihei faces a public humiliation that he can't bear. At the same time Osan realizes that Koharu will commit suicide rather than go off with Tahei because she is not unfaithful as Jihei thinks (when he overheard Koharu talking). Osan, the epitome of the faithful wife (this story's hero), urges Jihei to pawn their last clothes and buy Koharu, to save both her life and his dignity. At this moment, Gozaemon, Jihei's father-in-law appears and forcefully takes Osan away, ending the marriage. Jihei and Koharu manage to slip away at night, journey along the bridges to the Amijima, and commit suicide together. Osan is truly the hero of this story because she was able to do what was "right", rather than what was pleasant, or convenient to