Western Heroes Vs Cuchulain

Cuchulain vs. Popular Western Heroes Cuchulain of Murthemine shares many defining aspect with many other ancient hero-like figures in literature. A famous Irish war hero from the epic The Táin Bó Cuailnge, he shares many similar qualities of popular mythical heroes. Examples range from his godlike birth story to his incredible feats of battle. However, he is also is unique in that many of the elements that make him a hero differ from other classical champions such as Hercules or Odysseus. One illustration of this point is that Cuchulain earned his battle talents through a woman warrior goddess, Scáthatch, which is an uncommon element in the popular creation of a male hero. More importantly, his habit of changing personas and his ability
Cuchulain has many attributes that relate to other mythological heroes, which is why the epic The Táin is considered a hero’s journey. Similar to many Greek mythological male champions for example, Cuchulain is extremely strong and battle savvy maing him ideal for war. One of the first warlike feats he accomplishes is when, at a very young age, he defeats the warrior goddess Aife. Even as his weapon is smashed he is able to use his knowledge to defeat her: “All she left him was a part of his sword no bigger than a fist. ‘Look! Oh, look!’ Cuchulain said. ‘Aife’s charioteer and her two horses and the chariot have fallen into the valley! They are all dead!’ Aife looked around and Cuchulain leaped at her…He threw her heavily to the ground and held a naked sword over her” (33). This also illustrates how his strength is comparable to even that of Hercules of Jupiter, as he accomplishes many of his earlier feats when he is younger than a teenager. An additional
Many popular western heroes only have one persona in which they are known by and do not change their entire character at will. Cuchulain is different in this respect however because in his normal state he is still able to perform incredible feats of battle, and yet when he makes this warp-spasm transformation, he is able to increase his already godlike powers. The transformation is also unique in itself as the changes that are described are unlike any other champion in mythological literature, “The Warp-Spasm overtook him: it seemed each hair was hammered into his head…he bared his jaws to the ear…The hero-halo rose up from the crown on his head” (77). Cuchulain’s Warp-spasms completely change his character both mentally and physichally as he becomes envolped in rage and his body becomes able to inflict damage a hundred times what it could probably inflict normally. The unbelievable strength that stems from this allows Cuchulain to perform things such as “his thunder feat, and he killed a hundred…then five hundred” (153). His ability to multiply his already hero-like powers is what truly sets him apart from other champions in popular hero