The Hero in Tradition and Folklore

This book looks at the role of the hero in folklore, ranging from the complex figure of St George to the early heroes of the Old Testament and the West Indian trickster Anansi. The hero is considered not only as a warrior, but as a man possessed. Ideas in difference cultures about the exceptional and admirable qualities that make a hero are seen in these seven essays to be various and contradictory, while the need for heroes remains constant. Also contains the translation by John Heath-Stubbs and Shafik Megally of a long Coptic poem about St George.