Odysseus’s Journey to Georgia: On Translating Heroism

Abstract

Heroism is universal and culturally specific at the same time. The need for a hero seems to be universal and is found in every known culture. Though the need is universal, it is also culturally specific: how the heroes act, how they look, what the primary instrument of their heroism is. The environment, history, and culture play a significant role in defining the heroic patterns in different cultures. How good, strong or intelligent they should be, what they should do, or give up, or sacrifice in order to be called heroes, and what the limits of heroism are: all these factors are culturally defined.