Themes In British Writing Essay Research Paper

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Themes In British Writing Essay, Research Paper English 283 discusses many themes of British Literature, covering novels from ancient to modern times. These themes are evident in the personality of the main character, usually the hero, of each novel. These themes include loss of a close friendship and great displays of violence. However, one prominent theme in most of the novels is that the hero waits until the moment when he most needed to become a leader. The hero often begins as a quiet character and then transforms, by taking authority and command, into a heroic leader. Each hero appears to lack leadership qualities, or at least ignore their responsibility, until a time of dire distress, in which they become the great leader. This is true of heroes of ancient times, such

as in The Iliad, to more modern novels, such as in The Time of the Hero. Although the time evolutionizes, the hero’s mindset seems to stay the same, at least in the matter of when to display their great leadership ability. These characters’ actions are often not affected by morals but by personal interests. They do not seem to fight because the cause is just but more for personal gain or wealth. However, when the time comes that the hero takes command, he is usually very determined and successful. There are four novels, in particular, that seem to display this pattern. The hero portrays leadership in a time of anguish in the novels Henry V, The Elfstones of Shannara, The Time of the Hero, and The Iliad. Henry V, the hero of the novel Henry V, shows great leadership in a time

of need. As a child, Henry was very unresponsible and wild; however, once he inherited the throne, his behavior matured. Henry becomes a great leader in England’s war with France, in which the French outnumber the English by four to one. The English troops seem to think all hope is lost because the odds favor the great army of the French. However, Henry ignores his disadvantage and rallies his troops together by demonstrating his belief and courage in them. He leads his troops into war and manages to seize a great victory in which the French casualty is very high and the English have only a few deaths. Henry succeeds in gaining possession of parts of France and wedding the Princess of France. When England needed a great leader, Henry, whom most people thought could not meet the

expectations of a great king, rose above the call of duty by encouraging his troops with his high hopes and bravery. Therefore, Henry V becomes a great leader and king in England’s distress at war. Wil, one of the main characters of The Elfstones of Shannara, overcomes his weaknesses and becomes a leader in a time of misfortune. Wil is chosen to guide and protect the last of the Chosen, Amberle, on her mission to fertilize the seed of the dying Ellcrys, a tree that holds the Forbidding, which exiles all the demons. Wil has sole power over the magical elfstones, his means of protection, and must unite body, soul, and mind to control their power, which can destroy the evil demons. Wil unconsciously shows leadership by leading Amberle through the country and through the horrible

Wilderrun in pursuit of the Bloodfire, a magical pool in which she must immerse the Ellcrys seed, to save the Elves. He appears to fearlessly face demons, thieves, and hard times throughout the mission in order to keep Amberle safe. Wil ultimately shows his leadership by convincing Amberle that she is strong enough to complete their mission, even when he himself is not sure that he can continue on. Without this reassurance, Amberle would have given up on herself and the mission. Wil seems to lack confidence in his ability to command the power of the elfstones until the need to protect Amberle becomes so great that only the elfstones will save them. Wil then looks deep within, discovers his courage, and unites his mind, body, and soul to unleash the great power of the elfstones,