On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History | Page 3

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ON HEROES, HERO-WORSHIP, AND THE HEROIC IN HISTORY
By Thomas Carlyle

CONTENTS.
I. THE HERO AS DIVINITY. ODIN. PAGANISM:
SCANDINAVIAN MYTHOLOGY. II. THE HERO AS PROPHET.
MAHOMET: ISLAM. III. THE HERO AS POET. DANTE:
SHAKSPEARE. IV. THE HERO AS PRIEST. LUTHER;
REFORMATION: KNOX; PURITANISM. V. THE HERO AS MAN
OF LETTERS. JOHNSON, ROUSSEAU, BURNS. VI. THE HERO
AS KING. CROMWELL, NAPOLEON: MODERN
REVOLUTIONISM.

LECTURES ON HEROES.
[May 5, 1840.] LECTURE I. THE HERO AS DIVINITY. ODIN.
PAGANISM: SCANDINAVIAN MYTHOLOGY.
We have undertaken to discourse here for a little on Great Men, their
manner of appearance in our world's business, how they have shaped
themselves in the world's history, what ideas men formed of them, what
work they did;--on Heroes, namely, and on their reception and
performance; what I call Hero-worship and the Heroic in human affairs.
Too evidently this is a large topic; deserving quite other treatment than
we can expect to give it at present. A large topic; indeed, an illimitable
one; wide as Universal History itself. For, as I take it, Universal
History, the history of what man has accomplished in this world, is at
bottom the History of the Great Men who have worked here. They were
the leaders of men, these great ones; the modellers, patterns, and in a
wide sense creators, of whatsoever the general mass of men contrived
to do or to attain; all things that we see standing accomplished in the
world are properly the outer material result, the practical realization and
embodiment, of Thoughts that dwelt in the Great Men sent into the
world: the soul of the whole world's history, it may justly be considered,
were the history of these. Too clearly it is a topic we shall do no justice
to in this place!
One comfort is, that Great Men, taken up in any way, are profitable

company. We cannot look, however imperfectly, upon a great man,
without gaining something by him. He is the living light-fountain,
which it is good and pleasant to be near. The light which enlightens,
which has enlightened the darkness of the world; and this not as a
kindled lamp only, but rather as a natural luminary shining by the gift
of Heaven; a flowing light-fountain, as I say, of native original insight,
of manhood and heroic nobleness;--in whose radiance all souls feel that
it is well with them. On any terms whatsoever, you will not grudge to
wander in such neighborhood for a while. These Six classes of Heroes,
chosen out of widely distant countries and epochs, and in mere external
figure differing altogether, ought, if we look faithfully at them, to
illustrate several things for us. Could we see them well, we should get
some glimpses into the very marrow of the world's history. How happy,
could I but, in any measure, in such times as these, make manifest to
you the meanings of Heroism; the divine relation (for I may well call it
such) which in all times unites a Great Man to other men; and thus, as it
were, not exhaust my subject, but so much as break ground on it! At all
events, I must make the attempt.
It is well said, in every sense, that a man's religion is the chief fact with
regard to him. A man's, or a nation of men's. By religion I do not