Best Heroes in Literature

This is not a comprehensive list -- these are basically my favourites (and I am an incurable bookworm with a taste for heroic heroes).  I hope for suggestions and welcome input. I'm sorry there are no heroines yet. I'll try to get to them. 
Obviously, this list is a little arbitrary. I am not nearly as extensively read as I should like to be. But these are, essentially, either my favourites or ones that would be if I had any sense. In an original version of this post, I included historical characters, but as this is mostly a fiction blog, I have revised some.

24. Harry Feversham (A. E. W. Mason)
However little I like the book The Four Feathers, I did very much like Harry Feversham, the coward who proves himself to his lady love. He commits great acts of bravery and has many adventures, and it isn't his fault that the plot of the book is entirely wrong. (Note: this is one occasion when the film is better than the book.)

23. Robin Hood (Various)
I never cared much for Robin Hood, but he is famous and a helper of the poor and downtrodden, thereby demonstrating some amount of greatness. 

22. David Balfour (Robert Louis Stevenson)
From the great adventure story Kidnapped, David Balfour is a fine sort of hero who has many adventures and a good amount of moral fortitude. Even if he was tutored by a Campbell . . .

21. Nicholas Nickleby (Charles Dickens)
Now, if I went about putting all the great Dickens heroes on, I would have a very long list; but I have warned that I will be arbitrary. Nicholas Nickleby is a very endearing sort of person who saves abused half-wits, has an evil uncle and an innocent sister, and has to aid maidens in distress. A very excellent combination for a hero, and O! when he caned Wackford Squires the reader's heart leapt for satisfaction!

20. James Bond (Ian Fleming)
Most people like James Bond, I am told, and  he does have the advantage of being the most famous spy in literature and therefore I will allow him these bragging rights. He does have good taste in automatics -- though I would have gone for the Sauer.

19. Samwise Gamgee (J. R. R. Tolkein)
I am not personally attracted to Sam; in my own opinion, Peregrin Took is a more likeable character, or Imrahil of Dol Amroth. But too many people like the son of Hamfast, and so, bowing to popular opinion, I let him stay. He is the person who forces the Ringbearer on to do his daring deed, and the one who saves him at all the many times when he can't do it himself. I fully agree that Samwise is more heroic than Frodo -- still it wasn't he who destroyed the ring (which, for all I could see, was the entire point of the story). By the laws of literature, then, Smeagol would be the hero of The Lord of the Rings -- is that uproar I hear in the distance??

18. Jeeves (P. G. Wodehouse)
You may kick to find him so high up -- I am sorry, but though Jeeves is essential, he isn't so much the heroic type. Still, he is a save-the-day-er, and he is ranked as one of the  '100 Best Characters Since 1900' . Some of us may have better reasons to object to him than Piers Morgan's -- however, few can deny his eternal, impersonal charm.

17. Beowulf (Anonymous)
The famous hero of one of the oldest adventure stories in the English (so-called) language is the epic example of the monster-slayer.

16. Atticus Finch (Harper Lee)
From To Kill A Mockingbird. The heroic lawyer who charmed the world. That's all that needs to be said, isn't it?

15. Sir Gawain (Anonymous)
Famous for his fight with the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is a moral, brave, and very principled knight.

14. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Jane Austen)
I didn't want to put him this high up, but someone has to be. We all know the fantastic hero of Pride and Prejudice -- but I think I must admit that Colin Firth's spectacular portrayal of him is what really endears him to our hearts.

13. Odysseus (Homer)
The hero of The Odyssy, Odysseus, has many, if violent, adventures -- perhaps his character is lacking in some ways, but he is certainly a famous hero. 

12. Prince Florizel of Bohemia (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Perhaps it is because he is a prince, or perhaps it is for more admirable reasons entirely, but this noble 'detective' (from The Rajah's Diamond and The Suicide Club) is quite an impressive hero.  He startled me when we first met -- I believe he belongs on this list.


11. Horne Fisher (G. K. Chesterton)
Don't feel bad if you've never heard of him -- but the super-intelligent hero of The Man  Who Knew Too Much is the best amateur detective in all of detective literature.  Cool, over-informed, politically knowledgeable, and good at heart, he beats Holmes and even Father Brown without even trying. 


10. Phileas Fogg (Jules Verne)

Appearing in Around the World in Eighty Days, Phileas Fogg is taciturn, very English, and fascinatingly impersonal. He is also brave, determined, and an unlikely romantic interest. 

9. Rupert Psmith (P.G. Wodehouse)

I hate to relegate anyone to the 'middle-distance', as Psmith would say himself, just for the fact that no one knows who he is. Still, I feel it is my duty to do it -- although I owe a great deal to the main character of Psmith in the City et al. Perhaps we have all heard of Bertie Wooster, but it is Psmith 'the Worker', the socialistic, the verbose, and the intensely charismatic, that marks the pinnacle of Wodehouse's prowess. In the American phraseology 'Ya gotta luvim.'

8. Keith Mallory (Alistair MacLean)

Although a personal favourite, the protagonist of the magnificent thriller The Guns of Navarone is less widely known -- and certainly Gregory Peck's interpretation in the film does not do him justice. The staid and stolid New Zealander is as brave as he is responsible, as reluctant to kill as he is determined to fulfill his mission. And he is a famous mountain climber, which adds to his charm.

7, Lord Jim (Joseph Conrad)

From the book by the same title, Jim is a very gripping sort of hero; one with whom all of us can identify, and one who makes the reader pause and examine himself. In my personal opinion, he rivals Sydney Carton -- indeed, the final two pages of the book are as vividly beautiful as the last chapter of A Tale of Two Cities.The book is also amazingly written, which is part of the reason Jim is so personal and the ultimate climax so powerful.

6. Jean Valjean (Victor Hugo)
One cannot deny either Valjean's fame or versatility -- surviving one's own funeral is rather a feat. He is also the epic example of a forgiving soul, and as adventuresome a role model as he is a compassionate. I have loved him since I met him when I was fifteen.

5. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (William Shakespeare)

I have no qualms about dismissing Hamlet to the stratosphere -- being though he is the most famous on this list, he is also the least heroic. Still, he is a hero, and a richly colourful one at that, and my first love from Shakespeare. Therefore, he appears. Besides, he fences wonderfully. And he pays for his morbid/maniacal tendencies.

4. Sir Percy Blakeney (Emuska Orczy)

A definite hero of the highest breed (and highest title), the Scarlet Pimpernel is a fabulous actor and extremely unselfish sort of baronet. Any Englishman who is willing to have the world think him a fop in order to save a few French nobles must be revered.

3. Tintin (Herge)

Say I am a fanatic. Say I am unfair. Say that he isn't literature. I defy you. Tintin is a marvelous hero: he has a small dog, he wears those funny golfing trousers, he has twice the fun of Indiana Jones and James Bond, he is only in his teens, he's a humanitarian, and he says 'Great Snakes' and 'Crumbs'. What is there not to admire? 

2. Sydney Carton (Charles Dickens)

Perhaps he should be first -- I will let you argue with me. Even if he is a dissipated old souse, he certainly reforms by the end of A Tale of Two Cities, and he is a fantastic example of Dickens' intelligence. 

1. Sandy Arbuthnot, Lord Clanroyden (John Buchan)

You have never heard of him? How could you not have? Actually, I am not at all surprised. Still, Sandy Arbuthnot is one of the most amazing heroes in my acquaintance. I didn't even know any heroes until I met him in Greenmantle. Somehow, his charisma, his down-to-earth Britishness, his eccentric disguises, his amazing intelligence, and his thoroughly human failings form one of the greatest heroes of all time. 

Just for Fun: How to Be a Hero or Heroine

We all want to save the day; here is a list of tried-and-true guidelines and ten practical steps to being that hero or heroine you dream about. Disclaimer: the author is not responsible for any injuries which might result from over-ambition on the part of the reader. 

Guidelines:

• Never doubt the chap with the great lines, even if they're lines only the villain gets.

• Always sit with your back to the window and Never pull the curtain.

• Flaunt the important Document or secret Item where anyone can see

• Girls, always let the villain hold your hand when you're lying.

• Always walk down the dark alley at nighttime, Alone and Unsuspecting.

• Always let the villain know that you know what he wants to know.

• Never trust people who try to warn you; certainly don't listen to them.

• Never kill Unnecessarily

• If the bad guy yields, don't suspect him of trying any tricks.

• Drink anything you are given and talk all you want.

• Men, always trust the beautiful vamp.

• Be Sullen and Sulky when the villain is questioning you.

The Steps:

10. Dress Up

Make yourself a signature -- for Tintin, it's a quiff and plus fours, for Indiana Jones, it's a slouchy hat. Make a statement, and wear something that will eliminate all doubts as to your identity. You could go in for the Zorro thing -- or maybe you prefer to always wear neon blue. 

Note on shoes: Wear something you can run in -- for gentlemen, something sturdy like jackboots; for girls, pumps are all right if you practice in them first and have strong ankles, but some type of boot would be as stylish and safer. 

9. Inform Your Trusty Sidekick

First, of course, you have to find one, and that is not always easy. It could be your valet, your best friend, the policeman on the corner, or the villain's spy -- but you ought to have one. If you don't want to take him or her with you on your mission, you must at least do your duty in telling him where you'll be and outlining your plan (all the better if he is a traitor).  Don't forget to start, 'This sounds crazy, but I have a plan . . .'

8. Have Your Weapon and Know It

This is essential. If it is a broadsword, be sure it is sharpened and clean. If it is a bow, make sure your arrows are straight. If it is a tear-gas-grenade, know how long you have to run away. If it is a hypodermic syringe, know just what's in it.

Note on Revolvers, Semi-Autos, and other Handguns: The optimal choice, but YOU MUST KNOW HOW MANY BULLETS YOU HAVE. You never know when you'll want one (or not -- if, for instance, you lend the gun to the villain to hold you up with.)

7. Rehearse Your Stunt Moves and Escape Methods

These, of course, could be taken from your favourite film, or anywhere, for that matter. Please don't hurt yourself. Also, remember that villains sometimes know jujitsu. If you are a martial artist, all the better. 

Note on Escape Methods:

The old standbys are jumping out of windows, switching off lights, and being rescued by the sidekick. Now you know why you had one in the first place.

6. Choose Your Method of Conveyance

You can have fun with this -- please, by all means. Motorcycle, Lamborghini, helicopter, pterodactyl, water-skis; your call. Do remember that the villain may instigate a chase -- in this case, a speedy vehicle would be your best wager. However, if he takes off in a private jet, you'll have to use your brains rather than your Bentley.

5. Gather Your Gear 

You may need nothing more than an electric torch -- or you may need rations, radios, code books, TNT, detonators, ice picks, camouflage, anti-tank shells, all-terrain vehicles, minesweepers, parachute, and a hardbound copy of How to Survive in the Jungle. If your last name is Bond or you have an intimate friend who wears goggles, gloves, and a white coat generally, you need to be extra certain you have everything you need before you set out. You wouldn't want to be stuck in a jellyfish-tank without your corrosive acne-cream, would you?

4. Review Your Arsenal of Witty Banter

One of my personal favourites, you must be sure to prepare and memorise a list of good pointed remarks and touchés for that moment when you and the villain  face off. If you can keep it all in your head, bravo and be my guest. Just be sure you know what you're going to say when the villain chuckles 'So we meet again.' 

If you are short on time, or if you are the dark, taciturn sort (for whom I am willing to make many exceptions), you may just want to think up a signature one-liner for yourself. 'Go ahead. Make my day' is a good start. Practice it with all the voice, too. Delivery is 95% of a good line.

3. Know Your Enemy's Weakness and Hold Your Trump Card

If you want to win, you must know your enemy's weakness. That's all there is to it -- and if you want to have fun, save your trump card for the last minute. Forgetting it is always a good touch -- just be sure you remember before the villain squeezes the trigger.

2. Calm Your Nerves

There aren't very many successful, hysterical heroes or heroines. Most of them have one thing in common -- stolidity in the face of danger. Be sure that you have a straight face and that your arm isn't shaking when you set out to save the day. You could steady yourself in any manner of ways -- will-power is the best. 

1. Turn Off Your Mobile Phone

There's lots of world out there -- and anyone could be tracking you. (Are you scared? You should be.) If it isn't the villain, it will be your Trusty Sidekick, or your Irascible Aunt, or your Royal Bodyguards. Just turn it off. You can do this on your own.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and save the world. Somebody is always threatening world peace. You know how -- stop him!