On Heroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History

On Heroes Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History is a collection of lectures by Thomas Carlyle published in 1841 that posits heroes are the driving force of history and indispensable to human progress. Carlyle explores six types of heroes—Divinity Prophet Poet Priest Man of Letters and King—using examples like Odin Muhammad Dante Shakespeare Luther Johnson and Napoleon to illustrate how these individuals shape societies by embodying their era’s highest spiritual and moral principles. The book argues for the natural necessity of hero-worship as a way for people to strive for aspirational traits and criticizes the shallow admiration of celebrities and public figures lacking true heroic qualities calling for a return to genuine heroism and spiritual values.