The Hero in History

• At issue:~greatness~causation

• Hook: event-making vs eventful• Hero archetype & mythology in our culture

The Mythology of the Hero

_________________________________Mythical Hero(dep,initiate,ret)

Fairy talehero

Athletehero

Everypersonas hero

Anti-hero

Louis Cyr1863-1912

The Physical Stats• Height: 5’9”• Weight: 316 lbs• Biceps: 24”• Neck: 22”• Forearms: 19”• Chest: 60”• Waist: 45”• Thighs: 33”• Calves: 28”

Louis Cyr’s Tavern - Montreal• Home base – funding for tours,

demonstrations• Montreal Gazette, 1885

I hereby challenge any man in the world, bar none, to a heavy weight lifting contest, without harness, for any sum from one hundred dollars to five hundred dollars a side.

Yours truly, Louis Cyr

• Tours – Canada, the US, the UK• 1889 – invited to give a demonstration for the

Prince of Wales in London• Crowd of 5,000 raised a 250 kilo weight with

one finger• A back lift of 4,100 lbs• The horse demo• US and UK tours in the 1890s• Barnum and Bailey Circus

*A flair for the dramatic*Excitement and tension*Audience participation(18 fat men on a piano)

The Physical Feats• Iron cross with 96lb right hand and 88lbs left

hand• 35 consecutive right arm presses with 162.8

lbs• 552 lbs one finger lift• 189 lbs with both arms straight in front of his

body• 986 lbs with one hand• restrained 4 horses for 55 seconds

Summary• Heroes and Legends are created and

sustained for specific reasons: cultural, economic, political

• Look to broader historical issues and circumstances to find your explanations

• Louis Cyr: look to the connections between strength, masculinity, and broader Canadian society

George W Beers

Paris Crew 1867Worldchamps

Inrigged boat used by Paris Crew – noteoar locks on gunwhalesnot outrigged as they are today

~from 1980 17-cent stamp; artistic rendering

?? Who in “The Boy in Blue” (1986)Nicholas Cage

Hanlan featured front cover of Cdn Illustrated News 1878

Promo for ’78 Lachine races w Courtney

Louis Rubenstein