Hero and Saint

An Analysis of the Hero and the Saint from St. Francis to Kierkegaard's Abraham

Francis of Assisi is one of the most famous saints of the Church and Dante is one its most famous literary heroes. St. Francis received his vocation at the beginning of the 13th century, while Dante had his celestial vision roughly some hundred years later. One was a friar, the other a poet. Yet both grow out of a vision of the Church, the world, and man's place in it and his relation to God. St. Francis was officially declared a saint two years after his death; Dante has been revered ever since his Comedy appeared. St. Francis was recognized as a saint because he embodied all the virtues of sanctity -- perfect humility, perfect charity, perfect love of God; and Dante was recognized as a literary hero because of his epic journey,...
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