Brave: A person who's bold enough rise above their present circumstances through sheer grit and strength.
But does it always have to be physical? And why's it that "braves" who've survived hailstorms of bullets and arrows, had such fragmented emotional lives...? Emotionally fragile which eventually turned into emotionally frigid, and denuding them of basic human tenets. But this frigidity also developed a sense of "Devil may care!" fearlessness. With little or no grounding in terms of human relationships, the "braves" became the men we know today, as legends.
The American "Wild West" was built by pioneers; descendants of European settlers. Fearless wild men who weren't hesitant to end arguments over a gun fight.
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| Tristan, from Legends of the Fall |
Of course, they went on to become legends, men far greater in stature in their epitah than they were in real life. For all their bravado and courage, they were in the end a bunch of lonely men.
European aka Western civilization honours the man who ventures off the beaten path to ensure safety for his comrades. The myth of manliness revolves around these perpetually fighting men. And it's not a recent phenomena. Right from Mars, the Roman God of War, Jupiter aka Zeus who was no less violent (but also equally lecherous!) outdoorsmen have been showered with praise and glory for their might and wit. But were they just as strong inside? Most probably not....
Fleeing from the law, broken families, or inherently fearing "settlement into civilization"; the "brave" took up jobs no one else wanted. An emotional experience can be much more overwhelming than a physically violent one. After all, the worst that can happen in a war is you get killed. But dealing with the trauma of heartbreak or guilt only means dying every day, seeking ways to expunge the hurt and the pain, and when unable to find one, taking to drink.
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| Many "braves" had a bloody past |
Name it and you have it, numerous Western epics begin with the protagonist as a wasted man, poring over drink and getting into petty fights. Why? He had been responsible for the death of innocent native Americans during the Indian Wars. Blood doesn't wash off as easy as dirt, and a troubled conscience can only be dulled into numbness by alcohol. And so he wastes himself over drink, and signs up for daredevil adventures which come with the promise of fortune, and a very high probability of getting killed.
History, and to a certain extent, the present still glorify people who've gone out of their way to succeed in life, but often they overlook the deep and troubled past that these people come from. Perhaps its time to also appreciate the hero who lives a rather simple life in comparison, but deals with vicious emotional monsters just as the hero battles physical demons and bad guys.
The greatest battle is not fought on hallowed grounds and without a drop of blood getting spilt, great
horrors are committed and tragedies happen. These battles rage ceaselessly in the minds of people. Those who face these monsters inside of them, everyday, deserve to be called brave.
