ABSTRACT
The Danish noun Helt is derived from the Middle Low German helt and corresponds to the High German Held. Its lexical meaning in Danish is a brave and courageous warrior; one who invests his or her life for a lofty or higher cause, thus acting in an admirable manner that excels all others. It can also refer to the protagonist in a play or poem or to a person who distinguishes himself or herself above all others, thereby becoming a prototype.1 The most frequent uses of the concept of the hero occur in the first pseudonymous authorship, particularly in Stages on Life’s Way, Fear and Trembling, Either/Or, and the Concluding Unscientific Postscript, though there are occasional references in the journals and papers as late as 1852.
