<![CDATA[This study aims to examine how heroism is narrated in Indonesian folktales through an imagological perspective. It focuses on the construction of heroic images, forms of heroism, and the actions, traits, and values that constitute heroic representation. The study employs a qualitative approach using close reading and a hermeneutic interpretive orientation. The data consist of 65 units in the form of narration, dialogue, monologue, and character descriptions drawn from Indonesian folktales. The analysis applies the concepts of auto-image, hetero-image, and imageme, with Stuart Hall’s theory of representation serving as a supporting framework. The findings show that heroic images are constructed through three forms, with hetero-image being the most dominant, accounting for 50 of the 65 data. In terms of heroic forms, Odds-beater/Underdog Heroes is the most dominant category, with 17 data, indicating heroism constructed through struggles against limitations and obstacles. At the level of heroic elements, service to others, caring, and self-sacrifice are the most prominent. These findings demonstrate that heroism in Indonesian folktales is narrated as a social image constructed through struggles against limitations, oriented toward the interests of others, and reinforced through the perspectives of others. This study contributes to the development of imagological studies in Indonesian literary scholarship by positioning folktales as cultural spaces for constructing and transmitting heroic images.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
