Heroines, heroes and characters

Derived from historical facts or shaped by mythology, the heroine / hero is often erected as a totemic figure. He/she enjoys a complex status, borrowing many different forms to praise different models of exemplarity.

So why do we need heroines/heroes, and how do we create them ? What kinship might there be between the Greek hero of semi-divine descent and the modern heroine adored by the media ? Is there a recurring dramaturgy of heroism ?