M
orally praiseworthy characters -- that is, character notable for their moral fiber -- have gotten a bit rare in our day and age. There are probably a number of causes for this (there usually are); one of my pet favorites is that our world intentionally cultivates complex situations, in which applying moral principles is difficult, and that therefore, writers are at a disadvantage in showing how good morals are enacted in modern situations. But at the same time, the concept of a fundamentally "good" hero is a bit passé. They're unrelatable, they say. Too unrealistic.
I just finished reading Emma, by Jane Austen, and am in the thick of The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien. While Emma is deeply concerned with the moral failings of its titular character, the book is enlivened and guided by the steadfastness of heart of Mr. Knightley; and the Lord of the Rings is a case study in the combined powers of truly moral agents. The filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki comes to mind also -- while some of his characters start with failings that are corrected over the course of the film, sometimes his figures are simply Good, remain Good, and bring the plot to a satisfying conclusion via their Goodness (I think particularly of Ashitaka in Princess Mononoke, and Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle).
I've heard complaints about exactly these sorts of figures -- that they are too alien, too unattainable, too unrelatable to be good figures in fiction. First of all, surely there are many things that one can attempt with storytelling, and one doesn't need to be restricted to "relatable characters". But more to the point, I think we need unattainable role models. We can't be called beyond ourselves by those who are equal with ourselves (or below, for that matter). I am glad that Aragorn exists. I want to be more like Mr. Knightley, or Prince Ashitaka. I want to be reminded that my life is yet unfinished, and given a flavor of what it could look and feel like to act well. In fiction, we can explore that which is not immediately present to us in reality, and discovering the Good is an act fundamentally worthwhile.