Classical Culture - Bellerophon
OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE MYTH
3. HEROIC PATTERN
3.1 THE BIRTH AND ADOLESCENCE OF BELLEROPHON
3.2 VICTORY OVER THE CHIMERA
3.3 THE RISE AND FALL OF BELLEROPHON
4. MYTH INTERPRETATION
4.1 STRUCTURALISM
4.2 ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO
5. CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLASSICAL CULTURE 1B 2013: ASSIGNMENT 1 – HEROIC PATTERN OF BELLEROPHON
J J Swallow 201378988
1. INTRODUCTION
This Essay will be based on the Myth of Bellerophon from The Iliad by Homer as translated by Chapman and edited by Allardyce Nicoll. The purpose of this essay is to analyse the Myth according to the Heroic Pattern of Lord Raglan and Joseph Campbell and according to the theories of myth interpretation. This will be done by critically analysing the Myth of Bellerophon using the skills that were taught in class.
2. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE MYTH
Bellerophon was the son of Eurynome and Glaucus, the King of Corinth (or perhaps Poseidon). “Being the son of [Glaucus] the most skilled equestrian of the day” (Lieberman 1997:n/a) Bellerophon became a very talented horse rider at a young age. Around the age of sixteen Bellerophon went seeking adventure and it was around this time that he met Proteus, son-in-law of Iobates, the King of Lycia. Proteus acted as if he was friends with Bellerophon, but he was in fact extremely jealous of him. He gave Bellerophon a letter to deliver to Iobates which ordered for Bellerophon to be put to death. Instead of getting his hands dirty and killing Bellerophon, Iobates came up with a plan to send Bellerophon to battle the Chimera, a monster with the body of a lion, a goat’s head protruding from the torso and the tail of a snake, or as Lieberman put it, “a monster with the head of a lion and the tail of a dragon.” (1997:n/a)
Keen for an adventure Bellerophon asked Polydius, the wisest man in Lycia, for advice. Polydius told Bellerophon to seek Pegasus, the legendary flying steed. He also told him to spend the night in Athena’s temple and give her
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE MYTH
3. HEROIC PATTERN
3.1 THE BIRTH AND ADOLESCENCE OF BELLEROPHON
3.2 VICTORY OVER THE CHIMERA
3.3 THE RISE AND FALL OF BELLEROPHON
4. MYTH INTERPRETATION
4.1 STRUCTURALISM
4.2 ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO
5. CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLASSICAL CULTURE 1B 2013: ASSIGNMENT 1 – HEROIC PATTERN OF BELLEROPHON
J J Swallow 201378988
1. INTRODUCTION
This Essay will be based on the Myth of Bellerophon from The Iliad by Homer as translated by Chapman and edited by Allardyce Nicoll. The purpose of this essay is to analyse the Myth according to the Heroic Pattern of Lord Raglan and Joseph Campbell and according to the theories of myth interpretation. This will be done by critically analysing the Myth of Bellerophon using the skills that were taught in class.
2. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE MYTH
Bellerophon was the son of Eurynome and Glaucus, the King of Corinth (or perhaps Poseidon). “Being the son of [Glaucus] the most skilled equestrian of the day” (Lieberman 1997:n/a) Bellerophon became a very talented horse rider at a young age. Around the age of sixteen Bellerophon went seeking adventure and it was around this time that he met Proteus, son-in-law of Iobates, the King of Lycia. Proteus acted as if he was friends with Bellerophon, but he was in fact extremely jealous of him. He gave Bellerophon a letter to deliver to Iobates which ordered for Bellerophon to be put to death. Instead of getting his hands dirty and killing Bellerophon, Iobates came up with a plan to send Bellerophon to battle the Chimera, a monster with the body of a lion, a goat’s head protruding from the torso and the tail of a snake, or as Lieberman put it, “a monster with the head of a lion and the tail of a dragon.” (1997:n/a)
Keen for an adventure Bellerophon asked Polydius, the wisest man in Lycia, for advice. Polydius told Bellerophon to seek Pegasus, the legendary flying steed. He also told him to spend the night in Athena’s temple and give her
Bibliography: Atsma, A. 2000. Bellerophontes. Available from http://www.theoi.com/Heros/Bellerophontes.html (Accessed 21 August 2013) Chhiba, N 2013. Lecture on the Heroic Pattern. Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg, 23 July. Harris, S. & Platzner, G. 2004. Classical Mythology: Images and Insights. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill. Kerenyi, K 1974. The Heroes of the Greeks. London, England: Thames & Hudson. Lieberman, E 1997. Bellerophon. Available from http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/bellerophon.html (Accessed 21 August 2013) Nicoll, A (ed.) 1967 (1957). The Iliad. Trans. Chapman. 2nd Edition. London, England: Routledge and Kegan Paul ltd. Raglan, L 2003. The Hero: A Study in Tradition, Myth and Drama. New York, USA: Dover Publications.