Preview

The Legend Of Heracles: A Tragic Hero

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
211 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Legend Of Heracles: A Tragic Hero
The legend of Heracles has not been proven to be a real tale, but the myth has been told by the people of Greece for thousands of years.
Heracles has always been praised as a man of great courage and strength. Heracles is the mortal son of Zeus, as his mother was Alcmene a regular mortal woman. Zeus had fooled Alcmene into believing that he was her husband, Amphitryon, made love to her and eventually gave her a demigod son. Even as a young infant, Heracles proved his greatness by swiftly defeating the two serpents his half mother Hera sent to murder him. It is obvious that Heracles would become a great power of Greece, but was Heracles a brave hero who fought for honour or justice, or a murderous cheat that took his power for granted. The story

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Minotaur is a half man half bull creature. “In the Egyptian religion, [Minotaur] was called Apis, a sacred bull that was regarded as the incarnation of their god Osiris or of Ptah” (Minotaur MythOrTruthCom). His parents were Queen Pasiphae and King Minos of Crete. Minos asked Poseidon, the god of the sea to send him a bull, which he promised to give up as an offering but when he saw the beautiful bull come out of the sea, he wanted it for himself. He gave up one of the best animals from his herd in order to keep the bull. This made Poseidon mad so he had Mino’s wife Pasiphae fall in love with the bull. She had an architect make a fake cow for her so she could fool the bull into making love with her.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Herakles, or more commonly known as Hercules --according to Disney-- is probably one of the most popular myths people have seen or heard, but could Herakles’ myth follow Joseph Campbell’s Hero myth list. Carl Jung defined an archetype myth or Jungian archetype as a pattern of thought that can be translated to “worldwide parallels” (“The Columbian Encyclopedia”) that the human race experiences as a culture or an individual. The myth of Herakles includes parts that compare to the Hero Archetype, but there are also parts that do not fit the archetype at all. Joseph Campbell’s list of myths for the common hero includes a list that does and does not relate to the story of Herakles.…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Disney Hero's Journey

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When comparing the modern day movie Hercules with the traditional story of Heracles, many changes have been made, and many details have been left out. One example is his reasoning for completing the 12 labors he is given. In our Disney version, he completes these labors in order to prove himself worthy of becoming immortal, so he can become a real God, like his father Zeus. However, he traditionally completed these tasks is to be forgiven for his sin, which was the brutal murder of his wife and children. Although interesting, our modern day society would find it more heroic for a man to accomplish these tasks in order to prove himself worthy, rather than to make up for murdering his own family. Considering Disney is intended for younger audiences, the movie not only simplifies certain story elements, but also changes the actual depiction of the other characters revolved around Hercules. The movie also upgrades his personality into a more intelligent, loving character than he really was. People don’t want to see an unintelligent hero save their city; they want a smart, genuine man to save their…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hercules was brave as he was smart he was the only and the first to kill the Nemean Lion. The Nemean Lion was a very vicious monster in the Greek Mythology that lived in Nemea. It could not be killed with Mortal weapons because…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus is an epic hero because of all the challenging obstacles he had to overcome. He is strong and brave by never giving up, but rather determined to fulfill his accomplishments as a young and adventurous man. Odysseus was also very cunning, knowing how to create and form the ideal way to sabotage the Trojans. Such a bold hero and great father that seeks to win the 10 year war with the Trojans and succeeds. Although, weaknesses lye in every man as a human necessity and even this 'Hero' has one.…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "Alright. Everybody shut up! I don't want any more whining or crying. Hercules Mulligan, you have once again stepped out of line and this time you have killed one of my best men. It's about time that someone teaches you a lesson." Thomas spoke, in a low, agitated voice. His voice was the only one sounding in the room now. That is unless you count the unspoken tension that screamed out in silence. Charles Lee was dead, Hamilton was unwilling to pay, and Thomas was done with it all. Hercules Mulligan had to pay for what he'd done.…

    • 421 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism, confronting your fears and allowing yourself to the right to be human can paradoxically make you far happier and a more productive person.” Dr David M Burn’s quote explains how you must face your fears to be a more perfect and productive person. A perfect hero must face al their fears, which allows them to become a perfect hero. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is portrayed as a perfect hero because he shows traits such as strength, bravery, and wisdom.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Heracles is the greatest of the Greek heroes for his courage, strength, and skill to fight against the evil. Although Hercules himself committed one of the most evil deeds by killing his own wife and children, Goddess Hera made him pay for his deeds. Goddess Hera led Hercules sentence to twelve years of penance – a period of hard labor. Unlike the punishment a criminal would get today of either imprisonment or execution, Heracles had to endure the imaginable suffering of the twelve impossible tasks even after regaining his senses. His first labor was to battle a Nemean lion and bring in the skin of the lion. The lion was so huge that his strength and powerful bows were dull compared. He, nonetheless, did not lose his strength and fought the…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Odysseus: A True Hero

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When people think of a hero they think of a good looking, strapping man wearing tights and a cape with powers that will save you when you are in trouble. When it comes to Homer’s Odysseus in The Odyssey he has the looks but not the powers, tights or the cape. What makes him a hero is how well rounded he is. A great hero has to have three traits, they have to be strong, smart, and sensitive and Odysseus has all three.…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the Epic, Odyssey by Homer Odysseus has to save his men and get them home. Odysseus is a modern day hero hero. He qualifies for the job because first he is brave, cunning, and determined. He made smart decisions and knows how to get out of sticky situations. Second he is brave and he is ready for whatever comes his way. Although the ancient greeks consider odysseus a hero epic hero, according Modern day to Ethos and Logos he fails to measure by modern standards.…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus: A Hero

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “Have we never been in danger before this?/ More fearsome, is it now, than when the cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had!/ Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us?” (Homer 526). This long narrative poem is written about Odysseus and it clearly displays the adventures of a hero, not a fool as he faces against great odds. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is a hero because of his strength, intelligence and loyalty.…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Hero's Journey is never an easy one. This particular journey, as detailed in Homer's The Odyssey, is one of struggle, loss, heartache, pain, growth and triumph. It is comprised of many steps that Odysseus has to overcome and battle through in order to achieve his final goal of reaching his home and his loved ones. From the Call to Adventure to the Freedom or Gift of living, Odysseus conquered them all. The story begins in the middle of the story, as many of the oral Greek traditions did, with the Journey of Telemachus to find his father. Although Telemachus has not yet met his father, it is almost as if they are journeying together, where the end of both of their journeys results in being reunited. Telemachus journeys from being a boy to becoming a man, while out in the sea Odysseus is battling Poseidon to return to the home that wife that he loves and the home he has left behind.…

    • 1910 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Herakles The Odyssey

    • 1004 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Ancient Greeks not only used mythology to build the foundations that illustrated their concept of life, but for entertainment as well. The legendary concept of the hero was a popular element in Greek plays, and no such hero was more renowned or famous than the mighty Herakles. Comparable to no one, Herakles' vast popularity in ancient Greece was captured by the literature created surrounding his legend. A role model, admired for making the world a safer place for people, Herakles' deeds demonstrate his courage, strength, and ambition.…

    • 1004 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    First, however, I would like to start by giving a little bit of background information on the hero known as Hercules. Hercules was born as the son of Zeus and a beautiful mortal woman named Alcmene, in the Greek city of Thebes. Due to his father’s divinity, Hercules was given the gift of extraordinary physical strength and courage. From the beginning, the events of his life were shaped by the wrath of the goddess Hera, who scorned the boy that was a reminder of her husband’s infidelity. As he matured he faced countless tasks and hardships, but through his victories he forever glorified himself in ancient literature. The stories of Hercules had quite a large impact on the early Greeks. Some, such as the ancient Spartans, believed they were descendants of the great hero and strived to be like him on the battlefield and in the gymnasium. Elsewhere, in Thebes, the Cult of Heracles was a religious group that was created which worshiped him as the divine protector of man. The cult constructed many shrines throughout the ancient world and even held festivals in his honor every year (theoi.com). Later on, the…

    • 1705 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Odyssey Epic Hero

    • 573 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When one hears the word "hero", what first comes to mind is usually a fictional character created by a comic book company or a children 's book. Did you know that Odysseus, the main character of Homer 's Odyssey is the original epic hero? In fact, most of these characters are ultimately based on Odysseus. The definition of an epic hero has been pondered practically since the dawn of time. According to Aristotle, a true epic hero must show certain qualities in their actions. These qualities include modesty and willingness to receive help, dedication and loyalty, and also showing terrific bravery. Odysseus fits this definition very well.…

    • 573 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays