Hercules Hero's Journey Essay

An epic hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to endure overwhelming obstacles. In Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, three heros named Perseus, Theseus, and Hercules exhibit different traits that affect their journey in a positive or negative way. Perseus receives supernatural help, Theseus displays incredible strength, and Hercules has a fatal flaw that will end tragically, these qualities are what classify each as an epic hero.

The Greek gods are very impressive and powerful, but are not regarded as heroes. Heroes are those who despite flaws and challenges, attempt to mend theirs and other’s mistakes at great personal expense because they feel that these mistakes are immoral. Hercules, despite killing his family through mad rage sent by Hera, redeems himself through his ability to feel guilt and do something about it. To purify his actions he would even commit suicide. But it is also through the love of his people and immense selflessness that he is made the greatest Greek hero.

Wanna learn how this special boy became a big hero? Keep reading to find out what happens! The movie Hercules, is about a boy named Hercules who is very strong, but he feels like he doesn’t belong. Hercules finds out that he is not normal. Hercules is the son of Zeus. Hercules goes to him to find out how to become a hero, and Zeus sends him on his way to become a hero, but Hercules will have some trouble on the way with his trainer Phil and a girl that Hercules meets. Hercules then defeats his final tasks and saves the girl that makes him a real God. Hercules will go through 3 phases in his hero's journey. The departure, Initiation, and return phase.

The Hero’s Journey theory was proposed by Joseph Campbell in 1949 who based it on Edward Taylor’s original theory. This theory states that every story follows a certain cycle or is based on this cycle. The cycle is broken down into seventeen arts which are then broken down into three acts, Departure, Initiation, and finally, Return. During the Departure act, the hero is called on by someone or something to leave their normal world and go on a journey. At first, the hero may be reluctant to go but is aided by a mentor figure. At the beginning of the Initiation act, the hero encounters a monster or enemy called the threshold guardian. This guardian is the hero’s first trial in this new world. Later on in the act, the hero reaches “the innermost cave” where he has to face the main enemy of the story. After the hero receives his treasure the Return act begins. During this act, the hero returns back to his normal world with his treasure and his life forever changed. This theory can be applied to Greek heroes like Hercules and modern heroes like Batman and Superman. These connections show that a hero's traits remain the same even over thousands of years. Ultimately, the traits displayed by these revered members of society display the very features we as humans aspire to have and

Mythology is a collection of myths and stories belonging to a particular belief system or cultural tradition. Even though there are a variety of different myths taught around the world, Greek mythologies are more famously known for their fruitful stories and complex relationships. Greek mythologies mostly concern their gods and heroes such as; Hercules, Achilles, Theseus, and Perseus. Of the many Greek heroes, Jason is the most heroic due to the fact that although he is abandoned at a very young age, he is still able to survive, also he proves to Hera the goddess who hated heroes that he is worthy to be favoured by her, and he completes the impossible quest of the Golden Fleece.

The Odyssey, one of the world’s most famous stories, has been under debate on whether on whether or not it conforms to be a hero’s journey, a type of pattern theorized to be at the core of many myths. To understand its potential monomyth-hood, the story has be understood, as well as the different phases of a hero’s journey. A hero’s journey, by definition, must include a few characteristics: a phase where the hero leaves their home and decides on a quest, a period marked by a discovered conflict, an all-out struggle, the development of the hero, and the hero bettering the lives of those back at home. In The Odyssey, Odysseus, the protagonist, journeys to his home, in Ithaca, from Troy, where he waged and won a war. Along the way, Odysseus

People are not just given the name "hero"; that name is earned by doing something heroic in life. An example of an epic hero is Hercules. Hercules was once an immortal god. He was the last son of Zeus and became mortal. Hercules was known as the strongest mortal and is even stronger than some gods. Disregarding his strength, Hercules is not very smart and lacks wisdom, but he will help out a friend at any time. Hercules is an epic hero because of his strength, bravery, and his selflessness.

Hercules, the son of Zeus, was very famous in Greek mythology because he slayed the unbeatable nine headed hydra and the famous Nemean lion. When he was a kid he strangled and killed two venomous snakes with his bare hands and also he was the only warrior in Greek myth who was half god and half human. He got known to the whole world when he was able to complete King Eurytheus’s twelve of the dangerous and toughest challenges in the Greek mythological history. Because of the tales of Hercules many scholars came to Greece from around the globe which brought more and more people and fame to Greece. Nonetheless, it

The qualities that make an epic hero are strength, courage a strong mentality, and the aspiration to achieve heroic acts. Many heroes are considered role models as they make brave decisions attempting to do something extraordinary. Heroes often fight against the causes of evil as they try to make the environment a better place. Hercules (son of Zeus) is one of the many known Gods to Greek mythology. He is supernatural and immortal. The hero has extraordinary strength, being the strongest man on earth he is sometimes he is unaware of the power he posses, Hercules is invulnerable. Although worshiped as a God, he was properly a hero.

Hercules and Theseus, two great heroes from mythology, seem to be similar in many ways. Both extremely brave and noble; with a love of danger and adventure mixed with compassion, creates the perfect heroes. Their stories intertwine with one another’s when Hercules has to save Theseus from the chair of forgetfulness in Hades. Theseus saved Hercules when he was distraught with intent to kill himself. In a similar way, they both stood by their friends no matter the cost.

What is needed to become a hero? The movie Hercules is about a special guy that lives in a ordinary world. Hercules is trying to find out where he belongs. Once he finds out Hercules needs to prove himself that he is a true hero. In Hercules journey stages are Departure, Initiative, and the Return

One of the differences between the myth and the movie can be seen right in the beginning. Hercules is the son of Zeus and Hera, and not Zeus and one of his many mortal wives. Hera even cares about him, and so does Zeus. They have a party and everything. This is very different to the myth. In the myth, Hera it the one who sent the snakes down to kill Hercules, not Hades. She absolutely loathes him. She is so upset about her husband’s infidelity, she tries to get a baby killed. The change in the movie can be attributed to the common moral of monogamy. People in the western world see it as strange, and some even see it as wrong, to have more than one lover at the same time. This moral also comes in at the ending. Hercules only has one love interest, whose name is

The hero’s journey is an adventure that every protagonist takes. As a story goes on the main character takes a journey; a journey into a different world as himself and comes out a different person. Odysseus takes a journey of temptation and hardship; bringing him to realize that even though he may be a king, he is not the greatest. The Odyssey demonstrates the Hero’s journey accurately.

The movie is about a single mission completed by Hercules rather than a whole life story even though it includes background and a meaningful lesson. Perhaps the greatest difference between the Hollywood remake and the actual book is the murder of Hercules’ wife Megara and their kids. Since movies take a lot of dedication and money the screenwriters had to take the original and make it as interesting as they could. Because of this the movie’s version of their death is due to three savage wolves made to resemble the mythological character, Cerberus, Hades guard dog of the underworld while Hercules’ was drugged. In both pieces Hercules is unaware of his actions but, for different reasons. In the book he actually does kill his wife and children because he was under the magic of Hera. The book includes other accomplishments of Hercules’ life when the movie only focuses on this one part in his journey. The book also reveals his attempt at suicide and ultimate death. As previously stated, because the movie must be interesting the writers construct it so that Hercules’ can finally overcome his final deed and be set free from his haunted past when in the original story he dies and gets married for the third time to Hera’s daughter Hebe while in

Hercules is a classic Disney movie that tells a story of Zeus and Hera’s son but turned mortal due to Hades’ evil plan to take over Olympus. When Hercules finds out the truth of his family background he goes on a journey to pray to his real father Zeus. Although there are many similarities, there are quite a few differences as well.