Comparing Heracles, Skill, Family Relationships And Violence

Heracles, also known by his roman name of Hercules, has become a well known name in modern society. He is well known because of the 12 labours or tasks set upon him by his brother, Eurystheus, in order for Heracles to become immortal. Each portrayal of Heracles changes aspects of his myth to fit into that society. I am going to be comparing Heracles in a story genre and in a movie genre. Strength and skill, Family Relationships and Violence, are themes that are reoccuring in both portrayals of Heracles. But there are similarities and differences between these themes and the genres they are portrayed in.

The theme of Strength and Skill is seen in both the primary source and the film “Hercules”. You can see this theme in the primary source
The theme of Family Relationships, or lack of relationships, can be shown in the primary source when, Hera, wife of Zeus, began to hate Heracles for being a reminder of Zeus’ infidelity. An example of this is when Hera “desired the destruction of the babe and sent two huge serpents to the bed“ and when “Hercules was driven mad through the jealousy of Hera and flung his own children, into the fire.” This shows the extreme measures Hera is willing to go to, to show and prove her hatred for Heracles. Her hatred had accumulated before his birth and was the sole reason behind all the hardship he had in his life. An example of her hatred is when she made sure that Heracles was to not be given his birthright, “when Hercules was about to be born, Zeus declared among the gods that the descendant of Perseus then about to be born would reign over Mycenae, and Hera out of jealousy persuaded the Ilithyias to retard Alcmena's delivery, and contrived that Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, should be born a seven-month child.” This family relationship can be classified as a evil stepmother hating her new stepson because of the fact that he is the byproduct of her husband’s affair. This theme can also be shown with Zeus’ absence throughout Heracles’ childhood, for example “Hercules was taught to drive a chariot by Amphitryon, to wrestle by Autolycus, to shoot with the bow by Eurytus, to fence by Castor, and to play the lyre by Linus.” These are aspects of ancient greek life that should have been taught to him by his birth father, fortunately, Heracles did have a father figure to help fill the gap of Zeus’ absence, Amphitryon, his mother’s husband. You can see the theme of family relationships in the film “hercules” when Hercules treats Ergenia’s son, Arius, essentially like his own. An example of this is when Hercules gifts Arius with the tooth of the Nemean Lion, which he was explained that he