Preview

Heracles: A Classic Greek Hero In The Women Of Trachis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
316 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Heracles: A Classic Greek Hero In The Women Of Trachis
In the tragic play, The Women of Trachis, Heracles provides a fascinating example of a classical Greek hero. He contradicts the ideas of justice and loyalty in favour of vindictiveness and lust. Heracles' image as a protector of Greece is also undermined by his excessive destructive desires which are unleashed upon an entire city (353-54).
Heracles has a strict set of beliefs which he follows unquestionably. Heracles' passionate impulses and thoughts to revenge show his raw primal qualities (255-257). Through Heracles primal emotions we can see how he personifies human nature. Whilst Heracles' feelings are incredibly strong, they are undoubtedly directed inwards, for they are dominated by his feelings of lust for Iole, and his desire for vengeance

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In this paper, I suggest that the themes of justice and vengeance are reflected in a progressive movement throughout the trilogy. The never-ending cycle of revenge and vengeance was between not only mortals like Clytaemnestra and Orestes but also between gods for example Apollo and the Furies. The theme of justice and vengeance are important because the play reflects a movement from a time of savagery and revenge and a movement towards civilization and justice.…

    • 890 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 211 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Homer's Odyssey, the women are portrayed in many different ways, some are said to be wise while others are cruel, but many are treated differently from the opposite gender. One of the women in the story, Penelope, was portrayed as very wise but because of her gender she was expected to obey many of the men. Similarly to Penelope, Arete, queen of the Phaeacians, was equally wise but was viewed almost as an equal to the men. In contrast to the other two women, Melantho was very malicious and was treated similarly to the men in the end of the book.…

    • 946 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    This article analyzes the representation of women and gender role in the myth of Oedipus; it critiques the myth that portrays women as victimized heroes. In addition, it talks about heroine’s relation with family: in ancient Greece, they were under the tutelage of all male relatives in her family such as father, brother, husband, or even her grown son. By making Antigone a hero, she also ends up with tragedy. It represents the fears that men have on women at that period of time. I’m planning to use those arguments to support my analysis of “prejudice against female heroes”.…

    • 99 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although women in ancient Greece are often portrayed as meek and weak, this is not the case in Homer’s epic; The Odyssey. Instead, women in the Odyssey are often described as either cunning, intelligent, sexually alluring, or powerful, dangerous and fatal. Some of the most typical female characters are Athena, Circes and Penelope, where Athena is a powerful goddess and a skilled warrior, Circes is a cunning witch who tricked Odysseus’ men into drinking her potion and turning into swine, and Penelope, the extremely clever, yet loyal wife of Odysseus who outsmarted the suitors for 20 years. Most of these female characters fall under the category of “femme Fatale”, Latin for fatal-woman, which perfectly portrays their powerfulness and how lethal they are.…

    • 897 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Odyssey: A Great Hero

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The epic poem The Odyssey is an epic written by the Greek writer Homer. It centers on the character Odysseus who is a great leader and a king of Ithaca whose actions portrayed a great deal of intelligence, bravery, and determination throughout his many encounters during his journey.…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women in the odyssey

    • 1024 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Homer's The Odyssey, women are looked at in two ways; as being the evils in the world and hindering on Odysseus's homecoming or as being loving and faithful. On his journey home, Odysseus weaves his way through many hardships and temptations that are created by the women he meets on his voyage back to Ithaca. Calypso and Nausikaa play a large role in representing temptation while Penelope represents loyalty for she was the only good and loyal woman who waited for Odysseus to return home unlike Clytemnestra who found a new lover.…

    • 1024 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To begin with, in today’s society, the Criminal Justice system is broken. A person’s trial can have a different outcome depending on their ethnicity. Statistics prove that all races are not treated equally, whites always have an advantage for being the dominant group in the U.S. At this period in time, there has been a lot of shootings involving African Americans the most. In various incidents, law enforcement officers state that they felt that their life was in danger when the suspects were not armed.…

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women of the Odyssey

    • 1518 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Many people regard Homer's epics as war stories—stories about men; those people often overlook the important roles that women play in the Odyssey. While there are not many female characters in the Odyssey, the few that there are, play pivotal roles in the story and one can gain a lot of insight by analyzing how those women are portrayed. Homer portrays the females in contradictory ways: the characters of Athena and Eurykleia are given strong, admirable roles while Melantho, the Sirens and Circe are depicted in a much more negative way. Penelope—the central female character—is given both negative and positive attributes.…

    • 1518 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Chicago has been known for its violence. Many claim that it is due to class while others think it is due to race. Research of gangs typically does not include the role of race, though a closer look at gangs in Chicago tells a story of hatred between races. Frederic Thrasher, an experienced sociologist of gang research, followed Robert Park, a noted liberal and leader of the Chicago Urban League, in arguing that gangs were the problem of violence in the city and not race. Park says “gangs” came from the “city wilderness” without regard to race, creed, or color. Park along with Thrasher are both wrong since it is because of race that the…

    • 2719 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    For my research paper I chose to explore and analyze instances of the great Greek/Roman hero, Heracles (Hercules), appearing in popular culture and the effect his myths had on early civilizations. Considered by most to be the greatest of the Greek folk heroes, Hercules was the embodiment of masculinity and physical power. The word “herculean” literally translates into “having enormous strength, courage, or size” (dictionary.com.) Since their inception, the myths and legends of Hercules have been immensely popular and have had vast influences on people and cultures throughout the world. Over the next few pages I will attempt to compare and contrast several examples of Hercules’ representation in pop culture with the underlying myths that are being depicted. I will also piece in the undeniable influence these myths have had on people throughout history.…

    • 1705 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Research Paper

    • 602 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The well-known play, Antigone, is a representation of classic tragedy written by Sophocles. The story’s protagonist, Antigone, is portrayed as a tragic hero whose efforts to keep her family close quickly backfire on her. When Antigone’s brother dies, she wants to face the consequences and do the right thing in order to respect her brother and properly bury him. Antigone’s sister, Ismene, also displays the heroic qualities that Antigone does when she attempts to save her sister for being prosecuted. The classic qualities of a tragedy are displayed in the story, and these can also be found in many other tragedies later in literature. The important qualities that a tragedy always has can help analyze other novels and stories later are the heroism of the protagonist and the emotional connection the audience will sympathize for the protagonist.…

    • 602 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women's Role In Othello

    • 930 Words
    • 4 Pages

    By exploring the role of woman in Othello and other Shakespeare’s plays, this essay has demonstrated literature is most successful in dealing with a worldwide issue like gender role. A memorable play is a successful play. Gender inequality, a current critical subject, is an important theme found throughout the play. It has powerfully developed the readers’ feelings towards the subject and the play, making it unforgettable. Shakespeare’s plays are truly…

    • 930 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Medea And Feminism Essay

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Throughout the many themes of Medea, feminism plays a large role. Medea challenges the stereotype that women are weak and disregards her role as a mother. On the contrary, feminism is a broad topic that would need a lot of expansion. In a case where the information was insufficient, there is the approach of whether Euripides’ was a proto-feminist or misogynist. Also, there is a possibility of taking the idea of revenge, being that when one betrays another, all can be tarnished.…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Foils for Odysseus

    • 1448 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Odyssey is the epic that has been read time and time again, by varying ages, digging its way into our hearts, becoming an instant classic. Odysseus and the adventures of his homecoming create a much different tale than Homer’s other work, the Iliad, provided. The epic is not about bloodthirsty men trying to get their hands on kleos anymore; it is about the homecoming of a man who uses his wits, not his weapon. In the Odyssey, the characters balance – Homer provides contrasting characters to show the readers the traits that Odysseus holds and how it builds his character development and even those who are foils to him. Odysseus’ own son, Trojan War companions, and wife create the man that is called Odysseus, highlighting the various facets of his personality throughout the epic.…

    • 1448 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays