Preview

Hercules Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2601 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hercules Essay
Adrianna Barnhart
Mrs. Browning
Blk. 6 English 10
9-19-12

The Story of Hercules
[pic][pic][pic]
Hercules, aka Herakles, was a buff god. He was the god of power. His father Zeus was the god of the skies, his mother a mortal, making Hercules a demigod. Alcmene, Hercules mother, wasn’t the wife of Zeus, Hera the goddess of earth was, and she was livid.
In fact, Hera was so livid she threatened the baby’s life by sending in to Hercules crib two serpents. According to the legend, the serpents were sent in to strangle the baby, but Hercules just sat up wrapped his baby hands around their necks strangling them. His failure to die in this scenario would affect him for years to come. (Carr, Karen PhD) Hera was determined to make Hercules’ life hell for being born and killing her prized snakes, so when Hercules married and had two kids, she sought it a good time to make Hercules, literally, crazy. She summoned madness on him, causing him to lose his mind and kill his wife and children. When he came back to his normal state, he was upset to see his love along with his children lifeless in their home. He sent for Apollo to help him rid his woes. Apollo told him in order to liberate him from his sins, Hercules had to report to King Eurystheus and partake in 10 labors. Hercules, wanting be released from his depravities, walks to King Eurystheus’ palace, ready to perform his first task. (Carr, Karen PhD) His first mission was to kill The Nemean Lion, and bring King Eurystheus the hide. The Nemean Lion lived in Nemea, where he terrorized the hills and villages with the area. He hiked for a long time until he eventually stopped in a town known as Cleonae, where he stayed with a man named Molorchus. Under the company of Hercules, Molorchus proposed the suggestion of sacrificing an animal for a good hunt. Intrigued by the idea, Hercules recommended that they wait 30 days for Hercules to come back, where they would sacrifice the animal to



Cited: 1. Carr, Karen. Hercules for Kids-Herakles in Ancient Greek Mythology-Ancient Greece for Kidiepie-History for Kids. 2012. http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/religion/myths/herakle.html 2. Hercules (also called Hercakles). 62695. Web. http://ballpoint.org/greekgods/hercules.html 3. The Nemean Lion. Perseus Project. Web. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/herakles./lion.html

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Do you know Hercules?Hercules is one of the best known heroes in Greek and Roman mythology. The name Hercules arrived from Etruscan named Hercle. Hercule means "Glory of Her". Hercules had two step - fathers. His first father is Amphitry and his second step-father is Radamanthes another of Zeus sons. Hercules first wife was Magara daughter of King Creon. Hercules had three sons with Magara. The names of the three sons where Creontidas , Thersimachus , and Deicoon . Hercules is an epic hero because her is self- confident , courageous , and strong.…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    At first Hercules refused, claiming that Hera was joking and giving him an impossible task. Hera then threatened to take away his strength and Hercules soon realized she was serious. At first Hercules went up to his father and asked if he could stop fooling around with other pretty maidens. Unsurprisingly Zeus refused. He called Hercules a fool. He told Hercules to leave his home immediately and when Hercules refused Zeus made him a deal. If he could beat his father in a fight, Zeus would stop fooling around with other maidens. Zeus was just saying this because he knew that Hercules would never beat him in a fight but to Zeus’ surprise Hercules accepted.…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hercules’s Quest is to find peace with himself because, Hera drove him mad and he killed his entire family. When he became sane again and realized what happened he exiled himself and set out find how he could redeem himself. Hercules’s Fear is… Hercules’s Dragon is Hera, Hera is the dragon because she hates him with everything she has, according to the myth Hercules is the child…

    • 169 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Navajo Hero Twins

    • 3433 Words
    • 14 Pages

    During his sixth labor, the driving away of the plague-like Stymphalian birds, he is assisted by the goddess Athena, who shoos the birds out of their hiding places while Hercules shoots them down with arrows (Hamilton 232), a scene somewhat reminiscent of the Hero Twins firing off their arrows at Yeitso ("Changing" 45). Hercules is helped immensely, at least at first, in obtaining the girdle of the queen of the Amazons (his ninth labor), as she offers it to him freely. Unfortunately, Hera's temper gets the best of her again, and she makes the Amazons think Hercules is kidnapping their queen, leading not to his demise, but to that of the generous Amazon queen (and, likely, many of her subjects) as he fights to get away with his prize (Hamilton…

    • 3433 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the myth section of the Greeks we learn a lot of how the Greeks view their Gods. In the myth of Hercules he goes on his adventures and completes his task to the best of his abilities. He does this so he can become a god and immortal. In the myth of Hercules and his twelve labors towards his death, we are told he burns to death from the venom. What really burns is Hercules mortal body and his immortal…

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The five tasks which Heracles had to do are as follows, the first one was to slay the Nemean Lion and bring back its skin.The second one was to Slay the Lernaean Hydra.The third one was to Capture the Ceryneian Hind.The fourth one was to Capture the Erymanthian Boar and the last but not least was to Clean the Augean stables in one day. He accomplishes first task of blocking one of the doorways of Lions cave and approached the beast through the other,he than grasped him with his mighty arms and choked him to death with Lions on powerful claws.He accomplished the second task by shooting arrows with flames at the den of coily creature once she appeared in front of Heracles he seized it.But it was not easy to kill it that easily, so once he had removed and destroyed the eight mortal heads, he chopped off the ninth head, which was immortal after that he buried it at the side of the road from Lerna to Elaeus and for precautions he covered it with a heavy rock, lastly for the rest of the hapless hydra he slit open the corpse and dipped his own arrows the venomous blood.He accomplished the third task by shooting Hind while she was…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    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.…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hera wanting to kill Hercules sent two snakes to do the deed. Hercules killed those snakes, being his first step to greatness. What really sent Hercules to who he became all began with the killing of his wife Megara and his three children. Hercules lost his mind and had no recollection of what he had done. He stood there lost on what just happened and saw the terrified people watching the madness that just unleased before them. Having murdered his family he wanted nothing other than to die, but his friend Amphitryon couraged him to live. Living with the guilt he went to an oracle that he needed to be purified by only a terrible penance and told him he must see the king of Mycenae. There he became a slave to Eurytheus who gave him twelve impossible task known as “the labors of Hercules.” Throughout the task, Hera, still upset that Hercules was the son of Zeus tried making the task harder to accomplish, but of course…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hercules Research Paper

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Historians agree that “it appears that the ancient world had settled on no common denominator for his true status” because of his ability to be both mortal and immortal at various times (Suhr 254). Hercules experienced pain and slavery in ways that other gods did not, such as with the case of Omphale or the king (Lopez-Ruiz). Even his parentage is questioned and up for debate, sometimes claiming him as the direct child of Hera and Zeus because of her feeding of him as a babe and the lack of malevolence towards Hercules when he finally is welcomed on Olympus (Loraux 131). This juxtaposition though seemingly unrelated to humanity as a whole, reflects humans’ divine characteristics over the earth, having the ability to destroy or save the planet along with the animals and other people who live. Like Hercules’, humans have been called gods throughout history for their varying abilities that other natural creatures fail to have. In presenting Hercules’ story as a inconsistency as a god and as a human, there is a scope placed on humanity that begs the question: what is a human and what is a god? The differences between the two though vast, seem small in comparison to the distances between animal and man or plants and animals. Hercules’ represents that humanity is qualified for divine and earthly…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hercules is one of the best known Gods and hero ever know in Ancient history. He is very strong and this is one of the reasons why he is so well know. Hercules is also very famous and characters of him come out on movies. Out of all the Gods and Hero's of the Ancient time Hercules is the most well known and most seen on movies all over the world. The reason why people like Hercules so much is because he would save lives and he would win battle's to save the people in his town.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 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
  • 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

    The first and most significant finding to me was the fact that Hawthorne leads us to believe that Hercules is this great hero who is going around the world killing and cleaning the world of monsters and evilness. However, the original myth tells us that due to the fact that while Hercules was under a spell from Hera (Hercules father’s (Zeus) wife) he kills his wife and children. Once Hercules realizes what he has done, he asks Apollo for forgiveness and because Apollo likes him, he sends Hercules to serve Eurystheus, King of Tiryns. It is King Eurystheus who assigns Hercules ten labours (which later become twelve since in two of his labours Hercules is helped by someone else and due to the rules of these labours, they are to only be completed by Hercules alone) in order to gain forgiveness for killing his children and wife.…

    • 786 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Each one wrote their stories based on a certain theme or understanding of the demi-god. As Joshua J. Mark states, “…If bad things could happen to a hero like Hercules, they had nothing to complain about regarding the disappointments and tragedies in their own lives” (Mark 1). Heracles’ story provided the ability to be relatable amongst the ancient Greek audience. His constant battle with the obstacles Hera threw at him made him a resilient character. A quote by Ernest Hemmingway shares that he symbolized “A man may be destroyed, but not defeated” (Hemingway 1). Hera may have caused a him to suffer emotionally, but his mental toughness pulled him through. His perseverance through adversity created his persona of an influential figure to those who needed a sense of calm while facing a storm. The author wanted the audience to realize this, thus showing them that it is possible for one to fight through anything life throws at them. The significance of this message proved to be great, because it would later be passed through many generations to come. The influence of the original author’s message affected the way the Disney writer’s shaper their re- telling of Hercules’ story and meaning. Disney wanted to get a similar message across, but would adjust the story line in order to allow their targeted audience to fully comprehend the message. The writers removed many distractions and flaws of the original Greek myth carried. For example, Disney deleted the true story of Zeus’ infidelity. They told a different story of his parental roots by making Hera Hercules’ biological mother in the movie. The topic of infidelity would be a mature topic that’d be unfit for the young audience Disney caters to. In addition, the director of the movie’s view of the world is a simpler version of the interpretation by the author of the myth. The Disney author viewed the world as a challenge…

    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Zeus and Hera are the king and queen of the gods. Zeus gained his position on the throne from his father Kronos, whom he killed. Zeus is the god of thunder and lightning. He is considered the father of the mythological beings. Hera is the goddess of family. In many myths, she is seen as vindictive because she seeks revenge for her husband's constant…

    • 98 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics