Heraclese
...ied to harm Hercules or any of the other Gods. To the contrary, he kept the Titans who fought against Zeus and the rest of the Olympians safely locked away in Tartarus. He punished those who offended the Gods, and kept Otus and Ephialtes and other giants in Tartarus, where they could not overthrow the Gods. Some believe that Disney was just doing what they had to to make the movie palatable to children. I have a hard time believing this. I remember many childrens' books about Hercules from the "show and tells" of my youth. Perhaps Disney was trying to make the film more palatable to religious parents. Maybe they were just out to sell tickets, toys, and videos and it didn't matter what the plot of the movie was as long as it fit their formula for success. You have noticed that almost every Disney film since "The Little Mermaid" has been essentially the same haven't you? When I followed the white rabbit through Lewis Carrol's "The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland," I found all the characters and scenes that were left out of the Disney Film. Still, the basic plot was the same. The characters had the same relationships and motivations. The biggest shock was that Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum did not appear until "Through the looking Glass." If any of the children who enjoyed "Disney's Hercules" later pick up a book on Greek mythology, they will be in for a rude awakening. Instead of enriching what they already know, their long-held beliefs will be challenged. See http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/DisneyHercules.html for a comprehensive list of differences between the Disney movie and the myths. Film option for 2nd test: Disney's Hercules Question: Disney's Hercules is an interesting interpretation of the classical myth of Heracles because, where it differs from the classical myth, it often draws upon other ancient Greek myths. Compare Disney's Hercules with the classical myth of Heracles. Note the broad similarities and differences. When it is radically different (e.g. in Heracles' parentage), does the Disney myth draw upon a different classical myth? In these cases, note the different myths used. Finally, you are free to speculate on why Disney decided to alter the myth in these strategic ways. Do these changes alter the myth in fundamental ways?? (Do they make it a better story? Cuter? More exciting? Gorier? More entertaining?) Note: This essay requires research outside of class. Things your should look up include Pegasus, the Graeae, the Fates, the origins of Oedipus. Some questions to think about: Here are some thoughts, suggestions and questions for comparisons between the movie and the myth. Please feel free to disagree! You should not necessarily address all (or even most) of the questions listed here -- they are only to help you think about the film. Note: I have referred to the character in the movie as "Disney's Hercules" and the character in Greek myth as "Heracles". (you need to make the distinction between the mythical and cinematic Heracles/Hercules clear in your essay as well.) When Zeus makes Pegasus from a cloud, what classical myth is this reminiscent of? How is Pegasus really born? Which hero or heroes is he usually associated with? Is he naturally amenable to the hero as he is in this story? If not, how does the hero tame him? Who are Disney's Hercules' parents? And in the myth? Why do you think Disney makes this change? Compare the depiction of Hades in the movie with that in Greek myth. Who does Disney's Hades remind you of (outside of Greek mythology)? What about his little side kicks? Compare the representation of the Fates (Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos) in movie and myth. To understand the Fates in the movie, you need to know about the Graeae (we encounter them in the Perseus myth). How many muses are there? When Disney's Hercules is discovered on the ground as a baby, what other myths or folktales is this reminiscent of? What is the social status of Disney's Hercules? What about the classical Heracles? When we first meet Megara in the movie, this scene (with a centaur carrrying her over a river) is highly reminiscent of an incident in the classical myth - yet the implications of each incident are very, very different. What happens in the myth as opposed to the movie? Is Disney playing with our knowledge of myth? What role do women play in Disney's movie? What roles do they play in the classical myths of Heracles? Would Megara marry Hercules if she had taken CC303? How does Disney's Hercules' relationship with women differ from that of his mythical counterpart? What happens to the mythical Megara? Does the mythical Heracles reject life on Mount Olympus for a woman? Does the mythical Heracles go from "Zero to Hero" or does his life and career have a more complex trajectory? Do the mythical and cinematic Heracles and Hercules have similar intellectual powers? Do they have similar personalities, anxieties and goals? Do you think that the modern expectations of an animated hero are similar to the ancient expectations of a mythical hero? There were many her...