Blog 9: Hero's Quest

Hercules

Hercules is a 1997 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and it is based on the Legendary Greek Mythology hero Heracles, (known in the film by his Roman name, Hercules), the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology (Wikipedia). This film follows each step of the "Hero's Quest" described by Joseph Campbell. It contains a popular hero who has an important mission to accomplish although he faces all the obstacles throughout his adventure.

This is a brief description of what happens in the beginning of the movie "Hercules". In addition, it is the way to understand better the call of adventure; the reason why Hercules is separated from his family, and why he wants to fight and become a hero.

The movie begins with the celebration of the Hercules’s birth as the son of Zeus, the king of the Gods. Hades, the lord of the Underworld wants to control the universe and in order to achieve his plans, he asks the Fates (three oracles that can view the past and predict the present, and future) what he can do to destroy the Gods of the Olympus and become the supreme God of the entire universe. The Fates tell Hades, that in eighteen years a planetary alignment will show the exact place where Zeus has trapped the Titans. The Fates also explain that there is only one person who can defeat Hades, Hercules. So Hades decides to steal Hercules away and him. He sends his minions Pain and Panic to carry out the task. Upon Hades’ orders Pain and Pain steal Hercules, and they give him a magical potion to convert him into a mortal. Hercules does not drink the last drop of the potion and because of this he keeps some of the power of a God. Pain and Pain are not able to kill Hercules.

Hercules is found by a poor couple, and they decide to raise him. During Hercules’ childhood everyone notices his strength, and people from a village start to shun him because he doesn’t look like a normal human. Hercules’ adoptive parents tell him the truth about his background, and they give him a medallion of the Gods (a Talisman) that was around his neck when they found him.

From now it is going to be depicted many mythological figures such as Hercules (the strongest archetype) who performs a hero, Zeus is the hero's father, Hades is the antagonist, Pegasus is the Hercules' winged horse, Philocteles is Hercules' trainer, and more characters which make a significant role in this film.

Knowing his origin, Hercules decides to go to the temple of Zeus and find out who his true parents are and why he is not living with them (The Call to Adventure). When Hercules arrives at Mount Olympus, Zeus tells him that somebody stole him when he was a baby and converted him into a mortal. Hercules, feeling surprised by the whole story, wants to live again as a God along with his real family. Zeus says it is impossible until Hercules fights as a real hero and shows everyone that he has all the qualities necessaries to become a God. Only then can he be accepted with the rest of the Gods of Olympus.

Hercules accepts the challenge and promises to his father he will do everything to become a true hero, and he will not disappoint him (Crossing of the First Threshold). Zeus gives to Hercules a gift, a winged horse which is called Pegasus and suggests him to find the satyr Philoctetes, a trainer of heroes, to achieve his task (Supernatural Aid). He goes to talk with Philocteles and asks him for help, but “Phil” refuses him. Nevertheless, Hercules is very persuasive, and he insists as much as he can until “Phil” agrees to train him.

During Hercules' challenges, he will face many monsters-Greek mythological creatures that are going to complicate Hercules' life. According to the Greek Mythology website, "Nessus, is a centaur; Hydra, is a serpent-like chthonic water beast that possessed nine heads; aClyclop a giant that has a sigle eye in the middle of its forehead; a Cerberous, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of Hades, to prevent those who has crossed the river Styx from ever escaping." Also, this movie has more Greek mythological creatures such as The Fates, Pegasus, and a satyr (Philocteles). All the previous mentioned characters play in this movie a supernatural role as a consequence of their powers.

Because Hercules is motivated with being a hero, his adventure starts when he decides to develop his strength and turn into a truth hero who deserves to live as a god in the Olympus. This adventure is getting excited when Hercules meets with Megara, a girl who is the temptation and the obstacle of his goal. Hercules prefers to give his power to Hades with the condition of not hurting Meg. However, this woman also portrays the passion and becomes the best reason to beat the lord of Underworld, Hades. Hercules has trained during a long period of time, knowing when he is ready to fight; “Phil” will take him to the city of Thebes to show what he has learned so far. People from Thebes are tired of living in fear, and they need a hero to save them. Hercules is the indicated person to help them (The road of trials- 1). In other hand, Hades is aware of the existence of Hercules, and he wants to find a way to destroy Hercules. Hades uses his minions Pain, Panic, and Megara, a woman that Hercules saved from a centaur Nessus before coming to Thebes, in order to put him a cheat. Hercules fights against a horrible monster, the Hydra. It is a strong battle, and the Hydra swallows Hercules. People think Hercules is dead, and they lose the hope in their new hero. Suddenly, when Hercules is inside the monster, he cuts its neck and breaks free again (Belly of a Whale). Every time Hercules cut the Hydra's head, it regenerates more and more heads until Hercules does not have any place to hide. However, Hercules kills the Hydra, and all people in Thebes treat Hercules as a real hero. Unfortunately, Zeus doesn’t share the same opinion, and he tells to Hercules he is not a true hero yet, so Hercules has to work very hard on that.

In this next stage, Hercules has the opportunity to show his ability as a hero, and he defeats an enormous monster, but it is not enough to be a god. He has to pass many tests before being accepted as a real hero. Otherwise, Hercules has to keep living as a mortal, and his lover is going to die.

In addition, Hades is so upset seeing Hercules’ battle with Hydra that he orders to “Meg” to find the Hercules’ weakness, but she cannot refuse him because her soul belongs to Hades (The Road of trials-2). Megara starts to seduce Hercules with the purpose to find what the Hercules’ debility is, so Hades will use against him (Meeting with the Goddess). Hercules falls in love with “Meg”, but “Phil” doesn’t agree with their relationship because he does not trust “Meg”. Phil discovers his suspicions are correct when he sees Meg talking with Hades about Hercules. Of course, Phil warns Hercules about the real intentions of Meg, but Hercules does not believe him because he loves her. Hades takes advantage of that situation and makes a deal with Hercules, to exchange his strength for Meg’s freedom (Woman as Temptress). Hades plans to use Hercules' strength to liberate the Titans and destroy Zeus (Atonement with the Father). Hades humiliates Hercules telling him the truth about Meg, and he is disappointed and regretted about how he treated Phil when he told him that Meg betrayed him. Once all Titans are free, Hades sends one, a Cyclops to kill Hercules. Although Hercules is not strong, he fights with the monster and defeats it. Nonetheless, Hercules was in risk to dying when a huge piece of concrete column falls down, but Meg saves him because she loves him too. As a result of Meg is hurt, the Hades’ deal is broken and Hercules gets his strength again (Apotheosis). While Hercules is dealing with the Cyclops, his father Zeus and the other Gods are in trouble because the Titans are attacking them. Successfully Hercules arrives on time to help everybody and catch the Titans with Zeus (The Ultimate Boon). Hercules saves the Olympus, but it is too late for Meg because her soul went to the Underworld (The road of trials-3)

Hades is completely frustrated to see that Hercules won the war against the Titans, and Zeus and the rest of gods are free in their realm. But Hades is not going to stay without doing anything; he has a second plan, to use Meg. Hercules does not have another chance and just follows Hades to the Underworld. When Hercules goes to hell, Hades tells him Meg is already dead, and he owns her spirit. Hercules offers to Hades his soul and takes Meg away from the river Styx along with her soul. But there is a big problem; the river can take the life out of anybody who is living. Through of these difficult conditions, Hercules grabs Meg’s soul, and through this act he becomes a God, an immortal (The Crossing of the Return Threshold). After that, Hercules throws Hades into the river Styx and all the vengeful souls keep this from escaping. Then, Hercules goes to put Meg’s soul back in her body, and Meg resurrects. After, the couple goes to the Olympus, and the Gods celebrate the arrival of Hercules as a God. Zeus and her wife Hera are proud of Hercules because he showed the qualities of a God when he offered his own life to rescue his love, Meg. Also, Zeus tells him: “A real hero is not for the size of his muscles, a truth hero is a person who fights with his heart” (Master of two Worlds). All gods in the Olympus are enjoying Hercules’ welcome to his old home. Nevertheless, Hercules realizes his life without Meg would not make sense, even as immortal, so he denies being a god. He chooses to live in the earth like any human with Meg (Refusal of the Return). In the end the gods create an image of Hercules in the sky with stars, and Hercules is remembered as the greatest hero in the city of Thebas (Freedom to Live).

Careful analyzing this movie, one finds many symbols and similar archetypes, such as a hero, father, and Gods. Referring to the Greek Mythology can help understanding each particular element. Hercules' story gives us a valuable lesson to be applied in real life. In other words, if we have a specific goal in our lives, we cannot surrender until it is achieved and give all our effort with passion, with our heart. Not just doing something for what other people might think about you, do it because you feel it and because you want to do it and feel proud of yourself.

Work Cited

Hercules. Dr. Ron Clements and John Musker. Pref. Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods. RKO, 1997. Film

"Hercules." Wikipedia. Web. 29 Apr. 2010

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules>.

"Mythological Creatures." Greek Mythology. Web. 29 Apr. 2010.

<http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/creatures.html>.