Hercules myth and Autobiography of Red
Herakles becomes Geryon's lover when he gets a little older. He is the one who isn't afraid of Geryon,
the one who is supportive and loving. But they are separate. When they reunite years later, Geryon
learns that Herakles has a new lover. Loyal to a fault, Herakles feels torn between the two men he loves
as an extension of inner guilt.
Hercules is the Roman name for the Greek hero Herakles
Geryon and Herakles are both seeking something from one another, though not the same thing.
Because of his traumatic background, Geryon needs to feel empowered. When making love to Herakles,
he runs his hand along the boy's back because he likes to watch the bones moving. He can see the
immense power he has over his lover in the simple way Herakles is vulnerable enough to reveal his
bones to him.
Geryon = He's looking to be loved and wanted.
Hera, Zeus’ wife, knew he was an offspring of her husband and wanted to destroy him
“Somehow Geryon made it to adolescence. Then he met Herakles and the kingdoms of his life all
shifted down a few notches. ...”
At some point in his youth, Hercules needed to make a crucial decision:Which path to choose for his
life? Confronted by goddesses
Hercules' weakness was his temper and lack of intelligence. He was notorious for getting himself into
trouble because of his temper.
“Do you have change for a dollar? Geryon heard Geryon say. No. Herakles stared straight at Geryon.
But I'll give you a quarter for free. Why would you do that? I believe in being gracious.”
To accomplish his tenth labor, Hercules had to journey to the end of the world. Eurystheus ordered the
hero to bring him the cattle of the monster Geryon
Thesis Statement: In Autobiography of Red, Geryon struggles with the concept of identity, similarly to
the Greek myth of Hercules who deals with familiar thoughts and ideas
1) In Autobiography or Red, Geryon is constantly in search of who he is. Hercules shares the same
troubles when he realizes his strength and might is not just a mere talent, but a gift he was given by his
parents for being a demi-god
2) The Greek legend tells the story of Hera, (Zeus’ wife) who seeks to destroy him therefore naming him
Herakles to rise to stardom in the troubles they had. Geryon faces similar problems with a man who’s
also coincidentally named Herakles and troubles him with love.
Geryon meets a multitude of different people in his search of self-identity and doesn’t realize the selfish
nature of humans.