Four Functions
Metaphysical
1. Hercules had a god as one of his parents. (Zeus)
2. He has to fight all of these evil creatures because he killed his
kids.
3. Hercules cutting off Hydra's heads and having them grow back.
Lesson
1. This teaches that you should behave because your actions will
affect more than just you.
2. This is a lesson that if you do something bad then you will have
to pay a price.
3. Teaches that it takes longer to make a problem better if you
do many small things rather than head on.
Cosmological
1. Hercules was challenged to kill the Nemean lion.
2. He had to bring back a huge boar alive.
3. Third labor was to capture the Cerynitian hind. (A deer) Took
him a year to get the deer.
Lesson
1. This shows that he has to do something courageous to start
the rest of his life.
2. This is saying that you have to be careful when doing things.
3. Teaches that it takes a long time to do something great.
Sociological
1. Hercules was sentanced to perform twelve Labors.
2. As one of Hercules' labors Hercules had to clean Out the
stables of King Augeas. Since he did not get dirty doing
this and demanded pay, Eurytheus refused to count this as
one of his labors.
3. His ninth labor required him to get a belt from the Amazons.
To complete this he had to get a group of heros to
accompany him.
Lesson
1. Tesches that if you do something thats forwned upon then
society will come back at you.
2. This is saying that when doing something you have to take
your time on it rather than rushing through.
3. Team work rather than being alone will help get thigs done
faster and easier.
Psychological
When he had come of age, he already proved himself an earring
marksman with a bow and arrow.
He was a possessor of superhuman strength.
he was driven mad by Hera and killed his children.
Lesson
When you have a talent, use it to the best of your ability.
This teaches that if you are granted with something special, use it
for good things.
Don't let people get to you or it will get you into trouble.
Character Bios
Hercules
Hercules
• The greatest of the heroes in Greek
mythology.
• Son of the Theban Alcmene and Zeus.
Hera
• The earth goddess of Argos.
• A pre-Greek deity, assimilated as the daughter of
Kronos and Rhea, and the sister-wife of Zeus.
Nemean Lion
• A monstrous lion that Hercules defeated with
his bear hands.
Hydra
• A 9 headed dragon sacred to Hera.
• It has lethal breath that will kill anything that
inhales it.
Erymanthian Boar
• Wild Boar of Mount Erymanthos.
• Hercules fourth labor, had to bring it back alive.
Nymphs
• Any of numerous minor deities represented as
beautiful maidens inhabiting and sometimes
personifying features of nature such as trees,
waters, and mountains.
Creative Retelling
Hercules
Let's Go!!!!
Like most authentic heroes, Hercules had a god
as one of his parents (Zeus) and a mortal as the
other. Zeus's queen Hera was jelous of Hercules and
sent 2 snakes to kill him. They later found Hercules
laughing with a strangled serpent in each hand.
Hercules was driven mad by Hera and ended up killing
his own children. For this crime he was forced to perform
a series of tasks, or "Labors", for his cousin Eurystheus.
The 12 Labors
Labor One: The Namean Lion
Labor Two: Many-Headed Hydra
Labor Three: To capture the Cerynitian Hind
Labor Four: To hunt an enormous boar and bring it
back alive.
Labor Five: To clean out the stables of King Augeas
in a single day.
Labor Six: The Stymphalian Birds
Labor Seven: The Cretan Bull
Labor Eight: The Mares of Diomedes
Labor Nine: To retrieve Hippolyte's Belt
Labor Ten: To bring the Cattle of Geryon back to
Greece.
Labor Eleven: Retrieve the Apples of Hesperides
Labor Twelve: The Capture of Cerberus
Hercules was the only hero to become a god upon his
demise. By vitue of his spectacular achievements, he
was givin a home on Mount Olympus and a goddess for
a wife.
Hercules
This picture is the cartoon version of Hercules that was
made into a movie in 1997 by Ron Clements and John
Musker.
Hercules(cont.)
Hercules you were without a doubt, Greece's greatest hero
you overcame the greatest trials and tribulations known to man
-
ttp://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewpoetry.asp?id=157581
Hercules, people are safe when near him!
Hercules, only the evil fear him! " -
ttp://www.themediadrome.com/content/articles/words_articles/poems_strength.htm
Hercules(cont.)
On this slide you are going to see a clip of the main song from the
cartoon version of Hercules. The song represents Hercules rise
from a nobody to a somebody.
Nemean Lion
The Nemean Lion was an evil monster from ancient Greece and he
was eventually killed by Hercules in an epic battle.
Nemean Lion(cont.)
"See the neck-breaking hand that Perseus' descendant [Herakles]
lays with all manner of skill on the flesh-eating lion [the Nemeian
Lion]; for the gleaming man-mastering bronze refuses to pierce its
unapproachable body: his sword was bent back."
"The luxuriant ground of Nemeian Zeus, where white-armed Hera
nurtured the sheep-killing deep-voiced lion, first of Herakles'
glorious contests."
http://www.theoi.com/Ther/LeonNemeios.html
The Cretan Bull
The Cretan Bull, out of Greek mythology, was the bull that carried
away Europa. Other legends have him being a bull that Pasiphae
fell in love with and they had a child named Minotaur.
The Cretan Bull Pop Culture
The Cretan Bull is well represented in museums around the world
because he is considered a huge reason for the success of
Hercules.