Heroic
Myths:
- Intro
& Gilgamesh:Powell,
Chapter
12:
- Key Names & Terms: hero,
Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Utnapishtim, Ishtar, Siduri
- sample questions at
his web site: click
here
- Oedipus:
Powell,
Chapter
17:
- Key Names & Terms:
Cadmus, Europa, Harmonia, Sparti, Laius Jocasta, Oedipus, Creon,
Polynices, Haemon, Antigone, Eteocles, Ismene,
- sample questions at
his web site: click
here
- Heracles:Powell,
Chapter
14:
- Key Names &
Terms:
Heracles, Alcmena, Eurystheus, Amphitryon, Megara, Nemean lion, Hydra,
Ceryneian deer, Erymanthian boar,
Chiron, Augeas, Cretan bull, horses of Diomedes,
Admetus, Alcestis, Hippolyta, Geryon, apples of the Hesperides,
Antaeus, Cerberus, Omphale, Deianira,
Nessus,
- Hercules, the movie:
- key names
& terms: Zeus, Hera, Hermes, Hades, Pain, Panic, the fates,
Hercules, Alcmene, Amphitryon, Phil, Pegasus, Meg, the
titans, the cyclops, Thebes, "go the distance", "true hero"
- web site for script (click
here)
- Theseus:
Powell,
Chapter
15-16:
- Key Names &
Terms: Aegeus, Theseus, Procrustes, Medea, Minos, Minotaur,
Ariadne, Hippolytus, Phaedra, Pirithoüs, Centaurs,
- sample questions at
his web site: click
here (Ch15);
and
here
(Ch
16)
- Jason:
Powell,
Chapter
18:
- Key Names &
Terms: Pelias, Jason, Chiron, Argo, Lemnos, Phineus, Aeëtes,
Medea, Apsyrtus, Creon
Possible
Essay Questions:
- In
transforming the Greek myth of Heracles into an American myth, Disney
transformed the role of the 'leading man.' Examine how and why Disney
changed the role from that in the Greek myths related to Heracles
(based solely on Powell's chapter). Make sure
you include in your discussion the impact the differing audiences for the
myths--Greek and American--had.
- Examine the divine
interactions ("good" and
"bad") in the Heroic myths we have covered in class, looking for
patterns and points of dissimilarity. As always, detail the
significance of your findings and restrict yourself to the evidence in
Powell for the Greek heroes and Gilgamesh and the movie or script for
Disney's Hercules. Limit your discussion to one of the
following:
- Oedipus, Heracles, and
Disney's Hercules. [link
for movie script (click
here)]
- Gilgamesh, Theseus, and
Jason
- Using the blueprint for the
traits of a hero that Powell gives in
his chapter on Gilgamesh, determine how well 2 of the following heroes
(Oedipus, Disney's Hercules, Jason) fit that blueprint. Address at some
point the
implications of your results. Restrict your evidence base to Powell and
the movie (or its script).