Essay on The Myth of Hercules and What
it Reveals about the Human Condition in General
Hercules the son of
Zeus and Alcmene is the super hero of Greek mythology who becomes a god after he
dies. His father to become a great ruler, and ultimately to aid the gods in
their battle with the titans projects him, but Hera, jealous of Zeus'
disloyalty, conspires to make Hercules the slave of Eurystheus.
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He is the son of Zeus; the king of the gods, but his mother is mortal, which
makes him stronger than most mortals, but not immortal himself. He pursues a
predestined path to save others. The original Greek myth of Hercules (or
Heracles) he must execute a series of tasks while on earth in order to regain
his status on Mount Olympus. His father’s wife, Hera, the queen of the gods,
gave the errands to him. In the television series, Hera puts many obstacles in
his way as he fulfills his fate of being a hero. The Hero is precisely
represented in the legend of Hercules one who faces numerous battles alone, on
behalf of others much weaker than he. The Hero's journey is one fraught with
challenges, and all those surrounding him lack the endurance to fully assist in
succeeding victory over the tasks. The Hero is usually sketch out and does not
choose the position.
The shadow Hero chooses
a self appointed target to prove his power to others. Inescapably, these folks
fail.
Even when he is a baby Hera tries to obliterate him, sending two serpents which
twine themselves around the infant Hercules and his twin brother Iphicles, son
of Alcmene's lawful husband Amphitryon, but the hero confirm that he is Zeus'
son by strangling them. His first heroic performance on reaching manhood are the
killing of the lion of Cithaeron, which has been savaging the countryside, and
the defeat of Erginus, who has been demanding an annual tribute from Thebes. In
gratitude the Theban king, Creon, gives Hercules his daughter Megara as wife.
When Creon dies and the usurper Lycus tries to seize the throne, Hercules kills
him, but in the triumph that follows, Hera again takes a hand; she strikes him
with a fit of madness, and he shoots both Megara and their three children. As
chastisement for these murders, he is ordered by the Delphic oracle to perform
his famous "Twelve Labors."
The first nine labors, beginning with the killing of the Nemaean lion take place
in the world of early Greece. The last three tasks take the hero on journeys
beyond the Greek world. To steal the cattle of Geryon he travels in the floating
cup of Helios to the far west. In the simplest form, the story of Hercules life
can be interpreted as the story of every-man. Our hero was the son of the major
figures in Greek mythology, yet he was made to struggle through implausible
difficulties in order to fulfill the purpose of his life. The myth shows that it
does not matter who or what your parents are or where you are from, you can and
must make something of your life. As the son of an immortal, it was Hercules
wish to attain that same immortality, but since he is also the son of a mortal,
he had to face mortal challenges. Perhaps to counteract the advantage of being
the son of Zeus, the obstacles he faced were aggravated by Hera’s jealousy and
need for revenge.
Comparisons might be made with the kinds of scuffle and dangers that people face
in their own lives from childhood to adult lives. There are the drugs and gangs
and the appeal of the money they involve. These challenges seem to grow
progressively more difficult as the young grow older and facer greater
challenges, particularly in the inner city. Even as Hercules faced ever greater
labors which took him farther and farther from the protection of his home, so
must we deal with insalubrious influences and conflicts as they grow older, and
away from the comfort of childhood. Although it may have been written very long
time ago but it has a certain universality, which makes it relevant even today.
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