...The story of Hercules and the twelve labors is a very popular Greek myth which depicts Hercules's struggles as he attempts to complete feats so difficult, that they were nearly impossible. These feats were called the Twelve Labors. These perils took Hercules twelve years to complete, and when he did, he emerged as Greece’s greatest hero. As Hercules goes through these trials, he goes through many steps of the Hero’s Journey. As a young child, Hercules was always different. He was much stronger than most infants. His mother was the goddess Hera, while his father was a mortal man making Hercules a Demigod, a mortal born from a God or Goddess and a mortal. Throughout his early childhood, Hera sent many dangerous beasts to murder baby Hercules so she wouldn’t have to carry the burden of this baby, who had many times, accidently hurt his mother with his strength. This is Hercules's unusual childhood, showing the first part of the hero’s journey. Throughout his young adult life, Hercules had many milestones including getting married and having children. Soon, Hera came back and decided to torture Hercules until he went crazy. Hera succeed in this and Hercules, in a blind rage, murdered his wife and children. After he came out from his ‘temporary insanity’ Hercules saw the full scope of what he had done....
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...Darah Holmes ENG 100-B14 Mr.Cortese September 21, 2015 SWA 3 (Dowd) “Our Own Warrior Princess” essay was written by Maureen Dowd. In this essay Jennifer has just had surgery and her Aunt is telling the audience about what she had to go through, such as the pain she injured after her surgery. Even though her uncle has already passed, she is the one that is afraid to go through the surgery and is also telling the story. This story is to communicate with those who are in need of people to donate from. This story was attended to those who are unsure or afraid of having surgery or donating anything needed. There were a lot of details the author used in this short essay. She reffered to Jennifer’s strength to Xena Warrior Princess. She also mentioned how people were afraid to mention that they were donors on their identification cards. The details in this story were very effective because it happens in our every day lives. In this story “Our Own WarriorPrincess”, the bigger picture is knowing that it is okay to be afraid to go and have surgery. But more importantly, it is okay to go out and save a life. Maureen Dowd transitioned this story into donating when she mentioned, “There was a complicated operation for the two side by side, that lasted from 7:30 a to 10 pm”(Dowd 255).This tells you that there were to people side by side getting ready for surgery and a transplant. In this story, the author reinforces her argument by letting you know that it is very...
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...The Hero’s Journey 1 Running head: THE HERO’S JOURNEY PAPER The Hero’s Journey Paper Mr. Cooper English 11 By: Brittany Dorris Hero’s Journey Paper 2 The Hero’s Journey Paper What is a hero in your opinion? A hero in my opinion is someone who saves life while risking their owns. In this paper I will be telling you how the book Hercules & the movie the Matrix relate in the 17 Stages of the Monomyth (Hero’s Journey). -The Call of Adventure (Stage 1) In the movie the Matrix Neo gets mail on his computer telling him to follow the white rabbit. The white rabbit was a tattoo that a girl had on their back. Although he didn’t know that until he saw it. As to in the book Hercules tried to kill two snakes. You probably are thinking what do this have to have to do with each other. It’s the call to leave his or her normal life and face adventure. -Refusal Call (Stage 2) In the movie the Matrix Neo haves to go to work with a hangover & he gets a call from mophans about not going on the leader and getting back he isn’t ready to be a leader. As to in Hercules tries to kill himself. To try to escape Hera’s wrath. Often the hero will initially reject the call to adventure due to the changes it would cause in his or her life. -Supernatural Aid (Stage 3) Ampaitryoe – Tells Hercules he is a hero, he told Hercules what he did in the book Hercules. Can’t...
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...Hercules: Hero of Thebes The hero and the quest story structure has been universally used for centuries, boasting extremely similar aspects, even in books and movies today. The hero and the quest archetype can be perceived in the Disney animated film, Hercules, in which the hero sets out on a quest to become a hero in order to restore his immortality and return to his eminent pantheon. Hercules fills the requisites of being a myth hero because of his characteristics, his confrontation of trials, and his completion of the ultimate quest. Hercules, the offspring of the god, Zeus, and the goddess, Hera, was born into the pantheon that made up Mount Olympus. The immortal child of the supreme god himself possessed exceptional strength,...
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...Villains are the road block on the heroes’ path to righteousness. These heroes must first grow emotionally before they can achieve their goals. In Disney’s adaptation of the Greek legend Hercules, Hercules must become a true hero before Zeus allows him into Mt. Olympus. Hades, on the contrary, wants to leave the underworld and destroy Mt. Olympus and all the gods with it. Only Hercules stands in the way of Hades’ plans. In the process of weakening Hercules, Hades kills Megara and Hercules makes a wager to save her—Hades thinks Hercules will lose that bet and be stuck in the underworld forever, but Hercules pulls through and rescues Megara’s soul. Incidentally, Hercules becomes a true hero for his selfless act that Hades indirectly caused. Had Hades not killed Meg, Hercules would not have ever gone to Mt. Olympus. Hades unconscious actions are similar to my own willing behaviors. I absolutely adore helping others achieve their goals and this indirect kind of aiding is what I desire. I want to help people without even having to think about; one small action of mine can be the breaking point of success for someone. Even though villains don’t mean to help heroes, they are a crucial part of a hero’s emotional...
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...mythological characters such as Hercules, to modern day characters such as Superman. All of these heros were given a path that they must follow in order to discover their ultimate destiny and become a hero. Joseph Campbell book, “A Hero With A Thousand Faces” has best explained the important stages that every hero needs to go by in order for fulfill their destiny, “ A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won" (Campbell 1). It is in this storyline that most storytellers need to go by in order to create the most closely related idea of a hero. Even though some heros do not follow these stages and their journey becomes more complex in relation to society, Shakespeare’s character Hamlet, seems to be the most hard to understand. Shakespeare created Hamlet as a hero who corrupts the archetype so much that the basic stages of his heroic journey must be changed in order to recognize him as a hero. Aristotle defined a hero as “a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause or principle”. Aristotle simply states that the hero's downfall is usually cause by his own fault. Usually the hero’s death is seen as a waste of human potential but usually results in greater knowledge and awareness for whoever hears of the hero’s story (Aristotle). In most traditions of the hero archetype, the journey of the hero follows a path that...
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...to around the time of the Trojan War. Homer and Hesiod were two of the most well-known writers of Greek mythology and epic poetry. Although a lot of information is debatable about him, Homer was the first known person to write Greek literature. Homer has many claimed birthplaces. Among the most popular are Smyrna and Ionia. His main theme was the Trojan War between the Greek and Trojans. Even though he may have been blind, Homer is considered responsible for two of the most well-known books of Greek myth; Iliad and the Odyssey and Homeric Hymns which were short poems celebrating the various gods. The Iliad is a story of the siege of the city of Troy during the Trojan War. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus, a warrior, and his ten year journey from Troy to Ithaca after the fall of Troy in the Trojan War (“The Life and Work of Homer”). Hesiod is along the side of Homer when it comes to the creation of the Greek gods. He was said to be born after Homer. He was a shepherd who worked in the mountains of Helicon. He got his inspiration to write epic poetry from an experience he had on the mountain where he met the Muses that appeared before him in a mist after the death of his father. Two of his most famous works were Theogony and Works and Days. Theogony is the story of the creation of the Greek gods and their evolution. His second story, Works and Days, was about the struggle between him and his brother over the property of his father Greek mythology is the passed down stories by...
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...In the Greek literature of mythology, we have examined Odysseus. Students and scholars alike debate weather Odysseus is a true hero, as read in The Odyssey. There is many supporting evidence to prove all sides of the debate and opinions held of Odysseus. It is of my opinion that Odysseus is a hero for his homeland, his family, the Greek people, and for us to learn from to this day. To support my reasons for my topic I want to explore Odysseus in the physical strength he had to overcome extreme conditions that he faced on his journey. For example, during one part of his voyage, Odysseus came upon the Sirens. He knew that if he gave into the temptation of their song, he would be killed. Odysseus, had made wax for ear plugs for his crew to use...
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...,July 21st 2009 ENC 1102 M,W, 7:45am Term Paper “The Theme of Human Struggle in the Works of Ernest Hemingway” In my research paper I will show how elements of life and death, folklore/fables, myths, and rites of passage support the theme of human struggle against nature in the stories "The Old Man and the Sea," "Indian Camp," "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway. Through comparative analysis of these stories' underlying themes I will address the initiation experiences of his heroes. Human dignity, morality, and the formation of human individuality through mental strife and the struggle against nature are often themes of Hemingway. Humans cope with the complexity of the world by developing simple mental models based on opposite parts. Life and death are together, two extremes of one energy. Life is the active force and death is the inactive force, but they cannot be separated. Thus, they are two aspects of one reality. When people are reading about living beings and mythological beings or those who are dead, they view the word of the dead as a living world. The dead eat, sleep and move. In the book “The Hero in Hemingway's short stories”, J. DeFalco points out that: " in the Myth there are usually three dominant movements which are cyclic in pattern. They are the departure of the hero, the initiation, and the return from heroic adventure." (17). The movements of the hero to the world where...
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...MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Title As a title, Much Ado About Nothing fits neatly with those of Shakespeare’s other plays written around the same time: the titles seem whimsical and even flippant. Twelfth Night was alternatively titled What You Will, and As You Like It seems a much less informative title than, say, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Still, the capricious titles are actually as reflective of their content as any history or tragedy title. The plot of Much Ado About Nothing centers on a lot of hubbub over little misunderstandings; there’s a whole lot of fuss about stuff that ultimately isn’t that important. For the bigger issues in the play, though, we turn to the fact that, in Shakespeare’s day, "nothing" was often pronounced the same way as "noting." The play is built around the process of "noting," which has myriad meanings. It can mean "to take notice of" something, to eavesdrop, to observe, or to write something down – but these notings aren’t necessarily accurate. A person can misunderstand a meaning, or mishear, or misreport something, in the process of noting too. The foibles that result from noting (and misnoting) are central to keeping the play spinning. If that wasn’t interesting enough for you, you might want to note that "nothing" was also an Elizabethan slang term for the vagina. "Much Ado About Vagina" makes sense as a title, right? After all, the highs and lows of the play revolve around men and their relationships with, suspicion of, and...
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...The Dominance of Fate Fate was of great concern to the Greeks, and its workings resonate through many of their myths and texts. We see countless characters who go to great lengths in attempts to alter fate, even if they know such an aim to be futile. The inability of any mortal or immortal to change prescribed outcomes stems from the three Fates: sisters Clotho, who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, who assigns each person’s destiny; and Atropos, who carries the scissors to snip the thread of life at its end. These three divinities pervade all the stories of Greek myth, whether they be stories of gods, goddesses, demigods, heroes, or mortals and regardless of the exploits recounted. Nothing can be done to alter or prolong the destiny of one’s life, regardless of the number of preparations or precautions taken. This inflexibility applies just as much to Zeus as to the lowliest mortal, as we see in Zeus’s hounding of Prometheus to divulge the name of the woman who will bear the offspring that one day will kill him. Though this lesson is somewhat consoling—the way of the world cannot be bent to match the whims of those in authority—it is also very disturbing. The prospect of free will seems rather remote, and even acts of great valor and bravery seem completely useless. The myths provide an interesting counterpoint to this uselessness, however. In virtually all the stories in which a character does everything in his power to block a negative fate, and yet falls prey to it,...
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...Literary Criticism Review Paradigm: a framework containing your basic assumptions, ways of thinking and methodology about how something should be done, made or thought about. Cognitive dissonance (psychology): the excessive mental stress and discomfort experienced by the individual who: * Holds 2+ contradictory beliefs, ideas, of values simultaneously * Is confronted by new info that conflicts with existing BIV Is/ought dilemma: us aging -> the world as we wish to be OR the world as it actually is HISTORICAL LENS/NEW HISTORICAL LENS Historical criticism -> insisted we need to know a literary piece, that we need to know authors bio, social background, ideas during that time, cultural milieu (environment) New historicism New Historicism: seeks to find meaning in a text by considering the work within framework of prevailing ideas/assumptions of its era. *All about paying close attention to historical context of literary works (e.g: poems, novels, plays) GOALS: 1) Study how a work of literature reflects its historical/sociocultural context 2) Understand how literary works comments on and relates to its context Therefore, approach is interdisciplinary Example of this lens: Always by Erasure MARXIST LENS (Karl Heinrich Marx + Friedrich Engles) * A form of critique for interrogating all societies and their texts in terms of certain specific issues like race, class, and the attitudes shared within a given culture (see terms) * Marxist critique may...
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...03-01-15, 05:57 AM#1 Prologue For years people have dreamed of Virtual reality ranging from video games to entire worlds. There have been numerous amounts of stories and speculation for as long as the idea has existed. But now with technologies growing and improving every day the dream of virtual reality has become a reality with the new release of a Virtual Reality game called Mythical Legends with many flocking to get their hands on it. With wild speculation, stories and dreams over the year people expecting great things. Mythical Legends has had great hype across all forms of media, and for good reasons. First the game is running on a new system that incorporates not just the Game Masters; GM’s for short, but also the creation of multiple advanced artificial intelligences that support’s the virtual world and create new events and areas as the game progresses. Besides that another amazing feat is that the NPCs and Mobs of the game cannot be easily told apart from any other players. The Beta testers where surprised and overwhelmed by the games realism and by its gameplay. They played throughout a number of regions on the continent of Tellus starting at one of the four kingdomsRedstone, Thorcyn, Thlyiss, and Andesit. Each kingdom home to the four core races of Humans, Elves, Halflings, and Dwarves. After the six month testing time the programmer of the game accelerated the game’s time over a 1000 years in game time adding more history and lore. With the games...
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...For six years, Kingdom Hearts fans have been waiting for the release of the third game in the series. And while the wait has been agonizing, Tetsuya Nomura has kept a steady stream of spin-offs and side stories coming in order to flesh out the history of this series. But in expanding upon the relatively simple stories of Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, things began to grow more and more complicated. Now, with six games in total making up the series, the plot is a near-labyrinthine mess of connections and revelations. It's confusing for long-time fans and near impenetrable for newcomers. In mere weeks, Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance will be releasing on the 3DS and promises, according to Nomura, to lead directly into Kingdom Hearts 3. It's with that in mind that I have decided to unravel the plot of the entire series for those who may have missed the opportunity to play some of the spin-offs and those who just want a refresher before diving into the new game. I have also attempted to make this as inviting as I can for newcomers to the series who decide that they want to start with Dream Drop Distance. Be warned though that this timeline will spoil everything in the series so if you want to go in fresh, then it's probably a good idea to refer to this timeline later. With that introduction out of the way, let's begin… ------------------------------------------------- KINGDOM HEARTS: BIRTH BY SLEEP The story begins with a young boy named Ventus and an old man named Xehanort arriving...
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...GREEK MYTHOLOGY Background to Homer’s Odyssey As you read each story, ask yourself: What is most enjoyable, predictable, or bizarre about this story? How would I have responded in this situation? What mysteries or features of the world might this story try to explain? What bit of moral or religious instructions (i.e. don’t disobey the gods) might be contained in this story? How does this story compare with Christian beliefs, or with the values of our culture today? Are there any other stories or fables I’ve heard that follow the same pattern as this story? The Creation Myths Part 1 Before there was anything, there was Chaos, a formless void. This void, this pure nothingness, gave birth to Gaea (the Earth itself), Tartarus (the underworld), Eros (love), Erebus (underground darkness) and Nyx (the darkness of night). The two kinds of darkness joined together and gave birth two kinds of light: the Light of the heavens and the Light of day. Nyx (night) also gave birth to the three Fates, who control the course of the universe and determine the length of each person’s life on their wheel of fortune. Of the fates, Clotho spins the threads of each person’s life, Lachesis measures the length of the thread, and Atropos cuts the thread. The Fates – Francisco Goya (one of the best painters ever!) 1823 – Note the scissors in the hand of Atropos and Lachesis measuring with a magnifying glass. Who’s...
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