...The Unheroic Hero who Impressed me Most in Greek Mythology – Jason Zhang Sijing 【Abstract】 This paper centers on my own opinions about Jason – a famous hero in Greece mythology. With the help of Medea, who had become his wife afterwards, Jason had led the heroes of Argonauts to get the Golden Fleece successfully. However, the story of he and she was not a romance but end up with a big tragedy. To me, Jason was not a hero as typical as others in Greek mythologies, he was just a man with all his weaknesses which led to his death. 【Key Words】 Greek mythology; hero; Jason; Medea; Argonauts 1. Introduction Among numbers of Greek mythological stories I have read, the one of Jason’s impressed me most. Jason was famous for his role as the leader of the Argonauts which consisted of almost all the famous heroes in Greek at that time. These heroes included some familiar names such as Heracles, Perseus, Theseus and many other unfamiliar ones. They were all gathered together for Jason’s quest to find the Golden Fleece, which was in order to get his throne back from his uncle Pelias. During this long adventure he fell in love with Medea, the sorceress and the princess of Colchis. Only with her help could Jason have done his work. Nevertheless, Jason betrayed Medea in the end, which turned his story into a big tragedy. In his story we are more likely to see a real man instead of a perfect hero. So, this essay is trying to focus on the differences between Jason and other classical...
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...Jason was a leader in the Argonautic Expedition in getting the Golden Fleece. His father was king Iolcus. Jason received all his genes from his father, and hardly anything from his mother. Jason was a true friend and hero. Life was challenging for him because his childhood life was rough, he had to get the golden fleece, and difficulties ruling as a king. (Greek gods) One of the main reasons why Jason's life was complex is that he endured a rough childhood. He was the son of king Iolcus, but Jason was more like his father than his mother. When he was born, his uncle Pelias killed every sibling in his family. His uncle took over as king, and Jason went and lived in the woods with Centaur Chiron. He was raised by Centaur Chiron until adulthood....
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...Greeks and Romans HUM 100 August 2nd, 2011 Greeks and Romans Greeks and Romans The Greeks and Romans are two civilizations that are constantly compared thought out history. People tend to compare their beliefs, views on life, politics, religion just to name a few. The Greeks and Romans were two very powerful entities throughout history. Rich in history, science and the arts. One constant comparison between the Greeks and Romans are their gods. Although they each have different names for their gods, they are quite similar. Greeks views on the individual or the individual and society were that they understood themselves to belong to a common Greek genos their first and foremost loyalty was to their city and country and didn’t see anything wrong with fighting with other Greek city states. The most famous of these was the Peloponnesian war. Which was a civil war between Sparta and Athens. Many variations of this great civil war have been told. From history books to movies, cartoons and children’s storybooks. Through these movies, cartoons and children’s story books gods and heroes have been highlighted and praised. Same way the Greeks praised their gods and heroes. This was called the Heroic Age. Some scholars believe that certain Greek heroes and gods were based on a real men and women living in that time. One hero that stands out would be Hercules. Throughout his complicated mythology perhaps Hercules really existed as a chieftain of the kingdom...
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...The hero, Perseus, was a compelling story to the ancient Greeks. His legend heavily influenced later ideas of heroic characters. In many ways, he was the ideal hero for the Greeks to look upon. sharing many of the same traits and mental patterns as the people, he became a way for people the people of Greece to glorify their own lives. Following Gilgamesh, and followed by the famous Heracles and Jason, the story of Perseus built a template for later stories. Perseus was seen as a hero to ancient Greeks because of how he followed the path of a hero, showed the traits of a hero, and created a hero’s legacy. The story of Perseus follows the same order as many parallel stories of heroic greatness, but with different names, goals and locations. His experience was universal given that he was not only made a hero by ancestry, but by his actions. A recurring topic in Greek mythology was people sending their opponents on impossible journeys that they are not expected to complete, but instead die from. Odysseus was sent into the Underworld on his journey, Jason was sent far east to steal the Golden Fleece from a cyclops in...
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...as Aristotle discussed in “Poetics.” However, even though Medea can be accurately categorized as a Greek tragedy, the story lacks a tragic hero. Neither of the two main characters, Medea or Jason, possess all the traits that exist in a tragic hero. According to Aristotle, there are three unities of theatre that make plays more pleasurable for the audience. Euripides employs all three. Medea has unity of action, as it only contains one main plot: Medea’s revenge. This makes the story simple for the audience to follow. There is also unity of time, because all of the action involved in the plot occurs in one day. This action unfolds in only one location: Medea’s home. The latter exemplifies unity of place. For example, when Medea’s children bring Jason’s new bride the poison dress and diadem, the setting does not change to the home of Jason and his wife. Rather, a messenger arrives at Medea’s house to report what has happened to the princess. Euripides’ use of the three unities brings the plot together and makes it easy to understand. In addition to the three unities, Medea includes all six of Aristotle’s elements of theatre. The most important element of theatre is the plot. The plot of Medea is very straightforward, and occurs in a logical sequence. The thought of this plot can be expressed in a single sentence: Medea’s heart is broken by Jason when he marries another woman, which leads her to seek revenge. In this play, characterization is the...
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...Name Course Tutor Date Ancient Greek Heroes vs. Modern Heroes Introduction The word hero brings to mind different things to different people, since people tend to have different concepts of heroism. This is particularly the case with regard to the concept of heroes in ancient and modern societies. As times have changed, the definition of heroes has also changed, in keeping with the changes in the modern society. However, ancient and modern heroes do share some similarities, which act as the basis of heroism regardless of one’s perspective. In view of this, a hero can be described as a courageous person, who deliberately sets out to conquer obstacles for the benefit others or one who performs extra ordinary feats. The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast ancient Greek heroes with modern heroes, for the purpose of understanding both concepts of heroism. Differences There a few differences between modern and ancient Greek heroes, one of them being the religious background of the ancient Greek heroes. In Greek mythology, heroes were usually religious figures, specifically demigods. They were usually born from liaisons between mortal and immortal parents. These heroes were favored by the gods, hence were able to accomplish supernatural tasks, which were beyond the abilities of normal men. Hercules’ mother for instance was a mortal, while his father Zeus was a Greek god, who disguised himself as her husband. As a result, Hercules was a demigod, and was able to accomplish...
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...The Olympians Zeus - Roman name: Jupiter or Jove. The sky-god Zeus rules Mount Olympus. His weapon is the thunderbolt, and his bird is the eagle. The central figure of the myths, Zeus epitomizes their complexity. At times he is divine and represents a pure, eternal sense of justice; at other times, he is capricious and cruel. Hera - Roman name: Juno. Zeus’s wife and sister, Hera is a very powerful goddess known mostly for her jealousy. She is often vicious and spiteful, and it is usually Zeus’s infidelity that incites her. Many unfortunate mortals endure hardships by provoking Hera’s wrath. Poseidon - Roman name: Neptune. The god of the sea, Poseidon is Zeus’s brother and second only to him in power. Poseidon holds a decade-long grudge against Odysseus. The often cruel and unpredictable violence of the seas is assumed to be a result of his anger. Hades - Roman name: Pluto. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades rules the underworld, the realm of the dead, with his wife, Persephone. Pallas Athena - Roman name: Minerva. Usually just called Athena, this goddess emerges from Zeus’s head fully-grown and armed. Associated with war, cleverness, and wit, it is no surprise that she favors Odysseus. Athena is the goddess of Wisdom, Reason, and Purity and is chaste, like Artemis and Hestia. Phoebus Apollo - Usually just called Apollo. A son of Zeus and Leto and Artemis’s twin, he is the god of Light and Truth, the master of Poetry and Music, and the god of Archery. His Oracle...
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...Compare Ideas of Heroism Merriam-Webster defines a hero as…”A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)” Looking at the times of Greek mythology, there were many heroes such as Theseus, Perseus, Jason, Achilles, Odysseus, and Hercules who were celebrated for their divine powers and superhuman strengths. When Giglamesh was wandering around and learning what it meant to put his personal egotism aside for the good of others, was he in fact a hero, or was he just simply growing intellectually within himself? All heroes are famous for the extraordinary selfless acts that they perform for the sake of others. The Minotaur that lived in a labyrinth on the island of Crete was defeated by Theseus after the population of Athens was forced to send fourteen children to be eaten by the Minotaur each year to appease him (Infoplease, 2012). Perseus, who was the son of Zeus and Danae, killed the Gorgan Medusa who caused the people who looked directly at her to turn to stone (Infoplease, 2012). In addition, the most fearless and strongest warrior in the Greek war against the Trojans was Achilles, who became invulnerable everywhere in his body except for his heel that his mother held him by when she dipped him in the River Styx (Infoplease, 2012). Odysseus, who is better known as Ulysses, was the King of Ithaca and also a celebrated warrior who assisted the Greeks in the Trojan War. Because of his cleverness and...
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...sea-foam. Homer, on the other hand, said that she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. When the Trojan prince Paris was asked to judge which of three Olympian goddesses was the most beautiful, he chose Aphrodite over Hera and Athena. The latter two had hoped to bribe him with power and victory in battle, but Aphrodite offered the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen of Sparta, who became infamous as Helen of Troy when Paris subsequently eloped with her. In the ensuing Trojan War, Hera and Athena were implacable enemies of Troy while Aphrodite was loyal to Paris and the Trojans. IN HOMER In his epic of the Trojan War, Homer tells how Aphrodite intervened in battle to save her son Aeneas, a Trojan ally. The Greek hero Diomedes, who had been on the verge of killing Aeneas, attacked the goddess herself, wounding her on the wrist with his spear and causing the ichor to flow. (Ichor is what immortals have in the place of blood.) Aphrodite promptly dropped Aeneas, who was rescued by Apollo, another Olympian sponsor of the Trojans. In pain she sought out her brother Ares, the god of war who stood nearby admiring the carnage, and borrowed his chariot so that she might fly up to Olympus. There she goes crying to her mother Dione, who soothes her and cures her wound. Her father Zeus tells her to leave war to the likes of Ares and Athena, while devoting herself to the business of marriage. Elsewhere in Homer's Iliad , Aphrodite saves Paris when he is about...
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...In the Homeric poems, epithets provide an index to the personality of a hero. When the poet invokes a particular epithet, a particular attribute or set of attributes is summoned to the performance. According to Theodore Klein, critics of Apollonius single out the pallid and ineffectual personality of Jason as the primary reason for the “aesthetic failure” of the Argonautica. He obtains the object of his quest, the golden fleece, in the end, but only via the help of a witch. He does finally return home to Greece, but only after having dishonorably slain Apsyrtus. Jason’s weakness is epitomized by the epithet amechanos, which may be translated “embarrass” or “incertitude.” The table below presents a few epithets of Homeric heroes: Achilles “Son of Peleus” “Swift-footed” “Breaking through men” “Lion-hearted” “Like to the gods” Aeneas “Son of Anchises” “Counselor of the Trojans” “Lord of the Trojans” “Father” “Loyal/Pious” Agamemnon “Son of Atreus” “Wide-ruling” “The Lord Marshal” “Powerful” “Shepherd of the People” “Brilliant” The unprepossessing figure of Jason is further sunk in relief against the more dominating personalities of the heroes in his crew. The timorous captain often finds himself deferring to the decisions of Heracles and other great heroes of classical lore. Whither Jason? Some have argued that the kind of heroism which the Argonautica highlights is collective heroism;...
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...Durham, Carolyn A.. "Medea: Hero or Heroine?" Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies 8.1 (1984): 54-59. JSTOR. Web. 2 Nov. 2015. . In her writing “Medea: Hero or Heroine,” Carolyn Durham analyzes Euripides’ “The Medea” through the lens of feminist criticism. Her main argument is that women protagonists are always “societal facts” as opposed to “tragic heroes.” She utilizes the character Medea as an example of this claim, stating “the treatment of Medea in the play of Euripides suggests that the limitations associated with women somehow never seem to be those inherent in being human.” The bulk of Durham’s feminist criticism deals with how Medea is depicted before and after Jason leaves her for a new wife. She claims Euripides “uses Medea to illustrate by contrast the Greek ideal of moderation,” but does so by describing her as a “treacherous...
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...Ares, the God of warfare and battle, had impacts on Greek warfare. This was from people believing that Ares would side with one side in a war, such as in the Trojan war Ares sided with the Trojans. He was also said in myths to be a physical form fighting alongside the humans. Ares was often viewed in a negative way in his representation in stories, often being humiliated. This was because of how he was merciless and cruel with his actions. Ares was viewed badly by the olympians also which led to his worship by the Greek people being low compared to other gods. He was viewed as a coward in most of the stories about him. This was due to him being prone to over exaggerate almost every injury he received. Ares had a few places named after him...
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...include the use of similes, digression, epithets and exceptional characters. The importance of these characters is reflected in the roles and traits that are assigned to them. This is because the plot is developed by the distinctive character traits displayed. In the poem Jason and Medea turn out to be the main characters whose roles are very crucial to the development of the plot. This write-up would therefore try to bring out the distinctive similarities and differences in character traits of Jason and Medea both in deeds and words of Apollonius Voyage of Argo. Typical of all mythical heroes, both Jason and Medea are of royal blood. Jason is a prince whose father, Aeson is the rightful king of Iolcus until the usurpation of his power by Pelias, Aeson’s half-brother a very power-hungry man who wishes to gain dominion over all of Thessaly. Jason is trained by a powerful master, Centaur far from home for the fear that Pelias might kill him and Jason only returns to Iolcus now to reclaim what is rightfully his, thus as a prince he did not get to enjoy a luxurious life. Medea however is a lady who enjoys the joys and luxury of being brought up by her father, Aeetes and therefore has no problems to worry over till Jason arrives in Colchis....
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...Individual Assignment: Mythological and Modern-Day Heroes Paper · Identify a hero from literature or popular culture who embarks upon a mythical quest. · Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper that includes the following: o A list of the mythological hero’s characteristics o A description of how that character exemplifies a mythological hero o The purpose of the mythical quest in general APA Style!!! * An epic hero has four distinctive qualities. The first characteristic is that the hero requires a life altering journey, one that can change the way he thinks about someone or something, or that has a substantial impact on him/her physically or emotionally. The next quality is that there must be some form of divine or godly intervention that helps or hinders the hero’s journey. A third quality of the epic hero is a quest, goal or objective that the hero must reach. Nearly all cultures have produced myths about heroes. Some heroes, such as the Greek Achilles, have one mortal and one divine parent. Others are fully human but are blessed with godlike strength or beauty. Many myths about heroes concern significant phases of the hero's career, such as the circumstances of the hero's birth, a journey or quest, and the return home. The birth and infancy of a mythological hero is often exceptional or even miraculous. In the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean world, the births of many heroes followed similar patterns. Many heroes were often...
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...regret and countless other hardships. The modern anti-hero has faced these struggles and they’ve found a way to turn these struggles into a drive for good.” What was once a simple story about a basic man triumphantly defeating a villain to get the girl has transformed into a more humanized and truthful story about one's struggles and losses that has changed them both mentally and physically. This was the birth of the anti hero, a hero has good intentions, but with a tragic flaw, or a horrible past, or for reasons that are selfish and not entirely "pure". Some are seen as jerks, cold hearted, self-centered, or cruel. This top five list will be expolring and showing that the antihero...
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