Hero's Journey
If the hero's journey were broken into a three act structure, what is part one called?
What is the departure?
Myths originally were not written down, how were myths passed down?
Oral Tradition
How does the author foreshadow that Perseus will become a hero?
The oracles have a prophecy and Zeus is his father
Who is the speaker at the beginning of the poem?
Medusa
How does a hero start their journey?
They cross a threshold into an unknown world
What are some things that can help a hero when they are starting on their journey?
A secret weapon, a mentor, friends, or a call to action
Why did Greeks worship different gods?
Each god had control over a different area of their life
Who is Perseus' mother?
Danae
What's one example that shows Medusa's anger?
She wants to petrify the sea
She wants to fossilize the sky
She wants to fight with God
How does the Hero's journey end?
The hero returns home and becomes a master of two worlds
Name something that indicates a child is special or may be a hero
Strong, smart, handsome, independent, orphaned, or prophesy
What are 2 goals of myths?
1. Explain a natural phenomenon
2. Teach a moral lesson
3. Reinforce traditions
4. Entertain
What did Perseus have to get?
The Gorgon's head
And so she dreams
till the sun-crimsoned shield
blinds her into nightmare;
her locks, failing from their roots,
crawl into rocks to die.
Perseus holds the sword above her neck.
Restless in her sleep, she,
for the last time, brushes back
the hissing curls from her forehead.
What is the attitude the author takes towards Medusa?
He is neutral or takes pity on Medusa
He sets out to get the head of the gorgon for king Polydectes
What is the second part of the Hero's Journey called?
The initiation
What helped to spread the popularity of Greek myths?
Alexander the Great spread Greek culture as he expanded his empire
What was the prophecy that set the plot of the story in motion?
King Acrisios was told that his daughter would have a son that would eventually kill him.
Why is Medusa upset according to the author?
Medusa is mad that she turns people to stone and can't control it.
How does the myth of Perseus explain the existence of snakes in the dessert?
"By now Perseus was over the Lybian desert, and as the blood from the horrible head touched the sand, it changed to serpents, from which the snakes of Africa are descended."
After the abyss, when everything seems hopeless, what happens in the hero's journey?
The transformation
Aside from myths that were eventually written down, how else do we know about the myths from Ancient Greece?
Through artwork like pottery, sculpture, and mosaics
What are 3 trials Perseus had to overcome on his travels?
He had to: get the location of the nymphs from the Phorcides
Get the special weapons from the nymphs
Get Medusa's head
Turned Atlas to stone
Freed andromeda
Defeated Polydectess
Killed king Acrisios
How does the author differ in his telling of this story compared to the traditional myth?
The author takes Medusa's perspective and makes her a sympathetic figure. The author explores Medusa's emotional state.
The author of Medusa wrote,
"restless in her sleep, she,
for the last time, brushes back
her hissing curls from her forehead"
Why does he characterize Medusa as restless?