Beliefs & Themes
Human nature needs to be tamed and equal reward and punishment are examples of these.
What are Greek beliefs?
These are the first 3 steps of the hero's journey.
What is the ordinary world, call to adventure, and refusal of the call?
At the end of Hercules's story, Zeus helped him achieve this.
What is immortality?
These are the three purposes of Greek myths.
What is entertainment, teach a lesson, and explain how something came to be?
These are the three main Greek heroes we have mentioned in class.
Who are Hercules, Odysseus, and Achillies?
Danger of hubris and beware of temptation are examples of these.
This is what the hero experiences after they have completed their quest/journey.
What is transformation?
What is mortality and immortality?
This is how myths were passed down through generations.
Hercules having an immortal father (Zeus) means he comes from this type of ancestry.
What is divine ancestry?
The Ancient Greeks used this as a means to reveal their beliefs.
What is a myth?
After completing step 3 of the hero's journey, the hero would then experience these next 5 steps.
What is meeting the mentor, crossing the threshold, tests/enemies/allies, the approach, and the ordeal?
This is the main reason why Hercules is considered a true Greek hero.
What is suffering?
This was one of the main Greek beliefs and themes we found in the myth we read in class, Prometheus and Pandora.
What is human nature should be tamed and beware of temptation?
OR
What is equal reward and punishment and reward for good/punishment for evil?
Hercules exhibits this heroic quality by conquering each of the 12 labors, or otherwise known as conquering these parts of humankind.
What is overcoming evil?
Hercules's 8th labor, conquering king Diomedes and his man-eating horses, is an example of this Greek belief.
These are the last 4 steps of the hero's journey.
What is the reward, the road back, the resurrection, and the return?
This was the main Greek belief and theme we found in the myth we read in class, Baucis and Philemon.
What is equal reward and punishment and reward for good/punishment for bad?
Dipping his arrows in the hydra's blood, using the river to clear out the stables, using the lion's skin as armor, and burning off the heads of the hydra are all examples of Hercules showing this heroic quality.
What is being clever/crafty?
The myth, Arachne, the story about a mortal girl that was turned into a spider by Athena for thinking she was better than a goddess, contains this Greek theme.
What is danger of hubris?
This is why the hero initially refuses to "take the call" and begin their journey/quest.
What is fear of the unknown?
A curse that must be remedied with good acts to make up for the bad acts you’ve committed is known by this name.
What is a blood guilt?
Greek myths can be found in our symbolism, architecture, media, music, and more. This is the literary term we use to describe this.
What is an allusion?
In his 11th labor, Hercules steals Hera's precious golden apples. This term explains how she recieved them as a representation of her relationship with Zeus.
What is Hera's wedding gift?