From the Greek Myth, “Danaϋs, Perseus and The Gorgon” and the film, Percy Jackson and Olympians The Lightning Thief, the movie modernises and draws onto the challenges, the perfect hero archetype, and the quest storyline in many ways. The film even added more challenges onto the myth! From formulating new characters, a new family line, and different storylines- the film of Percy has many modernizations! Now, the modernizations of the events in the myth will be discussed. The first modernization in the film was the whole portion of Medusa. For example, the text says, “Looking into the mirroring shield, Perseus swooped down, and with one deft stroke he cut off Medusa’s head.” (D'aulaires, 118) In the movie, Percy looks at his phone- using the …show more content…
One of the archetypes was an unusual birth. The movie changed the birth story; in the movie, Percy was the son of Poseidon, (or the god of the sea) and he is unable to communicate with Percy. But the text barely says anything about Poseidon! The one thing the text says is, “If they drowned, Poseidon would be to blame.” (D'aulaires, 115) Nevertheless, in the myth Perseus was the son of Zeus. They modernized the film to be more understandable as Percy has water powers. Another archetype was leaving family. Percy decided to go to a demigod camp and leave his family. He then left the camp in search of his mother. The story of Perseus was very similar! Perseus left his mom in search of Medusa as he was ordered by the king. The text in Percy said, “Perseus bid his mother good-by and set out to search for Medusa.” (D'aulaires, 117) The film modernized this because instead of Perseus leaving from the kingdom, they made him leave from a demigod camp; and in search of his mother to build more of an emotional impact. The last archetype was that both had supernatural help. Both stories had a lot of help throughout the story. Perseus had Hermes and Athena, but he also had the help of his father, Zeus. The myth says, “Zeus gently steered the chest to the shore of an island, and a fisherman who was casting his nets hauled it in.” (D'aulaires, 116) Not only did Zeus commit acts of kindness and help like this, but he also seemed to have given …show more content…
evil. For starters, both Perseus and Percy were on a mission to find something. Percy was on a journey to find his mom; but, he also was partially looking for Zeus’ missing lightning bolt. Along the way he had to fight evil characters like the hydra. Perseus on the other hand, was searching for Medusa. His main point was to find Medusa and cut off her head to bring to the evil king. The king started off his mission saying, “Slay the monster Medusa and bring me her head…” (D'aulaires, 116) Percy made the story more interesting to viewers now a days by adding more evil to overcome along the journey. The movie also made more of an emotional impact on watchers to draw them into the story more. The next piece, was that they both had help along the way- or an entourage to help defeat evil.. Perseus once again, had Athena and Hermes. They helped him along the way, providing and giving him the courage to complete his task. Such as, “He took Perseus under his arm, swung himself into the air, and flew off, swifter than the wind.” (D'aulaires, 117) Percy on the other hand had two friends along with him, Grover and Annabeth. Both entourages helped the character through their tasks, giving them courage and completion. Percy once again, added a more adrenaline rushing touch. Finally, the film modernized the return home and the “happy ending.” Percy had an intense journey home, as he had a battle with Luke and had to get into
Greek mythology is a beloved part of literature that has given humans thousands of stories to tell. From stories about deadly quests, powerful deities, to the even more famed aspect of Greek Mythology, its epic heroes. One of the many authors who took inspiration from Greek Mythology, and will serve as reference for this paper, is Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. 1988. The most well known epic heroes from Greek Mythology which Edith Hamilton writes about in her book are Hercules, Jason, Perseus, and Theseus, but the debate lies in which of these heroes is the best. To which the answer is, Theseus is the better epic hero because he possessed superior strength, intelligence, and courage, he was the most just from all other heroes,
There are many other characters in the story the story, but there are a couple special one. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. So you can imagine she was one smart cookie. Percy’s father is Poseidon, god of the sea. Athena and Poseidon didn’t really get along. Annabeth and Percy have something in common: both have family issues and terrible step-parents. Her dad is a human, a professor at West Point who teaches American History. Annabeth is anger at his for rejecting her at a young
The Task, In Perseus the main task that happens is when Perseus a demigod, son of Zeus goes out to capture something special. Perseus sets out on an adventure to kill Medusa and capture her head to bring back as a gift. The hard part is that in one glance eye to eye at Medusa you will automatically turn into stone. Therefore, this was a hard feat to accomplish and it was one that he wanted to fulfill after he told they guy who was going to marry his mom he would bring them Medusa’s head. He laughed at him and that was a sign of determination for Perseus to accomplish his goal
...th head towards the underworld were Percy’s mother is held in a cave. The reader is able to obverse that Percy as walking in to the most unsafe place and this could potentially be the most danger they have ever encountered. As they enter the secrete path to Hades layer Percy and his allies come across a guard with a boat man who does not allow any living people into the underworld. A problem is created as the man blocks the entrance to the underworld on the other hand Percy explains that nothing will stop him from get his mother back as he is will to do anything to obtain his mothers love. However Annabeth come up with an idea to gives him money. Her plan is successful as the man agrees to give them a ride over the underworld. The next step is get his mother back and return Zeus’s lightning bolt but in order to do that he must meet the god of the underworld hades.
evil. In Perseus his antagonist was the king of the island. “The eye of the ruthless king of the island” ( pg 116, D'aulaires). Percy Jackson antagonist was Luke son of Hermes. Percy was modernized on how “Luke was Percy’s “friend” but turned out to frame Perseus for stealing the lightning bolt” ( Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief). In Perseus he fought a sea monster. “Perseus sprang into the air, dived at the monster and drove his sword deep into its throat” (pg 120, D'aulaires). Percy Jackson also had another antagonist which was his uncle Hades. “When Percy first came into the Half-blood camp, a fire rose up and told Percy that he had his mom” ( Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief). It was modernized because one of Percy’s family members took his mom. The theme good vs. evil concept they share it because they both have many enemies and Perseus kills them in either the sea or on a island, “As one of the sisters was handing the eye to another, Perseus sprang forward and snatched it.” (pg 117, D'aulaires). When Perseus got the eye he swooped down to the island where the three Gray Sisters were laying. Percy on the other hand used a car to get the
I chose these 3 archetypes for my essay because I felt as they were the most strongly-used archetypes in the complete epic poem. All 3 of the archetypes that I chose were all apart of this journey, or adventure of Odysseus returning from the Trojan war. This connection is one big archetype; Odysseus’ main task, to get home alas. Throughout this long journey, Odysseus faced many unsettling things such as the Cyclops or the Sirens. He also witnessed his own men dying while he could do nothing about it. Eventually, everything turned out okay. He reunites with his son, and his wife that he hasn’t seen in about twenty years. The main reason why I wrote this essay was to enlighten you on how archetypes are shown across the entirety of this epic poem and how these archetypes are references towards Greek
Percy Jackson is a true hero. Imagine if you had the chance to save your mother, but put your own life at risk. When Percy was given this chance, he never even thought about his own life. When he saved the world, he didn't care if he put his own life in immense trouble. When he met his half brother, he stood up for him, not caring if no one liked him after. It is clear that there is no way that Percy Jackson can be thought of anything but a hero, which is what he truly
These two stories are so different from each other they just have two things for each section that are the same. Heroes Every Child Should Know is a more interesting story of how to kill Medusa. Perseus the poem isn't that good because it just has a part of what how to kill Medusa it is just that he had a shield and just chopped her head off. So the rest of the paragraphs are just to say the similarities and differences. Perseus is different by many things the characters, settings, event, and the theme.
Rick Riordan’s ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief’ focuses on Greek mythology and interprets this into a children’s story. Throughout the story, there are many references and adaptations to mythological tales, and each one is portrayed in a different way. Riordan writes this story as though Hercules, Zeus and Poseidon were still around today, and this would be the effect they would have on people in this day and age.
Also the hero’s journeys actually began differently. Percy's began at a museum and Perseus began in a castle. The age of both were similar but not exactly, Percy was 16 and Perseus was 15-19 years old, so it is possible they were the same age but most likely not. We know the age of Perseus because the author stated, “ in his humble hut Perseus grew into a fine and valiant youth…” (D’Aulaires 116). This proves that he was 15-19 because being claimed as valiant youth is like being a young man. In the plot structure with Medusa being the climax of the Perseus story it is not like that in Percy Jackson and the lighting theif. The climax of Percy Jackson's story is when Grover, Annabeth, and Percy must fight Hades in the underworld. In the perseus story, the climax is the slaying of Medusa. In the underworld Percy has his biggest fight against Hades, but Perseus big explosion during the story was killing Medusa. In both the film and story they use Medusa’s head to defeat enemies. Percy had used the head to stone the hydra and his step dad. In the Perseus story, unfortunately he stoned the King and Queen which was not his intention. The text states, “ Unfortunately, the king and the queen also looked at the Gorgon’s head and they turned into
The legend of Perseus is told in many different ways, in two particular ways they are similar but yet quite different. The movie Clash of the Titans is primarily a story of Perseus and his dangerous journey to save the princess Andromeda, while the Edith Hamilton’s Mythology is a story of Perseus, his relationship with his mother and journeys to her.
My original thought when comparing Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief the movie and Classical mythology was that there would be many more references to the myth of Perceus than any other myth throughout the movie in its entirety. That’s where I was wrong. After watching the movie again and researching the different hero myths my opinion has changed. My new thoughts are that the movie is not influenced by the myth of Perceus any more than other hero myths. The movie ties together many different heroes’ stories and mixes them together to make a wonderful story about a young boy. The movie was based on a book series written by Rick Riordan.
...Journey and examine the heroic parallels between Percy Jackson and the great Greek heroes Perseus, Theseus, and Hercules through a timeless lense.
In the movie, Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus, fights the monsters of the underworld to stop them from taking over the heavens and earth. The story according to the Greeks, Perseus, the mortal son of Zeus, goes on an adventure to recieve the head of Medusa to save his mom from marrying King Polydectes and along the way falls in love Princess Andromeda. Between the two stories there are similarities and differences in each version.