The book Chimera by John Barth is not one but three books all taking places in different places and times in Greek mythology. The book is split into three part the Dunyazadiad, the Perseid, and the Bellerophoniad. Just as in the Aeneid the main characters names are in each of the section titles: Dunyazade, Perseus, and Bellerophon. Their stories are literally just simple retellings except told from other points of view to give another point of view as if we are seeing it from the worlds point of view instead of the heroes.
In the Dunyazadiad, Dunyazade tells the tale of how Dunyazade goes back in time to express his admiration Scheherazade, the writer of One Thousand and One Nights. As he expresses his admiration for the work she is generally confused as she has yet to actually write this story. He realizes later he is on the eve of her meeting Shahrayr. In order to stay her execution he tells her stories every night for her to tell Shahrayr in order to stay her execution. Thinking he is a genie she agrees.
In the Perseid, we find the main character Perseus in his middle ages. The first part of the story revolves around his early life such as the death of his family. The second half is about his rise to immortalization. It is not until the end though that we find he does not kill medusa but simply sits and chats about mortal lives and discussing what other mortals had told.
In the Bellerophoniad, it too is told by Bellerophon and much like the Persied it is told of how Bellerophon wishes and strives for future glory. It has a few interjections as well by unknown narrators a few of which are assumed to be Barth. This is not so much a re-telling as a re-imagining. This novella actually even has references to the other two novel...
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...w great he is but at some point he looks back on his life have I really been as great as I and all the people who see me really think I am? I felt like there was a combination of the Creator and the Ruler after this point as he looks towards his goal of being immortalized and works to make it happen using his Ruler archetype as a means of doing it. The Ruler is all about power and strength which he uses to gain his vision of being immortalized as a Hero.
All in all I felt the book did a real good job of depicting the Hero archetype. All throughout all three stories I saw how each of the main characters could be “heroes”. Whether it be Perseus and Bellerophon showing their power before their “mid-life crisis”, if I may call it that, or it be Scheherazade as she goes to prove herself as she tells stories despite her weakness so she can protect herself and her sister.
Humanity has created this “universal story” of what a hero is, or at least the myth of it, time and again. Different tasks and encounters with a variety of villains all lead the hero to the prize, to a new life (Seger). This person deemed the hero is as ordinary as the next but what makes them different is the drastic test that they must face. Individuals admire this character because the hero stands for something, something bigger than themselves. Whether it be the compassionate act of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games or the death of the oldest brother in Brother Bear, as an outsider, an individual sees the human side of these heroes and relates. Connor Lassiter from Unwind by Neal Shusterman is an ideal example of the myth due to the
Throughout history, many ancient cultures created stories involving great heroes and gods to explain certain aspects of their daily lives. These stories would form an important part of the culture’s religion and are referred to today as mythology. One great hero from ancient Greek mythology is Perseus. According to both ancient standards and today’s standards, Perseus would be seen as a great hero. The many actions that Perseus is said to have done in his adventures prove his heroism.
The Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, and Hamlet are classical stories that are still relatable and debatable to read and discuss. Though some of the stories are intertwined or continue off one another, the character and stories are distinctive. The stories contain different hero development and progression among them. All the stories contain an idea or concept of a hero that may not necessarily have to do with gaining power or control like modern superheroes. Power and control are referred to having to be the ruler and having the ability to do what you'd like. The modern heroes selflessness of a human on duty or even volunteering, and that person’s willingness to put their own lives on the line for the lives of absolute strangers, is specifically the quality that redefines the modern hero and separates them from heroes in the past.
In summary, the aspects of a hero are being adroit, caring, and tenacious. A modern mother and Odysseus both display these traits. Odysseus witnessed his men being killed by the Cyclopes when he was on his way home from Troy, but a mom would do anything to save her children. No matter who a person is, they’re still a hero because a hero is someone that never gives up. A hero doesn’t have to be strong or smart; they just have to be themselves. A hero can be anyone, like an average mom or a famous soldier. In life, every single person is hero; whether they saved a life or saved a soul.
Every culture has a hero. Every hero has a legend. Every legend meets that culture's particular needs. The events, settings, and other characters might be different, but the hero is basically the same for all. The universal hero is initially an immoral character, but after overcoming difficult obstacles, he/she eventually becomes a better person. Jacob and Odysseus are such heroes. Both share an obvious characteristic of deceitfulness, but both still have differences, although discreet. They become a hero because they've changed into a better human being.
The story of Medusa and Perseus is known as one of the top thriller tales in Greek Mythology. To begin, Medusa is one of three sisters, Sthenno and Euryale. However, she is the only mortal one. Originally, Medusa had golden, long, beautiful hair. She was Athena’s Priestess and swore to a celibate life. Later on, Medusa met Poseidon, fell in love with him and completely forgot about her vows to Athena. The Goddess Athena was so infuriated that she turned Medusa into a hideous looking monster. Her golden locks became venomous snakes and her face became so grotesque that any God or immortal to look into her eyes would become a statue of stone. Athena did this so Medusa would not attract any man. The same came for her sisters because Poseidon
It was not until book 15 and 16 that I felt Odysseus was a true hero, not one that was so far out of reach like so many classic or modern hero's can be. T...
In the poem Perseus the character is Medusa's victims. That is the only one that is different from the other story. The setting isn’t as different as the other story but it is the only setting it is Medusa's cave. The events are that Perseus sees Medusa's victims then Perseus wanted to kill or destroy Medusa. Finally, the conflict of the story is that Perseus has a thirst to kill, its a problem because he wants to kill innocent people.
A hero has many admirable traits that are attributed to them. Today, one would describe a hero as someone with courage, bravery and a clear conscience to invoke good deeds. In mythology, heroes are also present and hold the same qualities as our modern heroes. Heroes just like Odysseus who after spending ten years trying to return home from the Trojan War, wants nothing more than to get back to his wife, son and reclaim his position as king of Ithaca.. But hardships that appear during his voyage demonstrate his courage and intelligence. Using these traits he is able to reach his ultimate goal and become the hero he is meant to be. But to become the hero, Odysseus needs to fulfill the six steps that were set by Joseph Campbell, who illustrated these steps in his text Hero with a Thousand Faces. These steps include: 1. Leaving home; 2. Deciding upon a quest; 3. Encountering dragons; 4. All-out fights; 5. a wound (left upon the hero from his/her encounter with a dragon.; 6. Wisdom which the hero learns that informs his or her life thereafter, or a wisdom won that can be shared with the hero’s people. Odysseus almost illustrates the true definition of a hero and, goes on a hero’s journey to attempt just that. Odysseus must face many challenges and dangers to reach his objective. Through the way he eradicates them, it is evident that he has successfully completed parts of the hero’s journey but fails to complete the last step.
Perseus grew up to be a strong fearless lad. One day he claimed to King Polydectes, “Oh, Host and Benefactor, I owe you too much gratitude to repay you with the common gift of a horse. I shall bring you the head of Medusa!”(Evslin.110) Perseus set off for his mission, he encountered the gray sisters and the apple nymphs forcing them to give him information about Medusa’s location. Then he went to Medusa with three gifts from the apple nymphs: a sword, a shield, and the Cap of Darkness. Successfully Perseus killed Medusa and while bringing Medusa’s head towards the island of Sephiros. He encountered a sea serpent who was creating trouble by the nearby town of Cepheus. Perseus drew out Medusa’s head and turned the sea serpent into stone. Throughout Perseus’s mission he encountered many obstacles and he handled each challenge in a smart and clever way, unlike King
Every hero in Greek mythology produces some type of lesson for all of us to take heed to. Each hero fell in and out of favor with the gods and was forced to do unthinkable tasks. But, without these heroes, Greek mythology would not be what it is today. The heroes of their time are what made the history of the Greeks come together. As shown by Hercules, Perseus, and Theseus, a great deal of courage was required of them along with sacrifices.
...teristics and literary devices. The general archetypical description of a hero follows an outline of a muscular figure and super abilities. Yet on the contrary, in myths, heroes may not possess any of those traits. Whether the so-called hero is learning their lesson, overcoming struggle or even descending into darkness, all heroes share some similar and almost identical characteristics. A vast majority of all mythological heroes share the same basic idea which, helps audiences identify whether or not the character is indeed a hero or not. From story to myth or fairytale to drama, the hero is one character who changes the plot entirely. Whether that hero may be saving a burning building, or discovering who they are themselves, our heroes all give us hopes and dreams that one day even our worth will be recognized by ourselves and others as our admirable hero’s are.
According to Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth, one archetypal mythic hero appears in diverse cultures in different forms. Two protagonists in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist and Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki share similar heroic characteristics despite their different backgrounds and cultures.
“I do believe and hero is a person that can be knocked down. A failure isn’t a person who gets knocked down; a failure is a person who stays down, and to me, the great heroes take the beating, get knocked down and stand back up again. Perseus is defined as one of the great heroes in literature, so you gotta take that on board.” Said Sam Worthington talking about the hero Perseus. Perseus was the best greek hero. He slayed Medusa, he saved Andromeda from a sea monster, and his own grandfather put him and Danae, his mom, in a chest and threw him into the sea when he was a baby!