Comparing Greek Myth Of Heracles And Disney's Hercules

Gruesome Heracles vs. Innocence Hercules

The Greek myth of Heracles and Disney’s Hercules have many difference but at the same time, they have many similarities. The Greek myth discuses strength, family, skill, and mental ability. The movie discusses finding where you belong. Overcoming personal failures, fame, and love.

The Greek myth of Heracles talks about social standards as they applied in the Greeks society. The myth talked about strength in his final labor with Cerberus when he basically choked the hellhound out this was also made a point in other labors. The myth talked about family in the Hydra labor he had a family member save him and help him complete his labor. It also discussed skill in his third labor with the Cerynitian

bird which he captured by pinning its leg with an arrow not harming it. Mental ability was shown, in many of Heracles labors. Heracles had not only had to be strong and skilled he had to be smart and think his way around a problem shown in the fifth labor , when he cleaned the stables by diverting two rivers.
Disney’s version of Hercules make relatable statements but not in the same way.

In the Disney version it discussed where you belong (there was a whole song about it), he had discovered this at the end. It also touched on overcoming personal failures when they talked about all the times Phil had failed. Disney also made the statement that it’s not all about the fame when Hercules gave up his godhood for Meg.

Between the myth and the movie there were two important similarities and differences. One of the important differences was the antagonist in the myth is Hera and in the movie it is Hades. In the movie he wanted to become a god and in the myth he wanted to just redeem himself. Another similarity would be that Zeus is the father of both Hercules and Heracles. Both Heracles Hercules had to face the hydra in the myth and the movie.

The first labor and one of the most daunting labor Heracles faced in the myth is the Neman lion , a giant lion whose hide can’t be penetrated by any bow or arrow. Heracles would end is clash with the lion by breaking his jaw with his bare hands and tearing of the lions hide. Disney pretty much neglected the story. The only time the lion is referenced is on a vase battling Hercules or his hide used simply as a head dress in Hercules’s

portrait.
Another underestimate is Heracles’s final challenger. Heracles would defeat a centar known as Nessus . In his dying moments, Nessus made a deal with second wife of Heracles, Deinira . Deianira has begun to concern herself with Heracles looking at other women. Nessus convinces Deianira that his blood would serve as a love potion. She believe him and ends up bottling the blood for herself . She douses a cloak that belongs to Heracles. Nessus lies and the blood poisons Heracles . Heracles sets himself on fire to stop the pain and dies in the process. Disney has Nessus toying with Meg as Hercules steps in. Within a few punches , Nessus is defeated and no poisonous blood is exchanged . The short lived battle end with Hercules barley scratched and Deianaira never existing.
In conclusion Disney’s Hercules and the Greek myth both had their similarities and differences . They both told stories that had values in them . The values are relevant to society not only today but in the past. The myth was a more gruesome story told . It had explained about him killing his family and the movie didn’t show it . Disney’s version was a water down and innocent version of the story and left various of events out. Also the labors were not fully existent in the movie.