Hercules

In the animated film, Hercules, the viewer can watch the modern day twist on the legendary Greek hero Heracles (Hercules) as he advances through his heroic journey. Although the original myth slightly varies from the film, both sources carry strong and necessary elements that are needed for the completion of the hero's quest. Therefore the basic plot of the movie must be explained for us to discover the many hidden archetypes within. 

Plot Summary

Long after Zeus, ruler of the Greek gods of Mount Olympus, defeats the Titans and locks them deep in the bowels of the earth, he and his wife Hera give birth to a son, Hercules. All the gods of Olympus celebrate Hercules's birth except for Zeus's jealous brother Hades, who was forced by Zeus to work as lord of the dead in the Underworld, and seeks to overthrow his brother. Hades learns from the Fates that in eighteen years, a planetary alignment will reveal the location of where the Titans are trapped, allowing him to free them and take over Olympus, but only if Hercules doesn't interfere. Hades sends his minions Pain and Panic to kidnap Hercules, bring him to Earth, and kill him after giving him a potion that will turn him mortal. However, Pain and Panic are unable to give Hercules the entire potion which, while still making him mortal, allows him to retain his godlike strength. Hercules is then found by a farmer and his wife, who raise him as their own son.

Over the next eighteen years, Hercules grows up into a misfit, his strength seen as a nuisance to all the locals. After being rejected by the townsfolk when he accidentally destroys the marketplace, Hercules questions where he truly belongs. His foster parents reveal how they found him with a medallion bearing the symbol of the gods, so Hercules travels to the Temple of Zeus, where the almighty god's statue comes to life and reveals his past and true lineage. Zeus explains that Hercules can become a god again and return to Olympus if he can become a true hero, so he sets out on his old childhood friend Pegasus, to find the satyr Philocetes, Phil for short, a trainer of heroes. Phil has long-since retired after failing to train a successful hero, but is convinced to train Hercules.

After his training is complete, Hercules sets out with Phil and Pegasus to the city of Thebes to prove his new found worth. Along the way, Hercules saves a woman named Megara (Meg) from being pestered by the centaur Nessus, and becomes attracted to her. Hercules however is unaware that Meg is in league with Hades after selling her soul to save a man she once loved, but had left her for another woman. Discovering Hercules to still be alive, Hades sets up a trap for him outside of Thebes where he is forced to battle the Hydra. However, Hercules manages to defeat the Hydra, and is praised by all of Thebes as a hero. Hercules is treated like a celebrity, but Zeus informs him that he is not a true hero yet.

Meg is sent by Hades to find Hercules' weakness, but she falls in love with him instead. Phil discovers Meg to be working for Hades and attempts to warn Hercules, but abandons him after an ensuing argument. Realizing that Meg is Hercule's weakness, Hades uses her to make a deal with Hercules in which he must give up his powers for an entire day in exchange for Meg's safety, using this time to free the Titans and take over Olympus, while Hercules is crushed by Meg's deception and loses the will to fight. One of the Titans, a Cyclops, is sent to Thebes to eliminate Hercules. Meg convinces Phil to return to Hercules, motivating him into battling and defeating the Cyclops through improvisation. However, Meg is mortally wounded by a falling column to save Hercules, though it breaks Hades's deal of Meg not being harmed and restores Hercules's powers, allowing him to defeat the Titans. Unfortunately, he is too late to save Meg from dying.

Hercules confronts Hades in the Underworld and offers his soul to reclaim Meg's. Hades accepts, but only if Hercules can reclaim it in the River Styx, which gradually saps his life force as he swims. However, his will to sacrifice his life for Meg awakens Hercules as a true hero and restores his status as an immortal god. Hercules successfully retrieves Meg's soul and punches Hades into the River Styx, where he is dragged to the depths by vengeful souls. Hercules returns Meg's soul to her body and brings her back to life, and is brought to Olympus where the gods welcome him back into his old home. However, Hercules is unable to live without Meg, and Zeus allows him to stay on Earth as a mortal to stay with the one he loves. Zeus creates a constellation of Hercules in the night sky, allowing the world to hail him as a true hero.

Hercule's Journey, Stage by Stage: 

1. Departure - Hercules' quest begins when he is challenged to find out whether his true identity is godly or ordinary. Therefore,  it comes as a shock when he finds out that he came straight from the god family tree. 
2. Initiation - In the second stage, Hercules is initiated when he takes up training with his mentor Phil. He is crossing the threshold of his youth and gaining a more mature perspective towards the world and what it means to become a hero.
3. The Road of Trials - Hercules is faced with many hardships as he comes up against numerous foes and  monsters galore. Also, throughout this time Hercules' is given a supernatural partner or aid named Pegasus. This flying horse acts as his trusted companion ever since he was gifted to him as a child. 
4. The Innermost Cave - Hercules' is faced with the ultimate challenge when he must undo Hades plans by defeating the Titans. At the same time he risks his life to save Meg's soul from the underworld which proves his change from an average to true hero. This internal change enforces Hercules true heroic nature.
5. Return and Reintegration with Society -  In the final stretch of the film, we see Hercules confirming his past identity with the one he has created as a true hero. He final decision to not become a god and remain on earth shows how he has grown in wisdom and self-confidence. He is now welcomed and appreciated for who he is by society and Meg the one he loves. 

Character Archetypes:

The character, Meg transitions from various character archetypes throughout different phases of the film. She begins as the servant to the evil figure because of her association and unpaid debt to Hades. Although she must do as she is told, it's obvious that underneath everything she has endured is a redeemable and good heart. This becomes apparent when she is ordered to tempt Hercules into giving away his one weakness. Although she has transitioned into the role of the temptress, Hercules (the hero) is able to save her with his true intentions. Now, instead of being dictated by her bond to the Hades (the evil figure) she falls in love with Hercules. Afterward, with Hades realizing that Meg is Hercules' true weakness he uses her to trap Hercules. She becomes the vulnerable female character (damsel in distress) that if rescued poses a threat to Hercules. In this situation, Hades threatens the safety of Meg if Hercules isn't willing to give up his strength. Another example of Meg being rescued was when Hercules retrieves Meg's soul from the River Styx, which also endangered his own life.

Hercules plays the role of the hero since he embodies characteristics from the "young person from provinces" description. At the very start of Hercules' journey he was taken away from his parents as a infant and placed in the home of complete strangers. Even though his true ancestry can be traced back to the gods he was raised amongst mortals. This hidden difference created problems for Hercules and challenged him to recognize his past and the solutions that soon followed. 

The satyr Phil (Philocetes) acts as Hercules mentor since he was responsible for training and preparing the hero for future trials. Phil also proves to be the perfect teacher for Hercules because of his past history with other famous heroes. It shows that he has a reputation for teaching which ensures that Hercules is destined for greatness. 
 
Hades represents the devil figure because of his instilled hatred towards his brother, Zeus,  ever since he was given the job to watch over the dead. Therefore his resentment grows when Hercules is born into the family because it was foretold that Hercules would interfere. This causes Hades to make it is personal goal to oppose Hercules (the hero) in every step along the way.

The Wizard of Oz: Dorthy's Jorney

In the classic film of the Wizard of Oz, there becomes a clear progression of the hero's journey as we watch the protagonist Dorthy venturing from Kansas into the extraordinary world of Oz. Through Dorthy's adventures we come acquainted with numerous character, color and situational archetypes. Dorthy herself is painted as the heroine as she transitions through the stages of her heroic journey. To start off on her quest she struggles with her identity and where her true home lies. The departure stage for Dorthy begins when she and her family's farm is unexpectedly hit with a tornado. By being separated from her family members she is forced to face the upcoming events of the journey alone. Next, Dorthy is initiated as she enters into the bright and lively world of Oz. She begins to grown a more mature perspective as she learns more about her role in this mystical world. By her house landing and killing the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorthy has earned the right to possess the magical red ruby slippers.

Right away Dorthy is introduced to Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, who becomes her supernatural aid (mentor) helping throughout her journey. An example of such is when Glinda advises Dorthy to seek the help of the mysterious Wizard of Oz in Emerald city, which she can reach by following the yellow brick road. She also warns Dorthy to never remove the ruby slippers unless she wishes to fall to the mercy of the Wicked Witch. Once Dorthy has begun her travels she comes across three major characters -- the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. This dynamic duo of odd individuals quickly become Dorthy's loyal companions who vow to come along on her quest and face any upcoming perils together. The three also believe that if they come along to Emerald city they will have their own wishes granted. The Scarecrow desperately wants to have a brain, the Tin Man a heart to show his affections, and the Cowardly Lion wants to earn some courage. However they're journey together isn't as simple as it seems. They are faced with multiple tests of endurance and resourcefulness like making it through the dangerous forest, escaping the sleep-induced poppies, and even defeating the Wicked Witch's henchmen.
  
 

Once the foursome arrive in Emerald city, and are allowed to see the Wizard of Oz, yet they are only then given another set of instructions. The Wizard of Oz refuses to grant any wishes until the group has gone and retrieved the Wicked Witch's broom. So they set off towards the Witch's castle and Dorthy melts the Wicked Witch with a bucket of water symbolizing the heroine enters the stage of the innermost cave. The act of defeating the Wicked Witch shows the greatest trial that Dorthy must face while in the land of Oz. With the battle between good and evil finally ending and the evil conquered at last, we can see the final stage of the journey falling in place. Dorthy has become more self-confident and aware of her identity through her past trials. With her new found wisdom she can restore the proper order to Oz. The land is safe from torment and overhanging worry caused by the Wicked Witch. However with the world of Oz being restored, Dorthy stills needs to find a way back home to Kansas. 

Not knowing what she could possibly do, Dorthy is once again greeted by her mentor Glinda who tells her that she always had the power to return home. She explains that Dorthy only had to learn for herself that she doesn't need to run away to find her heart's desires. Meaning that with whatever happens to Dorthy she just needs to stay firm in what she believes and she'll now where her true desires are (mainly back home with her family). So, Dorthy says a final farewell to her friends, then follows Glinda's instructions to close her eyes, tap her heels three times and keep repeating "There's no place like home". Then finally Dorthy wakes up in her familiar home surrounded by family and friends, and explains to everyone of her heroic journey. Although some of her family believe her time spent in the mystical land was just a dream it still proves strong to Dorthy. She remembers the life lesson that she learned and states that she'll never leave home again because she loves them all and there's no place like home. 

Further Analysis 

We can see the symbolic nature of the ruby red slippers that Dorthy wore when she first entered into the world of Oz. These slippers correlate to the idea of a magical weapon because of the obvious power that the shoes have. In the film, there were scenes were the shoes zapped the Wicked Witch for trying to touch them and how they transported Dorthy back to Kansas. The bright red color of the slippers also shows us a strong archetype of passion, uniqueness and emotion. These worlds describe the momentous change that Dorthy undergoes as she learns who she is and where her passions lie. Another feature of Dorthy's wardrobe is how she wears mainly the color blue which symbolizes innocence in her character and truth as the heroine. As the protagonist she symbolizes a person who is innocent and almost child-like until she furthers herself along the road of trials.

Now on the other hand, the Wicked Witch of the West consists of two very distinct and dynamic colors. The color of her skin is a vibrant shade of green which represents jealousy, envy, and even greed. This interpretation greatly goes with the Witch's personality. With her being the antagonist and directly butting heads with the protagonist we see her feelings becoming visible. The character of the Witch is a strong individual focused on her jealousy towards Dorthy because she doesn't possess the ruby slippers or the power that comes with them. She also shows obvious greed since she cares nothing for the lives of others but would rather acquire power. An example of such would be her willingness to let Dorthy die in return for the slippers. The black of her clothing also exhibits the presence of evil, chaos, and mystery. The Witch personifies evil and uses her chaotic and mysterious manner to harm and dictate others.

The character of Toto, Dorthy's pet dog, plays the role of the friendly beast. He helps Dorthy along the way and is almost always found by her side. He helps to assist the heroine in whatever dangers she may face and also provide complete companionship. For in the film, Toto was the one who warned the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion of whatever danger had befallen Dorthy.  

    

A Dangerous Beauty

Since watching the film, The Girl with the Pearl Earring and reading the mythical story of Cupid and Psyche there became a prevalent kinship between the two female protagonists. In the film, the fictional character Griet is a shy teenage girl living in the Dutch Republic in the 1660’s. With her father recently turning blind and unable to work she is forced to find work to support her family in their dire strait. Therefore she is sent to work as a maid in the unhappy home of the painter Johannes Vermeer. Almost immediately Griet is faced with trials as her fruitless efforts of hard work leave her in the lowest position in a harsh hierarchy, where even a child of the family treats her viciously. Similarly, Psyche was bestowed with almost impossible tasks from the goddess Venus (Aphrodite) who was jealous of Psyche’s great beauty. Some of these tasks included sorting through a variety of different seeds, gathering golden fleece from sheep, and retrieving a flask of mineral water atop a treacherous mountainside.    

Psyche

Another similarity between Griet and Psyche is they’re communal beauty and the consequences that it brings to them both. Psyche was specifically noted for surpassing her sisters’ own looks and drawing in people interested in catching only a look of her.  These things only became more copious when no man intended on marrying Psyche because he would rather pay homage to her god-like appearance. In turn, her beauty created problems of jealousy, greed, and lust from both immortals and mortals. Venus specifically felt that her followers were being taken away leaving her temples in shambles for the sake of some pretty mortal girl. Psyche’s two sisters also became envious of her when they learned of her new-found wealth and mysterious relationship with Cupid – a god.  Griet also unknowingly brings along her own sense of trouble because of her tempting beauty. She attracts the attention of the butcher’s son Pieter and the master of the household Vermeer by helping him mix paints and sitting in for a portrait. 

Likewise, Griet also receives attention from Vermeer’s rich patron Van Ruijven who asks for her to come and work in his household, a situation that left another girl’s reputation tarnished on his behalf. This negative attention climaxes to the point where Griet has to fend off Van Ruijven in his attempt to rape her. Also, just like Psyche, Griet is faced with jealousy from another character that proves to be the Vermeer’s wife Catharina. The envious tension between the two starts with Griet giving entry to Vermeer’s studio to help him with his work – access that Catharina was never granted. Catharina’s distress becomes more apparent as she realizes that a painting of Griet has been kept a secret from her and her pearl earrings used. She becomes so furious that she orders Vermeer to show her the painting and heartbroken tries unsuccessfully to destroy it. Then feeling severely betrayed Catharina banishes Griet from the house forever. 

Lastly, we see an appearance of strong archetypes through the vibrant blue and yellow scarf and earrings worn in Griet's portrait. The dark color blue proves to us the strong sense of innocence and truth that she possesses. Griet’s character is shown to be innocent by her shy nature and vulnerability to her new environment. Her innocence is also due to her modesty and refusal to show her hair in the presence of anyone including Vermeer when he asked. The yellow also symbolizes the youthfulness and silent optimism in the her personality. Such can be proven through Griet's persistence in winning the encouragement, companionship and mentoring of the master Vermeer. Lastly through the focal point of the pearl earring and the colour white the archetype of purity, peace, and goodness is expressed.       

Sucker Punch Archetype Analysis

In the movie preview of Sucker Punch it becomes evident of the many hidden archetypes throughout the entire condensed trailer. It explores into the climatic life of a young girl named Baby Doll who is placed in a mental asylum by her stepfather. She is quickly placed at risk of undergoing a lobotomy while at the institution which makes her revert to an alternate reality. Along with four other inmates of the institution, Baby Doll takes this alternate way of thinking as her and friends escape. Baby Doll's character clearly represents a unbalanced hero because of her clear mental and emotional deficiencies related to her past. The voice of the protagonist speaks on how she lost everyone she loved and how she was locked away into a life of isolation. Yet from this harsh experience Baby Doll has made herself a quest where she must find symbolic items, defeat evil and be mentored along the way. 

Mentors are strongly included in the story of Baby Doll's life as she takes the advice of not just one individual but two. In the trailer we see a woman giving her advice about how she can escape reality and make up her own. This gives the protagonist the means to find her herself on the road to meeting another mentor who lays out the entity of her journey. He explains to her the importance of her gathering up items such as a map, key, and magical weapon like sword. These items will further her and friends journey as they venture deeper into a symbolically black world with overflowing darkness, chaos and mystery. 

There are also strong and vibrant colors used in the the trailer to create the situational mood and change throughout the story. We see climatic red and oranges from the fire associated with the mythical dragon. This representation shows us the evil forces that Baby Doll is facing in violence and emotional anger towards such forces. We also see how dark and dank the setting of the movie takes place and how that carry outs throughout. The black and dull environment of the mental asylum extends into the world that Baby Doll has created. However this depressing feel seems to fuel the protagonist through her initiation and propel her forward to find her way out. In hopes that this escape will help our hero heal her unhealable wound of not being understood.  

Women...we can't be that bad? Can we?

February 17, 2011  

Since starting our mythology blogging project, my classmates and I have been exposed to a great variety of different sources all with hidden aspects of mythology and archetypes. There have been movies like Ong-Bak (The Thai Warrior), Samurai Jack, and even newer renditions of classic Greek mythology. Yet, for some peculiar reason the one example that has remained in head is the story of Pandora. It's a story you've probably all heard before where a single girl is given the choice of deciding the world's fate over a small and tempting box. It begins with Prometheus (a Titan god) who takes pity on mankind and gives them the gift of fire. Yet, Zeus the king of the Gods proves to be not so pleased. He sets Prometheus up for punishment -- tying him to the side of a mountain where he has his liver pecked off by an eagle day after day. However, Zeus's thirst for revenge wasn't over with just that, oh no, he had much more in store. He wasn't just satisfied that Prometheus was getting what he deserved but he had to let us, mankind also deal with the consequences.

Now what do you think that would be? A plague? A drought? Or just a bunch of lighting bolts thrown at the earth? No, Zeus wanted something that he knew man would easily fall head over heels for...the first woman. So, the construction began when Phestus, the Gods' personal blacksmith designed a woman who was beautiful, strong, and most of all curious. She was crowned with the name of Pandora which meant she was literally the "gift to all". Then she herself was given as a gift to Epimetheus (Prometheus's brother) who immediately fell in love with her which was exactly what Zeus was hoping for. The two got married and life went on as usual until Pandora got bored. She remembered that she had been given a valuable and still questionable present, the mysterious box. She knew that it must not be opened but that didn't stop her from fondling it for days on end. That is until her curious nature got the best of her. One day, she raised the lid of the box for just a peek and out ran the most horrible things you could imagine! There were things like envy, greed, sickness, sorrow, hunger, prejudice and evil of every kind. 

Pandora was taken aback until she suddenly realized what terrible things she had let loose and slammed the box lid shut. Although mostly everything had escaped there was still one that remained behind and that was hope. Hope was left safely at the bottom of the box just in case mankind needed it to lean on.

Once I begin to think of Pandora, I wondered why women are painted in the same likeness all the way from ancient Greece till today? I mean we can't all be labeled as "bad" just because of a few female characters who had a knack for falling into mischief. For just like Pandora even Eve, the biblical figure from the garden of Eden, follows along with the same description that women are a "beautiful evil". That we as women were created to please the eye and deceive mankind. Yet, I can't help but disagree that women are not the reason why the world is faced with hardships and disasters. Maybe it's just the way that past society's beliefs were run but women are definitely not the culprit. Both women and men have their responsibilities and consequences in the world and neither can be blamed for everything. It's outrageous! Yet despite all the time that has past the same idea of a "beautiful evil" still persists in today's society. In the media viewers are constantly bombarded with images of beautiful women in sexual and evil roles. Women are often portrayed as gifts to men and then become determinable to them. We might not realize it but there are still biased opinions of what women are and what we do. Another example could be this "good girl gone bad" image that  persists throughout Pandora's myth. It's appears as if everything was fine until the scenario becomes grim and the blame falls on just Pandora because she fell for temptation. Now how is that fair, considering everyone makes mistakes. For what if it was the other way around? What if women weren't to blame but men? Now that would be a complete different story.