Bernard Evslin’s Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths tells many stories about heroes and their faults. In a typical Greek story, heroes risk their lives to go on quests. On these quests, they often make morally questionable decisions, ruining the lives of others. The heroes return home after completing the task they set out to confront. Once home, they are lauded for the end results of their quests. The sins of goodness are usually ignored, if not celebrated. Heroes are allowed to get away with anything, as long as their sins are committed in the name of goodness. Innocent people are ruined in the name of goodness and there is no justice for them.As seen in many of the Greek hero stories, goodness is guilty of hubris.
Goodness is …show more content…
After killing one of these beasts, Theseus, “arose, dusted off his knees, and proceeded on his journey” (152). Theseus has just killed a monster and a human-like monster at that. He feels absolutely no remorse, much like a sociopath. He simply gets up and moves on with his life. This happens time and time again throughout the story of Theseus. He constantly kills beasts and people in situations where killing is not in the slightest bit necessary. He never feels guilty for his murders either. Theseus feels nothing but pride in his kills. If a sense of remorse were found in Theseus, he might be considered redeemable but this is not the case. Theseus kills for the fun he finds in it and for that feeling alone. In Atalanta, Prince Meleager's uncles pointed out a fault they found with Meleager. Instead of debating with them, Meleager killed them so that, “the heads of his uncles …show more content…
In Atalanta, Atalanta put her reputation as a hunter and free woman above the good of her kingdom by making it almost impossible for a man to marry her and create an heir. She agrees to marry, but only to the suitor who can beat her in a race and, “if he loses, he loses his head” (185). Countless suitors are butchered after losing to Atalanta. She does not care about their deaths at all because she retains her reputation as the strongest person in the kingdom. All she cares about is winning. In this story, readers see that pride is like alcohol. It seems good at first but Atalanta is drunk on it. She is in for a rude awakening when she realizes her mistake, akin to a hangover. In her drunken state, Atalanta only cares about herself and what makes her happy- her reputation. She does not care that if she does not marry, there will be no heir. If there is no heir, the kingdom will be torn apart in a civil war after her father’s death. However, she does not care how many people die, as long as she gets what she wants. In Perseus, Perseus is eager to become a hero and volunteers to kill Medusa. Medusa has not committed any sin against him or his family but he murders her anyways, “striking off the monster head as a boy whips off the head of a dandelion in the field” (127). Perseus kills this supposed monster because of rumors, which were probably propaganda from Poseidon. He does not take any time to learn
Goodness is …show more content…
After killing one of these beasts, Theseus, “arose, dusted off his knees, and proceeded on his journey” (152). Theseus has just killed a monster and a human-like monster at that. He feels absolutely no remorse, much like a sociopath. He simply gets up and moves on with his life. This happens time and time again throughout the story of Theseus. He constantly kills beasts and people in situations where killing is not in the slightest bit necessary. He never feels guilty for his murders either. Theseus feels nothing but pride in his kills. If a sense of remorse were found in Theseus, he might be considered redeemable but this is not the case. Theseus kills for the fun he finds in it and for that feeling alone. In Atalanta, Prince Meleager's uncles pointed out a fault they found with Meleager. Instead of debating with them, Meleager killed them so that, “the heads of his uncles …show more content…
In Atalanta, Atalanta put her reputation as a hunter and free woman above the good of her kingdom by making it almost impossible for a man to marry her and create an heir. She agrees to marry, but only to the suitor who can beat her in a race and, “if he loses, he loses his head” (185). Countless suitors are butchered after losing to Atalanta. She does not care about their deaths at all because she retains her reputation as the strongest person in the kingdom. All she cares about is winning. In this story, readers see that pride is like alcohol. It seems good at first but Atalanta is drunk on it. She is in for a rude awakening when she realizes her mistake, akin to a hangover. In her drunken state, Atalanta only cares about herself and what makes her happy- her reputation. She does not care that if she does not marry, there will be no heir. If there is no heir, the kingdom will be torn apart in a civil war after her father’s death. However, she does not care how many people die, as long as she gets what she wants. In Perseus, Perseus is eager to become a hero and volunteers to kill Medusa. Medusa has not committed any sin against him or his family but he murders her anyways, “striking off the monster head as a boy whips off the head of a dandelion in the field” (127). Perseus kills this supposed monster because of rumors, which were probably propaganda from Poseidon. He does not take any time to learn