Disney Vs the Ancient Myth: Hercules
To keep the Disney movie Hercules fit for a younger audience, the entertaining movie has great departures from the myth. There are several instances of changes, throughout the movie, to make the story more family friendly. Some of these differences are Hercules parents, his major godly nemesis and his 12 labours were tamed down extensively for the Disney movie. The essence of the Hercules myth is still present in the Disney movie, but many of the details had to be changed to keep it fit for a younger crowd. The first major differences in the movie is Hercules parentage. His parents in the original myth are Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. The myth depicts that while her husband was in the Trojan war, Zeus came down from Mt. Olympus, disguised as her husband, impregnating her with Hercules. The next day her real husband returned and impregnated her with another child. Zeus was actually married to Hera and Disney probably figured adultery was not a good topic for young children. Rather than depict this in the movie they depicted Hera and Zeus as the two loving parents of our hero, Hercules. …show more content…
Throughout the movie, Hades is depicted as the major villain, seeking to release the Titans and take control of Mt. Olympus. Hades, as lord of the Underworld, is part of the order of the world and is not evil, per the myth. Hades has no interference with Hercules life or labours. It is in fact, Hera, the loving mother in the movie, who poisons Hercules causing him to kill his wife and children. Hera orchestrates the 12 labours that Hercules has to perform, that for anyone else would be impossible. After Hercules proves he was more than capable of completing the 12 labors, Hera gifts him a shrinking shirt, which after he dons it proceeds to squeeze him to
To keep the Disney movie Hercules fit for a younger audience, the entertaining movie has great departures from the myth. There are several instances of changes, throughout the movie, to make the story more family friendly. Some of these differences are Hercules parents, his major godly nemesis and his 12 labours were tamed down extensively for the Disney movie. The essence of the Hercules myth is still present in the Disney movie, but many of the details had to be changed to keep it fit for a younger crowd. The first major differences in the movie is Hercules parentage. His parents in the original myth are Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. The myth depicts that while her husband was in the Trojan war, Zeus came down from Mt. Olympus, disguised as her husband, impregnating her with Hercules. The next day her real husband returned and impregnated her with another child. Zeus was actually married to Hera and Disney probably figured adultery was not a good topic for young children. Rather than depict this in the movie they depicted Hera and Zeus as the two loving parents of our hero, Hercules. …show more content…
Throughout the movie, Hades is depicted as the major villain, seeking to release the Titans and take control of Mt. Olympus. Hades, as lord of the Underworld, is part of the order of the world and is not evil, per the myth. Hades has no interference with Hercules life or labours. It is in fact, Hera, the loving mother in the movie, who poisons Hercules causing him to kill his wife and children. Hera orchestrates the 12 labours that Hercules has to perform, that for anyone else would be impossible. After Hercules proves he was more than capable of completing the 12 labors, Hera gifts him a shrinking shirt, which after he dons it proceeds to squeeze him to