Disney releases its first movie that branches away of its fairy tale inspired films in 1997, and focuses on the Greek myth involving the son of Zeus named Hercules (Parada, “The Original Hercules and Disney’s”). Even though it originates from the myth, the Disney adaption of Hercules differs from the myth to make the content more suitable for its young audience and similar to society’s norms, and the differences are evident in the origins of Hercules, the role of Megara, and the becoming a hero.
From the start of the movie, the audience is able to see the differences and the similarities between the Disney’s movie and the myth with the birth of Hercules and the role of the snakes. In the movie, Hercules is depicted as being the child of Zeus, …show more content…
In Disney’s Hercules, Hercules meets Megara when she is arguing with a blue, robust centaur, and Hercules tries to rescue her, because he assumes that Megara is being attacked by the centaur. However, Megara is trying to recruit the centaur to join Hades on overthrowing Zeus. She is doing Hades’ biddings, because she sold her soul to Hades to save the man she loves, but the man did not return the same affections, so Megara is struck being Hades’s servant for the rest of her life. Hades tasks Megara to make Hercules fall in love with her and then break his heart, so this way he would be emotionally vulnerable for a physical attack that will lead to his death. Megara is conflicted, because she ends up falling in love with Hercules, but she does not want to get hurt him. The love Megara feels for Hercules is so powerful that it leads to Megara sacrificing herself to save his life. In the end of the movie, Hercules decides to be with Megara as a mortal instead of joining the gods on Mount Olympus(Clements and Musker, Hercules). Megara’s role in the myth does not receive a “happy ending” and is plagued with tragedy. Megara, who is the daughter of the King of Thebes, is given to Hercules for marriage as a gratitude prize for winning back the kingdom from the Minyans. This happy marriage between Hercules and Megara results …show more content…
In the Disney’s adaption, Zeus tells Hercules that in order to join the gods on Mount Olympics that he needs to show prove that he is a true hero, and this leads him to look for a trainer who will help him rescue people being attack. Hercules continues to rescue people that lead to him to be famous and wealth. Hercules becomes frustrated, because Zeus tells him that he has not shown that he is a true hero. In the end, Hercules demonstrates that he is a real hero, because he sacrificed himself to save Megara in the underworld. Thus, Hercules becomes a God, but he gives it up to be with Megara and have a normal life with her (Clements and Musker, Hercules).The myth is distant in this aspect of Hercules’ life. After he killed his wife and his sons, Hercules prays to Apollo for guidance, and Apollo advises him to seek and serve Eurystheus, who is the king of Tiryns and Mycenae, for twelve tasks to gain redemption. As a part of his punishment, Hercules has to perform twelve labors, which are nearly impossible and treacherous tasks,however, with the aid of Athena and Hermes, Hercules is able to accomplish these feats and gain his immortality (“The Labors of Hercules”). Hercules’ first labor is to kill the Nemean Lion that was terrorizing the village of Nemea and bring the pelt of the lion to King Eurystheus, and he succeeds by wrestling and strangling the lion
From the start of the movie, the audience is able to see the differences and the similarities between the Disney’s movie and the myth with the birth of Hercules and the role of the snakes. In the movie, Hercules is depicted as being the child of Zeus, …show more content…
In Disney’s Hercules, Hercules meets Megara when she is arguing with a blue, robust centaur, and Hercules tries to rescue her, because he assumes that Megara is being attacked by the centaur. However, Megara is trying to recruit the centaur to join Hades on overthrowing Zeus. She is doing Hades’ biddings, because she sold her soul to Hades to save the man she loves, but the man did not return the same affections, so Megara is struck being Hades’s servant for the rest of her life. Hades tasks Megara to make Hercules fall in love with her and then break his heart, so this way he would be emotionally vulnerable for a physical attack that will lead to his death. Megara is conflicted, because she ends up falling in love with Hercules, but she does not want to get hurt him. The love Megara feels for Hercules is so powerful that it leads to Megara sacrificing herself to save his life. In the end of the movie, Hercules decides to be with Megara as a mortal instead of joining the gods on Mount Olympus(Clements and Musker, Hercules). Megara’s role in the myth does not receive a “happy ending” and is plagued with tragedy. Megara, who is the daughter of the King of Thebes, is given to Hercules for marriage as a gratitude prize for winning back the kingdom from the Minyans. This happy marriage between Hercules and Megara results …show more content…
In the Disney’s adaption, Zeus tells Hercules that in order to join the gods on Mount Olympics that he needs to show prove that he is a true hero, and this leads him to look for a trainer who will help him rescue people being attack. Hercules continues to rescue people that lead to him to be famous and wealth. Hercules becomes frustrated, because Zeus tells him that he has not shown that he is a true hero. In the end, Hercules demonstrates that he is a real hero, because he sacrificed himself to save Megara in the underworld. Thus, Hercules becomes a God, but he gives it up to be with Megara and have a normal life with her (Clements and Musker, Hercules).The myth is distant in this aspect of Hercules’ life. After he killed his wife and his sons, Hercules prays to Apollo for guidance, and Apollo advises him to seek and serve Eurystheus, who is the king of Tiryns and Mycenae, for twelve tasks to gain redemption. As a part of his punishment, Hercules has to perform twelve labors, which are nearly impossible and treacherous tasks,however, with the aid of Athena and Hermes, Hercules is able to accomplish these feats and gain his immortality (“The Labors of Hercules”). Hercules’ first labor is to kill the Nemean Lion that was terrorizing the village of Nemea and bring the pelt of the lion to King Eurystheus, and he succeeds by wrestling and strangling the lion