Transcript Myths and Legends - White Plains Public Schools

Myths and Legends
Sept. 29TH
SWBAT present their creation myths / Discuss what characteristics a one
must possess in order to be a hero (for a day).
PLEASE MOVE OUR SEATS
Leaving the land of creation – 5 minutes
1. If you had to choose one myth from our classmates to take with you
to a new world, which one would it be? Explain why in detail. (One
paragraph on notebook paper. Please put your name on it)
REMEMBER: MYTHS TEACH US ABOUT THINGS WE CANNOT TRULY
EXPLAIN IN THE WORLD AROUND US. IT ALSO HELPS US BE MORAL
BEINGS.
Handing back work / Do Now
•For the next five minutes I will hand back
work. While I do so, write down who a hero
is in your own life and tell me why. It can be
a person you know, or a person you have
heard of.
Heroes – Work in groups of 4 with chart
paper (We will report out) Number off in 7s
1. How would you define a hero?
2. What characteristics must they display in order to be a hero?
3. Who would you say is a modern day hero? (Link them to a
characteristic on your chart)
Definition of a
Hero
Humility
(Martin Luther King)
Captain Sully – The Hero
• As we read the article about a hero, underline phrases that stick out
to you about what it takes to be a hero. We will report out.
• Do you believe all of these qualities are important in order to be a
true hero?
Heracles / Hercules
• We will read a version of the tale of Heracles and then watch a video
about him. http://www.history.com/topics/ancienthistory/hercules/videos/hercules-and-the-12-labors
• Discussion: What makes Heracles a hero? By reading about a Greek
and Roman hero, what qualities do you think those cultures valued
most? Why do you think that is?
• Do you think Heracles would still be considered a true hero in today’s
society? What would we need to change up?
Heracles / Hercules
Heracles
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPtZ4OO089I
• We will begin to decipher today what makes a hero in mythology.
Take notes! We will have a quiz at the end of next week.
How is Heracles a hero??
Heracles is an illegitimate child. (His mother Alcmene was taken by
Zeus. He tricked her into thinking he was her husband.)
Ok, her husband is at war, and she is waiting for his return…he comes
back, or so she thinks. It’s actually Zeus in disguise. Then her husband
comes back the next day and she realizes THE TRUTH!
Jealous Women
• Hera, Zeus’ wife…and of course, sister, will have none
of it. In fact, she makes sure when Hercules' mother,
Alcmene is due to give birth to him, the goddess of
childbearing crosses her own legs and hands, a form
of sympathetic magic, in order to block Hercules'
entrance to the world of light. Hera now also wants
to make sure Perseus' grandson Eurystheus is born
before Alcmene's son, because Zeus has promised the
first born son of his and Perseus' blood would become
king.
The name Herakles
• Alcmene tries to be nice and name her son
Herakles.
• Hera (Wife and sister of Zeus)
• Kles (Glory)
• Translation - GLORY OF HERA!
Leaving her son
•It doesn’t work – Hera is still a
madwoman.
•Alcemene is so frightened of Hera that
she ends up abandoning her son, but
Athena saves him. (Goddess of wisdom,
courage, etc…)
Accept HIM!!!
• Athena decides to play a little trick on Hera and takes
baby Heracles to the queen of the gods to be
breastfed. Hera, not knowing who the baby is, agrees,
but Heracles either sucks too hard or bites her nipple
(depending on who you talk to). As Hera yanks her
breast away, her milk sprays into the sky and creates
the Milky Way.
But….
•Guess how Herakles gets his super
strength from??!!! There must be
some steroids in that Breast milk of
Hera’s!!!
Hera will have none of it! She does the whole
breast milk thing, and even sends some snakes to
kill him. …but Herakles has some natural talent.
The world is against me!!!
• He is an illegitimate child who could have become king, but you know,
his mother was delayed with giving birth all due to Hera.
• Hera can’t get over the affair, so she is out to kill this half God / half
man.
• THINGS ARE LOOKING PRETTY GRIM FOR HERAKLES.
I’d feel bad for you but…
Heracles has great strength which he uses for better or worse at
various times in his life.
For example, when he was a child he accidentally killed his music tutor
with a lyre when he was told he made errors in his playing. (Tell that to
the WPHS music department)
The CHOICE!
• He is sent to tend cattle, because he is hard to handle (the strength
bit), and then he is visited by nymphs. They ask if he wants the easy
and simple life, or the harsh and glorious life.
• He picks the latter….maybe that is because he had it so rough as a
baby he really needs to prove himself! Would you??
Clarifications
• Eurystheus vs. Herakles
• Hera wanted Eurystheus (Herakles’ cousin) to be King of Greece
• Zeus wanted Herakles to be King
WOMEN OFTEN GET THEIR WAY.
Learn about Herakles
• Make sure to be taking notes.
• http://documentaryaddict.com/clash+of+the+gods+episode+02+herc
ules-3658-doc.html
• After we watch him begin his journey in the Disney Version, we will
read about the murder of his family and the Twelve Labours.
Herakles
• Write Similarities and differences thus far.
• 3 similarities
• 3 differences
Can one really be a hero if they murder their family? What
does this say about being a hero in Greek times and then
in modern times (Disney version)
• Research the labors in groups of twos.
Herakles
• He kills his family due to Hera’s evil spell, but proves himself to be a
man / half-God willing to take the challenge of redeeming himself by
taking on the twelve labors. He is wracked with guilt!
• He journeys in to far off lands, and succeeds in all the tasks. Yes,
there is some collateral damage along the way, but he truly GOES THE
DISTANCE.
Deianeira
• He is redeemed, but tragedy hits again when his new wife Deianeira
gives him a tunic that she thinks will cause everlasting love, but
instead causes him to burn. (She thought he was having an
affair…hence the gift of love)
• However, he is a demigod, so he doesn’t die! However, he is in pain,
and takes fate into his own hands and has a friend build a funeral pyre
for him so he can commit suicide.
Bye Bye Herakles
• Hera FINALLY forgives Herakles, and he is made a GOD!!! He even
gets married again!
• But……the mortal part of himself does go down to the Elysian Field,
the underworld, where heroes and the virtuous reside.
He is there still, right now. …as we speak, in this third period!
Why is Herakles a hero? Show you are sorry!!
• He faced great odds in life, but didn’t walk away, and took up the
challenge to repent his greatest sins. (Yes, he made mistakes, but we
all do…and WE TOO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.) He really shows that he
will do anything to repent his sins.
• (And was it even his fault that he was so strong? You would be too if
you were Zeus’ kid)
• (And was it his fault that he killed his family? He had an evil
stepmother!...Cinderella should never complain.)
Where do we even get these Greek Myths?
Starting around 1400 and 2300 BCE
• A lot of Greek myths come from territories outside of Greece. There
was much travel and trade, so they were getting stories from
elsewhere such as in the Near Eastern civilizations. They were also
invaded, so a lot of myths became combinations from various
peoples.
• Let us thank Hesiod, a poet, for writing some of these myths down for
us! 750 – 650 BC. (However, not Herakles.) And yes, the Iliad and
Odyssey are written down by Homer.
Herakles
• Ovid was the first to write about this great hero around the year 1000
BC and, several hundred years later, the 5th century poet Euripides
added to his legacy with perhaps the most famous version of the
story. Even among experts, there are many varying versions of the
classic mythological tales. Hercules, being one of the most popular
heroes of the day, was also one of the most chronicled and each
region had its own version of his adventures.
Hercules
The Movie Deviates
In the Movie...
In the Mythology...
Because...
•To the modern
audience, a hero with
•Hercules means well
anger management
•Hercules often lost
but his clumsiness
problems is not as
control of his temper,
and tremendous
endearing a character
causing him to
strength causes him
nor as positive a role
accidently kill
to accidently destroy
model as someone
innocent people.
things.
who has good
intentions but clumsy
tendencies.
Hercules
•The awkward and
unsure Hercules is a
more relatable
•Because of his godcharacter for the
•Hercules is often
like strength,
modern audience,
socially awkward, shy Hercules was
especially for people
and lacking in
supremely confident
who, like the Disney
confidence.
and even saw himself
Hercules, are trying
as equal to the gods.
to find their worth
and place in the
world.
From Mythology to Disney
With a partner, look up on your phones the differences between the
myth and the Disney version. We will report out. Scroll to find one
that captures your interest to speak about.
http://dettoldisney.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/hercules-vs-heracles/
Exit ticket
• Do you believe Herakles is a true hero? Explain your
answer in one paragraph.
• Please make several points about why either the
Disney version or the real myth shows us a true hero.