Mythological Allusions
Achilles: (Mythology p. 260-264, 270-278
- Achilles didn't join the Trojan war at first, he hid as a maiden
- Achilles left with Odysseus for the war camp
- Achilles' mother, Thetis, told him to leave the war
- During battle, Achilles fought and killed Memnon. This angered Apollo who helped guide Paris' arrow to Achilles weak spot, his heel
Commentary: Achilles' heel is an extremely common metaphor for any type of weakness. If mentioned any time in literature or life the term "Achilles heel" means weak spot or undoing.
http://www.wordfocus.com/achilles-heel-story.html
Agamemnon: (Mythology p. 350-356)
Commentary: In many stories, a false front is put up when someone has come home that hasn't been seen in a while. Also, in many murder mysteries, people who are close to the victims commit the crime. This crime is often not seen as murder, but as saving the people from this "evil". Such as is the case in the story of Agamemnon's homecoming when the queen killed him for his wrongdoings.
- A story had been told of Agamemnon being killed by his wife's lover
- Agamemnon is the son of Atreus
- Agamemnon's ship came safely through a storm after the fall of Troy
- Agamemnon had ordered for his daughter to be killed in order for safe passage across the seas
- The wife of Agamemnon had taken a suitor that all but he knew of
- The Queen killed Agamemnon, and saw it as executing him for his actions
Commentary: In many stories, a false front is put up when someone has come home that hasn't been seen in a while. Also, in many murder mysteries, people who are close to the victims commit the crime. This crime is often not seen as murder, but as saving the people from this "evil". Such as is the case in the story of Agamemnon's homecoming when the queen killed him for his wrongdoings.
http://hellhathnofury160.blogspot.com/
Antigone: (Mythology p.383-387)
Commentary: This story is similar to Romeo and Juliet because of how Antigone would rather die but be able to love and be her own person than stay alive and be her uncle's prisoner. Romeo and Juliet would rather die than live without each other, this commitment to another person is what ties these stories.
- Daughter of Oedipus
- Antigone guided Oedipus when he was driven from the city and traveled to Colonus
- The two brothers of Antigone were at war over ruling their city, they both died in a duel
- Antigone decided she would bury her brother, this was against the law and she was condemned to death
Commentary: This story is similar to Romeo and Juliet because of how Antigone would rather die but be able to love and be her own person than stay alive and be her uncle's prisoner. Romeo and Juliet would rather die than live without each other, this commitment to another person is what ties these stories.
http://namesfromthedustbin.blogspot.com/2011/12/bottom-of-barrel-antigone.html
Cupid and Psyche: (Mythology p. 121-134)
Commentary: The story of Cupid and Psyche is also very similar to Romeo and Juliet. There is a love that cannot be because of parental disapproval, a knife that is almost used to kill, and jealous family members. In Cupid and Psyche however, there is a happy ending with no death whereas in Romeo and Juliet there are many deaths.
- Psyche was said to prevail Venus, which caused people to go to visit Psyche instead of Venus
- Venus ordered her son, Cupid, to make Psyche fall in love with a terrible human
- The opposite happened, no one fell in love with Psyche and she was left alone. A prophecy told that she must journey to a mountain to await her husband, a serpent
- She was picked up by a wind and carried down to her husband's home. For days she did not see him, only felt and heard him
- Psyche's sisters came to visit and became so jealous they plotted to ruin her
- Psyche was supposed to kill the "serpent" in his sleep and was alarmed to find that the "serpent" was Cupid, who fled upon seeing her
- Psyche pledged to find Cupid
- Venus sent Psyche on many tasks to prove her worth
- Psyche was made immortal and married Cupid
Commentary: The story of Cupid and Psyche is also very similar to Romeo and Juliet. There is a love that cannot be because of parental disapproval, a knife that is almost used to kill, and jealous family members. In Cupid and Psyche however, there is a happy ending with no death whereas in Romeo and Juliet there are many deaths.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid_and_Psyche
Daedelus and Icarus: (Mythology p. 192-194)
Commentary: In the song Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas, the lyrics "Once I rose above the noise and confusion / Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion / I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high" directly relate to the story of Daedelus and Icarus. This song outlines the emotion and toll that Icarus' death and disobedience had on Daedelus.
- Daedalus constructed the Labyrinth for the Minotaur
- Daedalus and Icarus were imprisoned in the Labyrinth
- Two pairs of wings were made of feathers and glue
- Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun and melt the wings
- Icarus fell to the sea and Daedalus continued to Sicily
Commentary: In the song Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas, the lyrics "Once I rose above the noise and confusion / Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion / I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high" directly relate to the story of Daedelus and Icarus. This song outlines the emotion and toll that Icarus' death and disobedience had on Daedelus.
http://www.dl.ket.org/humanities/literature/litpacket/metamorphoses.htm
Echo and Narcissus: (Mythology p. 113-115)
Commentary: In the book series Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Draco Malfoy's mother has the name Narcissa. This is very similar to Narcissus and her character is said to be very self absorbed and vain. Narcissa barely looks beyond herself when faced with problems.
- Narcissus didn't pay any maiden any attention, nor Echo
- Hera journeyed to visit the Nymphs
- Hera cursed Echo with the ability to only repeat what has already been said
- Narcissus turned down Echo and scorned her
- Narcissus became so in love with himself that he fell into a river and drowned
Commentary: In the book series Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Draco Malfoy's mother has the name Narcissa. This is very similar to Narcissus and her character is said to be very self absorbed and vain. Narcissa barely looks beyond herself when faced with problems.
http://www.vangoghpaintings.com/echo-and-narcissus-oil-painting-1290.html
Eurydice and Orpheus: (Mythology p. 138-142)
Commentary: This story is very similar to the Disney version of Hercules where in the end Hercules travels to the underworld to try and take Meg back. This story also follows the greek myth pattern of lovers not meant to be together.
- Orpheus was a son of the Muses, he played and sang
- He saved heroes from the sirens
- Orpheus and Eurydice were married but only briefly happy
- Eurydice was bit by a viper and died
- Orpheus promised himself he would journey to the land of the dead to get her back
- Hades gave Eurydice back to Orpheus but said he could not look back at her as she followed him to the upper world
- Orpheus looked too soon and Eurydice was taken from him again
- Orpheus was killed and buried on the island of the muses
Commentary: This story is very similar to the Disney version of Hercules where in the end Hercules travels to the underworld to try and take Meg back. This story also follows the greek myth pattern of lovers not meant to be together.
http://www.shmoop.com/orpheus-eurydice/photos.html
Hector: (Mythology p. 267-276)
Commentary: The term "Hector" or when used as a verb "hectored" or "to hector" has come to mean "to bully". This is similar to how Achilles' heel is now used as part of modern language. It is interesting that two foes live on negatively in modern times.
- Defended Troy
- Killed the first Greek warrior
- Greatest Trojan champion
- When Achilles refused to fight the Trojans decided to march on Greece
- Ares, God of War, accompanied the Trojans
- Combated with Ajax and ended in a draw
- Achilles returned to the war and pursued Hector, Hector was then killed by Achilles
Commentary: The term "Hector" or when used as a verb "hectored" or "to hector" has come to mean "to bully". This is similar to how Achilles' heel is now used as part of modern language. It is interesting that two foes live on negatively in modern times.
http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Donato-Creti/Achilles-Dragging-The-Body-Of-Hector-Around-The-Walls-Of-Troy.html
Hercules: (Mythology p. 224-243)
Commentary: In Hamlet by Shakespeare, Hamlet compares himself to Herclues in the famous line, "My uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules." Hamlet is somewhat of a weak character which gives reason and backing to this statement. He states that his uncle is like him and his father is like Hercules.
- Strongest of all mortals and many Gods
- Last mortal son of Zeus
- Lack of Intelligence
- Killed his wife and children, asked Apollo to rid him of his deeds through the 12 labors
- Helped Zeus defeat the giants for control of Olympus
- Married a second time
- Put on a cloak lined with poison, asked to be burned upon a pyre
- Hercules was born mortal and died immortal
Commentary: In Hamlet by Shakespeare, Hamlet compares himself to Herclues in the famous line, "My uncle, my father's brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules." Hamlet is somewhat of a weak character which gives reason and backing to this statement. He states that his uncle is like him and his father is like Hercules.
http://5top.com/top-5-greek-myths-of-all-time/
Jason and the Golden Fleece: (Mythology p. 159-179)
Commentary: In stories such as Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson where gold and treasure are presented as goals there is an underlying allusion to Jason. The golden fleece was said to be impossible to take, it caused men to try and kill in order to keep it safe. The same goes for men in stories with treasure, treasure and riches changes people. Greed makes people do horrible things and makes people go back on their word.
- Pelias took the throne
- A man wearing one sandal would take his throne
- Jason lost his sandal in a river, helped Hera, and tried to claim his kingdom
- Pelias stated that if Jason brought back the golden fleece he could have the kingdom
- Jason and the "Argonauts" voyaged to Colchis and take the golden fleece
Commentary: In stories such as Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson where gold and treasure are presented as goals there is an underlying allusion to Jason. The golden fleece was said to be impossible to take, it caused men to try and kill in order to keep it safe. The same goes for men in stories with treasure, treasure and riches changes people. Greed makes people do horrible things and makes people go back on their word.
http://www.magnoliabox.com/art/213962/Jason_and_the_Golden_Fleece
Odysseus and the Trojan Horse: (Mythology p. 283-290)
Commentary: In stories such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, evil methods and props are used to get what one side of a battle wishes. The Queen could not get someone to kill Snow White, so she creates a poison apple and tricks her into eating it out of her own free will. Also similar is Sherlock Holmes, both books, T.V. shows, and movies. Holmes uses his wits to outsmart criminals, much as how Odysseus employed many aspects to his plan in order to "catch his criminal" or the Trojans.
- Odysseus had someone build a large wooden horse for the Greeks to attack Troy
- People hid inside the horse and the other soldiers wheeled the horse up to the gates of Troy
- The Trojan's thought that the Greeks had given up
- A man, Sinon, was left behind to tell a story to the Trojans and get them vulnerable
- The Trojans took the horse inside Troy
- In the middle of the night, Greeks appeared from the horse, pillaged the village, and killed many
Commentary: In stories such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, evil methods and props are used to get what one side of a battle wishes. The Queen could not get someone to kill Snow White, so she creates a poison apple and tricks her into eating it out of her own free will. Also similar is Sherlock Holmes, both books, T.V. shows, and movies. Holmes uses his wits to outsmart criminals, much as how Odysseus employed many aspects to his plan in order to "catch his criminal" or the Trojans.
http://www.democracychronicles.com/trojan-war-iraq/
Oedipus: (Mythology p. 375-382)
Commentary: There is such a thing as the Oedipus complex, where one is attracted to the parent of the opposite sex. This is a common theme in some stories and even in Shakespeare. Freud came up with this "theory" even though the Greek Myth told the attraction as happening by accident
- The Sphinx was becoming a problem
- Oedipus was self exiled because of a prophecy made by Apollo saying how he was to kill his father
- Oedipus wanted to seek out the Sphinx and try to solve the riddle
- Oedipus was able to solve the riddle, causing the Sphinx to die
- Plague struck the valley, only to be cured by punishing some murderers
- An oracle told that it was Oedipus who had killed Laius, although he had no idea
- As told through a prophecy, Oedipus killed his father, married his mother, and would have children men would cower from
Commentary: There is such a thing as the Oedipus complex, where one is attracted to the parent of the opposite sex. This is a common theme in some stories and even in Shakespeare. Freud came up with this "theory" even though the Greek Myth told the attraction as happening by accident
http://www.dukeart.net/greek-myth
Persephone: (Mythology p. 57-64)
Commentary: The story of Persephone is one told usually to explain the seasons, but it is also the tragic but happy story about children growing up. Persephone is constantly under her mothers wing, when she leaves she begins to turn into a true young woman. Demeter does not like this, and wishes for Persephone to regain her innocence. This is a classic tale of life with kids in many peoples lives.
- Persephone was the daughter of Demeter
- Hades took Persephone to the underworld
- Demeter was affected greatly by the tragedy, and as Goddess of the harvest she caused the plants to wilt
- Persephone adjusted to the lifestyle of "Queen of the Dead"
- Hades allowed Persephone to return home for half of the year, Demeter becomes happy, and the flowers bloom
Commentary: The story of Persephone is one told usually to explain the seasons, but it is also the tragic but happy story about children growing up. Persephone is constantly under her mothers wing, when she leaves she begins to turn into a true young woman. Demeter does not like this, and wishes for Persephone to regain her innocence. This is a classic tale of life with kids in many peoples lives.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persephone
Perseus: (Mythology p. 197-208)
Commentary: The idea of one being turned into stone is found present in modern day tales such as the trolls in The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien. When the sun rose the trolls were turned into stone. Also, the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is an entire series with allusions to greek mythology and specifically Perseus, the namesake of Percy.
- A prophecy was told that the son of King Acrisius' daughter would kill him
- Acrisius believed that the gods would punish him for killing, and only put his daughter and Perseus in harms way
- The mother and Perseus landed on an island after being stranded at sea
- A fisherman and his wife found the two and cared for them as their own
- The king of the island wanted Perseus' mother but not him
- The king told Perseus he wanted the head of Medusa in an attempt to get rid of him
- Hermes helped Perseus and told him to find the nymphs and the gray women
- Perseus cut off Medusa's head and traveled back home
- Perseus held up the head of Medusa in the hall of the king and turned everyone into stone
Commentary: The idea of one being turned into stone is found present in modern day tales such as the trolls in The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien. When the sun rose the trolls were turned into stone. Also, the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is an entire series with allusions to greek mythology and specifically Perseus, the namesake of Percy.
http://ryzymystery.wordpress.com/category/greek-heroes-mythology/
Prometheus: (Mythology p. 95-99)
Commentary: The story of Prometheus is very applicable to everyday life. His story details the account of giving a gift, fire, to someone with the desire to do good but creating a destructive force. In The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien, the film adaptation has Gandalf say something, "I would use the ring with the desire to do good. But through me..." Gandalf knows that this gift of a ring could be used to save middle earth, but it had a mind of its own and could do much more destruction than good.
- "Created" man, was the defender of man
- Prometheus gave fire to men
- Was bound to a rock on the top of a mountain where an eagle would come and eat his liver every day only for it to regrow
Commentary: The story of Prometheus is very applicable to everyday life. His story details the account of giving a gift, fire, to someone with the desire to do good but creating a destructive force. In The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien, the film adaptation has Gandalf say something, "I would use the ring with the desire to do good. But through me..." Gandalf knows that this gift of a ring could be used to save middle earth, but it had a mind of its own and could do much more destruction than good.
http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Ethon.html
River Styx: (http://greece.mrdonn.org/greekgods/riverstyx.html)
Commentary: Styx means hate. This place between the living and the dead is a time of transition, new feelings, and some hatred to form. The River Styx is any barrier or transition in a place or time. The Styx holds the ferryman, Charon, who will only let you across if you have payment, hence the barrier. According to Dante, the Styx was the fifth circle of Hell.
- Separates the world of the living from the world of the dead
- Charon gives boat rides across for a fee
- Souls would wait in the underworld to be reborn into a new body
- Some who tried to swim across the River Styx made it, some did not
- Achilles was dipped into the river for strength, all but his heel was covered
Commentary: Styx means hate. This place between the living and the dead is a time of transition, new feelings, and some hatred to form. The River Styx is any barrier or transition in a place or time. The Styx holds the ferryman, Charon, who will only let you across if you have payment, hence the barrier. According to Dante, the Styx was the fifth circle of Hell.
http://forums.thegnomonworkshop.com/showthread.php?t=7456&page=4
The Gods of Olympus: (Mythology p. 22-37)
Commentary: Each of the 12 Olympians has an ulterior meaning or story with their name. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, Ares is the god of war. They all act like a large family, the "big three" ruling as brothers, with wives at their sides and their many children, both god, goddess, and half-human. In the Percy Jackson series, all of these Olympians play a crucial role. In a story such as this, personalities are given to Gods to make them appear more human and help us relate. I couldn't find a specific allusion to all of the Olympians anywhere and couldn't think of one myself.
- Titans/Elder Gods: Cronus ruled until Zeus dethroned him
- Titans: Ocean, Tethys, Hyperion, Mnemosyne, Themis, Atlas, Prometheus
- The twelve olympians reigned supreme, the entrance to Olympus was a gate of clouds
- 12 Olympians: Zeus, Poseiden, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hermes, Artemis, Hephaestus
Commentary: Each of the 12 Olympians has an ulterior meaning or story with their name. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty, Ares is the god of war. They all act like a large family, the "big three" ruling as brothers, with wives at their sides and their many children, both god, goddess, and half-human. In the Percy Jackson series, all of these Olympians play a crucial role. In a story such as this, personalities are given to Gods to make them appear more human and help us relate. I couldn't find a specific allusion to all of the Olympians anywhere and couldn't think of one myself.
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/greek-gods-and-demigods/images/11318258/title/olympians-fanart
Theseus: (Mythology p. 209-223)
Commentary: The famous book series Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling is similar to the story of Theseus because of main themes. Harry and Theseus didn't know who they truly were until they reached a certain age of maturity and strength. Self sacrifice is a large theme in both stories, Theseus volunteering to kill the Minotaur, and Harry going after any and every monster he encountered to save the lives of everyone. In both of these stories, evil is defeated in the end by the hero. The real parents of both figures are both out of the picture, giving them a strong background motivation.
- Wanted to become a great hero early on
- Gave "justice" to bandits who murdered
- Returned to his father, King Aegeus, with the idea of helping the land
- Minos had invaded the Kings land
- The Minotaur of Minos was put in a labyrinth built by Daedalus, this was used to kill people
- Theseus offered to go into the labyrinth
- Minos' daughter fell in love with Theseus and begged Daedalus for a way out of the maze
- Theseus killed the Minotaur and made it out of the labyrinth
- Theseus became King after his fathers suicide
Commentary: The famous book series Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling is similar to the story of Theseus because of main themes. Harry and Theseus didn't know who they truly were until they reached a certain age of maturity and strength. Self sacrifice is a large theme in both stories, Theseus volunteering to kill the Minotaur, and Harry going after any and every monster he encountered to save the lives of everyone. In both of these stories, evil is defeated in the end by the hero. The real parents of both figures are both out of the picture, giving them a strong background motivation.
http://geektyrant.com/news/2012/6/25/greek-mythology-film-theseus-to-be-directed-by-javor-gardev.html