Monsters of Mythology Essay - 768 Words

Monsters of Mythology Myths are stories that establish moral laws and models of behavior for people of a society. They often feature characters who are gods or heroes with supernatural abilities. In mythology, these heroes must overcome great challenges in order reach a final goal which is identified by the hero in the beginning of the story. The ending goal usually leads to some kind of moral theme that can be applied to everyone. These heroes are generally characterized as being very gifted, physically appealing, and very popular in their society. The archetypal hero must pass several tests on his journey. These tests can take the form of powerful monsters that the hero must battle and defeat. There are several examples in Greek and†¦show more content†¦In The Twelve Labours of Heracles, Heracles kills the Nemean lion. He also defeats the Lernean Hydra. Both of these tasks are very challenging and help Heracles to solve his inner conflict. These beasts are of great size and have terrifying feat ures to symbolize the inner evils a hero must overcome. These evils are temptation, fear, pride, greed, or even ignorance. The monsters act as a force that most people would be unable to defeat. They are god-like and animalistic, forcing the hero to use his superior intelligence to outwit the monster. Once the hero defeats this great monster, he ascends above all of man-kind and seems to even be god-like himself. These challenges, though rewarding, threaten the hero’s entire existence as well as pride. Monsters in mythology often appear larger than life. They are gigantic in mass, and possess supernatural abilities. These physical advantages symbolize the deepest fear a man can have. By defeating the monster, the hero is overcoming this fear and therefore reaching a state of enlightenment. There are also entire races of monsters. The Cyclopes were gigantic monsters that made lighting and thunderbolts for Zeus. The Sirens were giant, winged creatures that would threaten sailor s at sea. These monsters in large groups are more terrifying and avoided by most people. If the hero must encounter one of these monster races, they do soShow MoreRelatedMonsters in Greek Mythology Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most interesting qualities of Greek mythology is probably the depiction of monsters in the myths. However, these monsters are not all unique. In fact, they all fall into very distinct categories, making them almost the same. Most monsters in Greek mythology look and act in the same ways. Several monsters from these myths look the same in that they have very similar qualities such as being large, snake or human like. However, they are also very alike in that they behave in very similarRead MoreHow Child Abuse Affects a Hero, a God, and a Monster in Greek Mythology811 Words   |  4 PagesAbuse is suffered in various forms such as physical, emotional, and verbal. 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