VS. Hercules Superman A Compare and Contrast of Mythological and Modern Heroes English I Mrs. Maranto Hercules Superman VS.

What is a Hero? There are many ideas of what makes a person a hero. The following are two definitions of what makes a hero. 1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. 2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal. Copyright 2011 Dictionary.com

The Heroic Archetype What is an Archetype What is an Archetypal Hero A recurring pattern of images, situations, or symbols found in the mythology, religion, art and dreams, of cultures around the world. What is an Archetypal Hero A hero with specific traits. Born under unusual circumstances, leaves family and lives with others, traumatic event leads to quest, has special abilities and receives supernatural help.

Born Under Unusual Circumstances Hercules Born the son Zeus and a mortal woman. Superman Born on a world that is on the verge of destruction.

Leaves Family and Lives with Others Hercules Raised by his mother but not his father. Superman Raised by farmers on Earth after escaping the destruction of his world.

Traumatic Event Leads to Quest Hercules Hera drove him mad causing him to kill his wife and kids. He then went on to complete 12 labors to atone for his crimes. Superman The loss of his home lead him to use his powers to try to save his new world. Copyright 1997 Mythweb Copyright 2011 DC Comics

Has Special Abilities Hercules Superman Superhuman strength and size gained by ingesting the breast milk of Hera Superman Gained super strength, heat vision, and the ability to fly from Earth’s yellow sun.

Receives Supernatural Help Hercules Received assistance from Zeus to gain his strength. Made a god after death by Zeus. Superman Received help from his father by way of crystals that were programmed with his planet’s science and his father’s memories.