Hercules and The Hero's Journey

The Call to Adventure When does the Call to Adventure happen in the Hercules Narrative? Is Hercules' Call to Adventure typical?

The Refusal When does the Refusal occur? Campbell's monomyth will not always fit perfectly. At what point could you say Hercules “refuses” to be a hero?

Supernatural Aid/Mentor Who aids Hercules? Who does he consult?

Crossing the First Threshold When does the Hercules cross over into his adventure?

Belly of the Whale What happens in “the belly of the whale?” Why is it necessary? Does Hercules go through this stage?

The Road of Trials What trials does Hercules go through? This is the bulk of the Hercules narrative. Why are these trials merely feats of superhuman strength?

Woman as Temptress Does Hercules encounter a temptress? Think about Hercules' wife, Deianira. How are women, both mortal and immortal, depicted in the text? Are they positive or negative depictions? What does this tell us about Greek culture? Hera, Athena, Megara, Omphale, Deinara, and Hebe are all women that influence Hercules' life.

The Ultimate Boon Some argue that the Ultimate Boon in the Hercules Myth is that Hercules can forgive himself for murdering his family. Do you agree with this reading?

The Return: Master of Two World In some narratives, the hero becomes “master of two worlds”--heaven and earth. Think of Jesus and Buddha. Does Hercules become a master of two worlds? Why does his story focus on physical strength—an earthly attribute—if Hercules is a demi-god?

Do you think Hercules deserves the title of Hero? Why or why not? An Unlikely Hero Hercules is considered a hero despite some very unheroic behavior: murder, unstable emotions, etc. Some heroes in other cultures have unsavory pasts and qualities also: Moses killed an Egyptian, King Arthur sends newborns away to die on a ship. Do you think Hercules deserves the title of Hero? Why or why not?