Download Hero Heroine

Mythology
Ancient Greek & Roman myths
sometimes told great adventures where the main
characters went on a quest (journey) which
challenged them to do tasks and prove themselves.
Mesopotamian
Indian
Viking
Cultures
around the
world have
myths
The ancient Greeks and Romans were
not the only cultures to write myths.
Heroes
Their heroes often had uncommon
strength, bravery, or cleverness.
Heroes can have
great
- but human abilities
A myth always has . . .
• A main character
• A god or goddess
• A moral lesson to be learned
They . . .
• Often explain how something
came to be or was first
created
All myths have a main character
Hero
Heroine
In literature, the main character is called
the
protagonist.
Sometimes the
protagonist was a
model of good or
noble behavior for
people long ago.
Arachne
Phaeton
Icarus
Narcissus 
Other times the protagonist showed foolish
or undesirable traits that needed to be changed.

Create your own Hero/Heroine
Describe what he/she looks like
 Responsibilities
 Powers
 Where he lives
 Symbol for him/her


If you have finished all of these, start to think
about:

Possible enemies for your Hero/Heroine
All myths have a god or goddess
Sometimes a god or goddess helps the protagonist of the story
The Immortals
The gods and goddesses are often jealous or angry
or otherwise act in very human ways. But they
also have abilities or powers that humans lack.
Myths have a character with whom the main character will
argue or battle. This character adds to the conflict of the story.
They can be a creature or one of the gods themselves.
In literature, this character is called
the
antagonist.
ANTAGONIST

a person who is opposed to, struggles
against, or competes with
another; opponent; adversary.
The Odyssey :
Odysseus tricks a blinded
giant in order to escape
(Antagonist)
A Cyclops
(Antagonist)
… or any monsters !
Some Famous Mythical Creatures
Griffin
Many mythical creatures
are a mixture of different
animal parts.
Hydra
Some Famous Mythical Creatures
Basilisk
Pegasus
Some Famous Mythical Creatures
Minotaur
Centaur
In a myth,
the conflict
between the
protagonist and
the antagonist
often results in
the explanation
of an event in
nature.
Whatever part of the world they came
from, most myths . . .
… taught a lesson
… explained something about
the world – perhaps how
something in the world
began or was created
… in ancient times explained or
gave reasons for the
things that the people
didn’t understand . . .
… like the changing of the seasons or the changing
colors of leaves or the migration of birds ….
… why night changed to day or how we got
thunder and lightning …
… the creation of a rainbow or clouds or why the
tide flows to and from the shore.
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Heroes & heroines
Gods & goddesses
Explanations & lessons
(theme)
The end!