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Differenes Between the Movie and the Myth
Disney had several problems translating the story Heracles from the original
Greek myth to the children’s film. In this article, the name Heracles, the translation of the
hero’s name from the Greek into English, will refer to the mythical character. The name
Hercules will refer to the Disney film’s protagonist. In attempting to fit a massive amount
of myth and telling of Heracles’ adventures into ninety minutes of animation intended for
children, the film altered the story of Heracles. The myth was altered enough to make it
marketable for Disney, by changing characters, plot, and minutiae.
The main plot of the film deviates substantially from the plot of the myth. In the
myth, Heracles is seen atoning for the murder of his family, which was caused by
madness, sent by the goddess Hera. In order to atone for the sins committed, he must
perform twelve labors that are nearly impossible to complete. The film, focuses upon
Hercules defeating the Gigantes, monsters of the Titan era, that were sent by Gaea, a
Titan herself and grandmother/mother to some of the gods. She released the Gigantes as
punishment for imprisoning the Titans. However the film changes it, instead, Hades
unleashes the Gigantes, to take over Mount Olympus and Ancient Greece, as revenge
against Zeus, and it is Hercules’ duty to defeat Gigantes and Hades.
There are also other differences in characters and the relationships between them.
In the film, Zeus and Hera are portrayed as a loving couple and are the biological parents
of Hercules. In the Greek myth, the married couple continually fought and was always at
each other’s throats. Heracles was born to Alceme, the wife of the king of Thebes, and
Zeus.
Hercules’ companions are a major difference, between both cannons. Zeus, in the
film gave Hercules the Pegasus. In the myth Heracles did not have the Pegasus. He
belonged to the hero Bellerophron . Also, the relationship between Heracles and his
parents is altered, by changing Hercules’ parents completely. In the film, Hercules gets
adopted by two loving elderly farmers, but he doesn’t know his parents, while Heracles
knows from a young age that he’s the son of a god. Hercules is also given a mentor in
the film, whom does not appear in the myths. Philoctetes (Phil in the film) trains Hercules
and other stars, while in the myth Philoctetes was a warrior, and fought alongside
Heracles. Phil claims to have the mast of the Argos, which is the ship that Heracles and
Jason and the Argonauts took on their adventures. Phil claims to have trained Achilles,
Odysseus, Perseus, Jason, and Theseus. Phil is also a satyr. They probably used the myth
of Chiron as inspiration, who was a centaur who trained heroes.
Hercules’ relationship with Megara is also changed greatly, In the film, Hercules
defeats the Minotaur, while defending Megara. In the myths, Heracles never encounters
him, and it is Theseus who defeats the Minotoar in Crete. Megara is introduced as a
maiden who sold her soul to Hades to save the life of her boyfriend who promptly
abandoned her for someone else. In the myths, Megara is the daughter of the king of
Thebes, who is given to Heracles to be his wife. Megara is killed by the Cyclops titan in
the film, by throwing a column on her.
Hades’ character is also altered to fit in more with Christian ideology. Hades is no
longer a neutral being inc charge of what is, basically the Greek equivalent to Christian
Purgatory, instead Hades is portrayed as being completely evil and has the physical
characteristics as the Christian Satan. In the film Hades (the underworld) is portrayed as
little more than Christian hell. In the film Hades sends Heracles his two minions, with a
potion to become human/mortal, who then become snakes to kill baby Hercules. In the
Myth, Heracles is abandoned by his mother for fear of Hera’s wrath it is Hera who sends
the snakes when he is returned home. Hercules, is kidnapped by Hades as a child and left
on earth, as a mortal due to a potion that took his god-like powers. Hercules in the film
still has a little power left because he did not completely drink the potion. In the myth he
has god-like powers because Hera nursed him (while she didn’t know who he was) .
Hades is actually able to conquer Mount Olympus. It is implied that Zeus and Hades are
not brothers and Zeus forced Hades to take the underworld, when in myths Zeus, Hades,
Poseidon, and other gods are siblings and the three brothers drew lots to see who would
rule the Underworld, the Seas, and the Skies.
As previously mentioned, the plot has been taken from several stories of Heracles,
therefore, the labors were not as emphasized as in previous telling. The Labors, in the
film are sent as obstacles to kill Hercules sent by Hades, Heracles must complete them to
atone for his guilt. There are four labors shown in the film- killing of the Lion, the Boar,
the Bird, and the Hydra. He is not shown capturing the hind, clearing the stables,
capturing the bull, rounding the mares, stealing the girdle, fetching the apple, capturing
the cattle, or capturing Cerebus. (Though they do mention some of them as a gag/throwaway line), He also mentions defeating the Gorgons, which is something that Perseus did
on an adventure.
Souls in the film are shown as something easily taken from the Underworld, while
in myths, the only who was able to almost completely take a soul back was Orpheus and
he ended up failing. Hercules dies, or comes very close to dying, but he is able to survive
and become a god again. Whereas Heracles is actually poisoned by a shirt given to him
by his second wife who was tricked into believing it held a fidelity charm. And he is also
able to become a god, when Zeus convinces Hera to “give birth“ to Heracles again.
Hercules gets the chance to stay a god, but since mortals are not allowed on Mount
Olympus he decides to stay on earth with Megara and lives happily ever after as a hero.
Other minor differences between the film and the myth, but are not as obvious are
mostly background or throw-away lines or scenes. They include: the idea that the Titans
were not all brutes/ personality-less monster controlling elements as portrayed in the film.
Narcissus was not a god, in myths he was a victim of the gods cruelty. Hades has been
changed so the River Styx looks like a river of souls, Charon doesn‘t exist in this world..
There are nine muses instead of the five shown. Hercules has no siblings, where-as
Heracles had a half-brother twin, Iphicles. Philoctetes was given Heracles’ Bow and
Arrows when he died. And finally, Zeus is portrayed as being the sole reason why the
Titans fell, when the gods actually had a war against the Titans.
The differences between the film and the myth range from being vast completely
different stories, to minutiae that would be difficult to notice. Altering, characters, plot,
ideas from canon to a children’s film is understood, the changes can be quite stark.