Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Why is Hercules a Disney Hero?

The origins of Hercules, for starters, do not really pass the "family friendly" requirements set by Disney. He was conceived by an unfaithful Zeus, and loathed by Zeus's wife Hera so much she tries to kill him the minute he can breath. The myth then goes on to say he has tyrannical temper-tantrums because of the constant death wish from Hera, and he does not seem like the pleasant Disney hero we all know and love; murdering music teachers, killing lions, sleeping with 50 women in one night. Once he does marry, he kills his wife and all their children in a fit of rage. He does 12 labors to become immortal, which is selfish and out of character for a Disney Hero. In addition to the 12 labors, if he needs to hurt someone to complete his task, he'll do it. He does not seem like a hero that, in this version of events, should be marketed toward children. Problematic heroes are seen all throughout literary history, such as Shakespeare's Othello. Othello is supposed to be the main hero that the audience roots for throughout the play, yet he is so easily manipulated by the antagonist that he believes his wife is unfaithful and kills her. It is not uncommon for characters to be complex, but sometimes the complexity should be questioned when the hero is a selfish murderer. 

1 comment:

  1. Great job in enumerating the multiple issues that make Hercules a very unlikely Disney hero. You are right, complicated heroes are a feature of great literature, but Hercules seems to have a lot going against him.

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