Western society (and to a lesser extent near-Eastern society as well) has felt the impact of the Classical world for thousands of years. The philosophy and political processes have all made their mark in one way or another, but it is the impact which Classical mythology has had on the world at large which is most well-known (or is at least more visible). From the use of classical imagery in famous paintings and sculptures, to the slightly less salubrious twisting of Greek fertility Gods into representations of Evil, classical mythology and imagery has saturated our culture from almost the very moment it was created. That isn’t to say, of course, that our interpretation of these myths and mythological figures has always remained static: the use to which we put such imagery has almost as many interpretations as they have physical representations, a fact which will be explored in greater detail below. To a greater or lesser extent, the way we approach and assimilate the mythological figures who crop up in our world depends greatly on our own perspectives and knowledge, as well as how versed we are in the culture which first produced those images.
The figure of Hercules (originally named Heracles – glory of Hera – but the Romanized version will be used throughout) is one which has permeated our culture to an extent almost unknown by any other mythological figure. His vast strength, and the twelve labours that were his punishment for the murder of his innocent children, have been so far incorporated into our psyche that they have been codified in our speech: Hercules is now understood to be a synonym for strength or super-strength (Hercules), or for a daunting task (as in ‘a Herculean task’). Hemingway famously wrote about Hercules coming to embody an ideal, rather than (or perhaps more accurately, as well as) being a mythological figure in his own right.
Hercules served as a symbol of the human condition where, to use Hemingway's phrase, "a man may be destroyed, but not defeated." An interesting aspect of Hercules' character is that, because of his divine strength and abilities, he did not have to willingly submit to any of the labors or punishments imposed upon him. (Joshua)
As well as showing the various ways in which the figure of Hercules has woven itself into the fabric of our culture, the above quote shows us another side to the myth. Insofar as myths and stories are metaphors used by illiterate cultures in order to impart values and knowledge which is deemed important, it is interesting that the myth of Hercules hasn’t changed. Where Hercules’ refusal to use his gifts of strength and stamina to escape atonement for his crimes was used as a lesson in ancient times – don’t grumble about your lot in life, because you could have ended up like Hercules (Joshua), today we use the story in much the same way, telling people to keep going in the face of the odds. This use of Hercules and his associated mythology is an interesting reminder that, while our civilisations are very different, in many ways they are the same.
Of course, while we may use linguistic construction which reference classical mythology in our everyday speech, we may not always be aware either of the fact that we are doing it, or the meaning behind the phrases we use. This is contrasted by the appearance of Classical mythology in various forms in media – we are all familiar with the character from his various appearances in movies and TV series (Hercules), and comic readers will be able to add the various appearances he and his mythology make in that medium as well. Since the appearance of Hercules in movie form is fairly unequivocal – we see him as a great hero doing great deeds, without much attention being paid to his Labours, and subsequent atonement, the appearance of his mythology in the comics is of more interest. Captain Marvel (alter ego – Billy Batson) was granted the powers of various Greek Gods and demi-Gods through his contact with a wizard (Khan & Lee, 173) – a contract which included the strength of Hercules. Captain Marvel’s assumption of his powers is interesting, particularly when taken in conjunction with Wonder Woman and her own conglomeration of Classical mythology (Wonder Woman)which doesn’t include any mention of Hercules. It is true that Wonder Woman is an Amazon, and not (strictly speaking) a member of a society which would have had quite so strong a relationship with the original mythology in any historical sense, but given her comic book allegiance to a group of women with Greek mythological names, and an array of arms and armour which has its roots in traditional Greek history, the lack of mention of gifts of Hercules seems odd (Schwab, 156). It could be argued that, by divorcing Hercules from his traditional mythological and historical roots, the themes and meaning behind his mythology can come into the light (Hercules). While Hercules has stood the test of time as a character of immense strength and vitality, it is his honour and courage which come to the fore when added to a superhero character.
The character of Hercules has endured through the ages, from when he first appeared in poetry, to his latest cinematic outing in the modern day. Our movies have, perhaps wrongly, often co-opted him as one of the original action heroes; in these mediums he uses his vast strength to fight, and rarely are his efforts for atonement covered. An alternative to this version of Hercules can be seen in the comics of the past few decades: a figure who has been granted the strength of Hercules, along with some other traits of the ancient cultures, in order to be a superhero. It is interesting that the pathos of the Hercules mythology has only come to the fore when attached to a character with no previous connection to Classical cultures, Batson being a ten year old when he is imbued with these powers. Ultimately, however, while his characterization as a mythological figure has necessarily changed in many ways over the centuries he has been party of the public consciousness, it has also remained the same in just as many ways, reminding us that as far as we have come since the early days of Greece, part of us will always remain the same.
Works Cited
Hercules in Popular Culture. N.d., web. Accessed 8 August 2016.
Khan, Jeannette (e) & Lee, Stan (p). “DC Versus Marvel Comics” (1996 #5-#130) Titan Books.
Mark, Joshua. “The Life of Hercules in Myth and Legend” Ancient History Encyclopedia, 23 July, 2014. Web. Accessed 8 August 2016.
Schwab, Gustav. Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece. Random House: 1974.
“Wonder Woman – Diana Prince” DC Database, n.d., web. Accessed 8 August 2016.
