Thursday, November 17, 2016
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Monday, November 7, 2016
Webpage Examples
Here are a couple of examples of webpages that students in my College Colloquium section created two years ago.
They left their webpages publicly accessible, so clearly don't mind sharing them with the world at large.
As you can see, some of my students developed a considerable degree of creativity even though that's not required. Most important is that your analysis is sound and interesting.
1. Ian Simon's page on "300" was created with Weebly, another free webpage design software that several of the 2014 students used with success:
http://wedineinhell.weebly.com/
2. Bryce Withy-Berry investigated the use of sound and music in "Gladiator":
http://aminotmusical.weebly.com/emotion.html
3. Felicity Helfand's page on "Hercules" was created with tumblr:
http://untilalongcamezeus.tumblr.com/
They left their webpages publicly accessible, so clearly don't mind sharing them with the world at large.
As you can see, some of my students developed a considerable degree of creativity even though that's not required. Most important is that your analysis is sound and interesting.
1. Ian Simon's page on "300" was created with Weebly, another free webpage design software that several of the 2014 students used with success:
http://wedineinhell.weebly.com/
2. Bryce Withy-Berry investigated the use of sound and music in "Gladiator":
http://aminotmusical.weebly.com/emotion.html
3. Felicity Helfand's page on "Hercules" was created with tumblr:
http://untilalongcamezeus.tumblr.com/
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Disney's Hercules
They didn't mention that he was half human. He didn't have the fits of madness brought on by hera because she loves him in the Disney film. They left out the cauterization of the hydra's necks. They hardly mentioned most of the 12 trials except for when Phil talks about Hercules' schedule for the day. I think they shouldn't have left out the fact that he wasn't immortal even to begin with, because he was only a demigod. Most of the other things that they left out made sense because it's a G rated movie and they would have definitely not been.
Disney's Hercules
The Disney interpretation of the myth of Hercules is very skewed from the original. The first disparity comes at the first scene of the animated movie when Hercules is introduced as the son of Zeus as well as Hera. From the original story we know that Hercules is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman. Most of his life was plagued by Hera's rage from Zeus's infidelity that she took out on him through curses and manipulation. Hercules performs the twelve trials informally in the film but does them none the less, killing the hydra, fighting Nessus (which was intertwined with him meeting Megara), and following the path to becoming a famous hero. In order to restore his immortality, Hercules needs an event that will prove to the Gods that he is worthy. The Titans being released by Hades doesn't occur in the original myth, but the restoration of his immortality does occur in a different fashion as he is made a God at the end of his journeys.
After reading the myth and how he treated Megara and killed her and their children, the conclusion of the Disney version upset me. I felt as if it glorified a relationship that was originally depicted as extremely abusive and unhealthy. Although Megara and Hercules end up together and Hercules gives up his opportunity to be a God to be with her, I felt as if Disney was glossing over factors that made Hercules what he truly was in the myth. Overall, the film's changes made it very fun and enjoyable for children; however, it was extremely different from the true myth.
3rd Paper: Webpage Design
For your final project, please select a film you really like and about which you would like to create a website.
This website will be like a paper in the sense that you should make defensible claims about each aspect of the film you discuss, back them up with reasons, and provide evidence for your claims.
Preferably the film you analyze should be one of those we have seen or will still watch in our Colloquium, and also one that you did not review for your second paper.
By next Tuesday, you should have some idea which aspects of the film you would like to address on your webpage. These could be features that you find particularly memorable or worth discussing in more detail, for example,
• the plot (How does the plot relate to other toga movies? What is original about it?),
• the acting (e.g., How does it fit to the movie’s themes or message?),
• the costumes (e.g., How do they support the film's message, characterization of roles, etc.?)
• set (maybe in terms of the way it is used to convey the movie's themes),
• cinematography and editing (talk, e.g., about the use of slow-motion in "Gladiator"),
• sound effects
• music (How does it support the story telling? Is there anything unusual about it?)
• leitmotifs or themes, recurrent imagery, etc., etc.
There are many ways to create a website for free without much technical knowledge:
If you have a Mac, you could try out your iWeb software.
PC Users may have something similar, or you could use, for example, free basic website builders such as WiX or Weebly:
http://www.wix.com/?utm_campaign=vir_wixad_live&experiment_id=abtestbanner49310001.
https://www.weebly.com/signup
WAs are only
paid for appointments for which you show up. For that reason, no-shows or cancellations less than 24
hours before your meeting time will result in a reduction in grade.
Format:
• 1800-2400 words (ca. 6-8 double-spaced pages if you print out the text alone) • one illustration / still shot (or more, if needed) for (almost) all pages.
Deadlines:
• Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016:
200- to 300-word abstract (1 page of text only) due in class. Summarize what central claim (thesis) you plan to make, which sub-claims, and how will you prove/defend them? Provide 2-3 images that can serve as evidence for your claims. Bring TWO hard copies to class, one for me, one for a classmate to peer review and give you feedback.
• Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016:
Webpage draft due
–bring your laptop to class so your classmates can give you feedback!
• Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, 9 A.M.:
Final Version due.
– List a link to your page on our blog!
This website will be like a paper in the sense that you should make defensible claims about each aspect of the film you discuss, back them up with reasons, and provide evidence for your claims.
Preferably the film you analyze should be one of those we have seen or will still watch in our Colloquium, and also one that you did not review for your second paper.
By next Tuesday, you should have some idea which aspects of the film you would like to address on your webpage. These could be features that you find particularly memorable or worth discussing in more detail, for example,
• the plot (How does the plot relate to other toga movies? What is original about it?),
• the acting (e.g., How does it fit to the movie’s themes or message?),
• the costumes (e.g., How do they support the film's message, characterization of roles, etc.?)
• set (maybe in terms of the way it is used to convey the movie's themes),
• cinematography and editing (talk, e.g., about the use of slow-motion in "Gladiator"),
• sound effects
• music (How does it support the story telling? Is there anything unusual about it?)
• leitmotifs or themes, recurrent imagery, etc., etc.
There are many ways to create a website for free without much technical knowledge:
If you have a Mac, you could try out your iWeb software.
PC Users may have something similar, or you could use, for example, free basic website builders such as WiX or Weebly:
http://www.wix.com/?utm_campaign=vir_wixad_live&experiment_id=abtestbanner49310001.
https://www.weebly.com/signup
Writing Consultant:
Our Writing Associate is Rachael Christman. For
full credit on your papers, you are required
to meet Rachael once per paper.
Sign up with
the Signup link on WISE either for a
30 min. brainstorming session or, once you have an abstract or a first draft,
for a 1-hour session to get feedback on how you have organized your ideas, etc.
Rachael will NOT proofread your paper, but may help you to polish it.
Format:
• 1800-2400 words (ca. 6-8 double-spaced pages if you print out the text alone) • one illustration / still shot (or more, if needed) for (almost) all pages.
Deadlines:
• Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016:
200- to 300-word abstract (1 page of text only) due in class. Summarize what central claim (thesis) you plan to make, which sub-claims, and how will you prove/defend them? Provide 2-3 images that can serve as evidence for your claims. Bring TWO hard copies to class, one for me, one for a classmate to peer review and give you feedback.
• Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016:
Webpage draft due
–bring your laptop to class so your classmates can give you feedback!
• Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, 9 A.M.:
Final Version due.
– List a link to your page on our blog!
Disney's Hercules
Disney’s
Hercules is vastly different from the more traditional myths that we know. The
reason for this being that Disney is catering to a young audience that needs to
laugh and be inspired without any concepts that are too difficult for a child
to understand. I do like how Disney changed the beginning of Hercules’ story.
How he was born a god and then became mortal, no thanks to Hades. Although Zeus
having a child with a mortal is typical of a Greek myth, I did not mind this
version with Hera on his side. Hercules still has to learn lessons and no
innocent people have to be killed in the process. I do wish that Disney had
included more of the twelve labors. The whole musical note with quick scenes
that barely showed some of his great deeds was unsatisfying. At the same time a
counter argument could be made for Disney saying that they were making him a “true
Hero.” The whole idea of becoming a “true hero” was the best part of the movie
for me. Having a hero with the ability to make such a sacrifice, whether for
love or something else, is the best type of hero.
Disney's Hercules
I think that the directors should have not changed the majority of the original myth the way they did. I dislike the fact that they had Hades and Zeus feuding in the movie which never happened in the real myth. I also think that Hera should not have been cast as Hercules's mother, simply because this is in direct contradiction of the entire myth in which Hera is jealous that Zeus had a kid with a mortal woman and since then had tried to kill Hercules as way of exacting revenge on Zeus. Hercules in addition was never a god in the myth but they portray him a such in the movie. They also mention later in the movie that Hercules killed the Minotaur and the Gorgon Medusa. This never happened in Greek mythology. The Gorgon Medusa was slain by Perseus and the Minotaur was killed by Theseus. The directors also do not mention the twelve trials that Hercules went through in the actual myth. Lastly they portray Hercules as a hero to every one but in the actual myth he was hero and a villain to many. He saved as many lives in the myth as he killed. All of these plot twists were something added in by the directors to give the story a greater flair to it than it would have had otherwise. While the movie itself was highly entertaining, I wish they had kept it more accurate and in sync with the plot of the myth itself.
Disney's "Hercules" tweaked the actual myth of Hercules to fit the screen for children. It may have tweaked it a bit too far. It did include a lot of Hercules' 12 labors but not all. I think it should have at least skimmed over every labor because that would make it much more interesting of a movie for me and I'm assuming others who enjoy mythology. Some parts of the movie were left out with good reason. They made Hades the bad guy in this movie instead of Hera. Children wouldn't be able to understand why someone's own mother would hate her child. Also the adultery of Zeus is way too much for kids to handle. It's not accurate to the myth but I do think it's a good alternative for a kids movie. I don't think this movie was aiming for accuracy, like most Ancient Greek and Roman movies, but rather give a moral. The moral of this story is you can start from bottom and reach the top if you believe and work hard enough for it.
Disney's Hercules
Disney's movie Hercules lacks several major components of the Greek myths of Heracles. In the myths Heracles was the product of an affair Zeus had with a mortal. Hera was also his nemesis and made Heracles go into fits of madness. In the movie however, Hercules was the offspring of Hera and Zeus and was born a god. Hercules also does not face the twelve labors to become immortal in the film, instead he must accomplish a task of heart. The film only briefly has some of the twelve labors. Hercules also does not kill Megara and their children. Instead Meg provides a love story with Hercules throughout the film. Considering this is a children's film that is for the best. I think Disney should have made the twelve labors a bigger part of the story. It fits with plot where Hercules is trying to regain immortality while still staying closer to the myths.
Disney's Hercules fanfic
Disney’s Hercules is a very interesting film. In contrast to the many violent stories of redemption Hercules embarked on, Disney’s Hercules is basically 80% of a Superman story and 20% of the training montages of sports movies such as Rocky and Karate Kid. While it's understandable that Disney wouldn't want to have a murderous sociopath as their hero, the story and main character they came up is incredibly generic. The Disneyfied Hercules is a super strong hero whose quest to selflessly help people and discover his true path brings him into conflict with Hades, an intelligent and scheming villain who seeks to gain absolute power. During his journey, Hercules falls in love with a sarcastic woman named Megara who Hades kidnaps in order to control Hercules. This story arch is the bread and butter of comic books. While it can be argued that superheroes are the modern versions of Greek myths and have certainly been inspired by numerous Greek myths, I think Disney could have made a more original story instead of making a Superman film with a Rocky/Karate Kid style training montage. While I dislike the generic story, I do find Disney’s version of Hades to be hilarious. James Wood’s version of the God of Death proves to be a very entertaining supervillain due to his catchphrases and snarky attitude. Although different from the traditional version, I welcome Disney's version due to how funny he is. Other than that, Disney’s Hercules is nothing special. Like Disney’s Aladdin, there are a ton of references to pop culture and homages to other Greek myths such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the tragic tale of Orpheus. I’m very surprised that Disney was able to throw in an Oedipus Rex reference in a family film. However, these references don’t compensate for the way the film ignores the original myths such as portraying Hera, as the caring mother of Hercules. The film even ignores many of Hercules’s actions such as taming the man eating horses of King Diomedes. Other feats such as his battle with the Erymanthian Boar are quickly depicted in a montage. While I don’t blame Disney for toning down the blood and violence of the original myths, I would have welcomed a film that respected the source material more.
Hercules in a Disney Formula
The film Hercules leaves out some of the most crucial aspects to the original myth in order to adapt it to family-friendly. The presence of adultery is avoided by making Hera his mother rather than trying to kill him because he is the offspring of Zeus' affair with a mortal. Then baby Hercules is found by poor farmers bearing the names of his parents in the myth that were actually a king and queen. The changes in his origin contribute to a coming-of-age story as Hercules grows as a poor farm boy; He then discovers he is of divine origins and that he must become a hero, simply typical of Disney movies. For the sake of PG the movie neglects to show Hercules with temper issues that cause the deaths of his teacher, Megara, his children, and countless others. Instead, he is reduced by Disney to a teenager that cannot control his strength and accidentally destroys the town center when he is with his father. The 12 labors that he pushes through are scattered events in the movie rather than his redemption from guilt for murdering his family in madness. For example, the Amazons are absent and cleaning the stables of Augeas is a small comment by Phil when reading a schedule to Hercules.
Several entire incidents were left out that could have contributed to the movie even with a Disney happy ending. In some versions of the myth, Theseus is a good friend to Hercules and would have only added positive images to the film if it had included him. Additionally, setting up The Pillars of Hercules would have added the montage of his great feats to illustrate how far he had come as a hero. To illustrate the low point of the hero before he matures, Disney could have included his attempt to fight with Apollo over the Oracle's reply. Zeus' intervention could mark a turning point in his motivation similar to the scene in the movie where he tells Hercules he is not yet a true hero.
Several entire incidents were left out that could have contributed to the movie even with a Disney happy ending. In some versions of the myth, Theseus is a good friend to Hercules and would have only added positive images to the film if it had included him. Additionally, setting up The Pillars of Hercules would have added the montage of his great feats to illustrate how far he had come as a hero. To illustrate the low point of the hero before he matures, Disney could have included his attempt to fight with Apollo over the Oracle's reply. Zeus' intervention could mark a turning point in his motivation similar to the scene in the movie where he tells Hercules he is not yet a true hero.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Disney's Hercules
However popular, Disney's Hercules is a poor depiction of the true myth. A major detail left out was that he killed his family. understandably, Disney left out this detail however there were ways they could have more accurately displayed his childhood. Rather than having our main character a murderer they could have created a back story of his family being killed and not due to him. Hercules still could have been without a family but in a way that was more accurate. Although this is far from the myth it did make it a more enjoyable movie and made our main hero character one easy to support. Had this movie been more factual it would be harder to want him to win in the end. likewise Hercules love for Meg was something that goes great with the theme of being a children's movie. It sends hidden messages about true character and being genuinely good as a person. Messages like these are great when we consider this movie is meant for kids.
Disney & Myth
The Disney film was not an accurate depiction of the myth, this is understandable since the context and audience is changed. One of the things in the myth that was left out of the film was the birth of Hercules' children, I think this should have been included. The film did a great job developing the relationship between Hercules and Meg and ended with them living together on Earth, this could have been improved with adding the starting of their own family at the end. It would make the characters have a greater sense of togetherness and future happiness. The film also had a strong beginning of the story with the birth of Hercules, a strong ending would have been with the birth of Hercules' own children. This would make a loop from beginning to end and strengthen the whole plot. The adding of this scene would also make the theme of family more predominant, this would be beneficial in a children and family film. I welcome the change of Hera to Hades. Because Hades is the iconic Greek and Roman mythology bad guy, by enforcing that stereotype it made the film more familiar. It also created a more extreme fight between good and bad since Hades represented the most deadly and evil God and Hera is generally associated with marriage through Greek and Roman mythology.
The Myth of Heracles vs. Disney's Hercules
I noticed that quite a lot of the mythology was cut out of Disney's Hercules. For one, Hera didn't hate him in the Disney version, instead she was his mom, and Hades hated him. So, Hercules didn't have fits of anger, which made him a more stable guy. However, he still didn't really know his own strength in the beginning of the movie, which leads into point two: in the Disney version, it is very clear that the people who knew Hercules didn't like him for fear of his strength. Another fun difference is that is that Hercules is depicted as having been originally a god, and that he has a Pegasus. As Hades is depicted as the antagonist to Hercules' protagonist in this version, he's the one who caused Hercules to become mortal the first time. Hades is in some way resposible for like all of the fights that Hercules was supposed to encounter in the myth: the centaur, the Hydra, the cyclops, etc. Finally, instead of him killing Megara, in the Disney version, he is first betrayed by her and then sacrifices his own life for hers. On the other hand, I liked that Disney left out the parts of the myths that made Hercules a problematic guy. However, it's hard to say what to keep since the movie is honestly so different from the original myths. Despite that, I'd say you probably could've still included the part in mythos where Hercules visited Delphi, and also the part where he had to do the twelve labors for King Eurystheus.
Disney's Hercules
The disney redemption of Hercules' epic life was very simplified for the sake of the intended audience. A lot of his story was changed, including the fact that he murdered his wife and family which in my opinion was for the better because this is a children's movie. However, the fact that he was cast out of Olympus because of a completely new tangent with Hades, was probably unnecessary. Hera was not his true mom and it would not have caused too much of a plot change to keep that little detail in, making the tale more realistic. Hera could have helped Hades get rid of him instead of Meg, and the happy go lucky Disney movie would've survived with Hercules only having a dad. Meg could have still been his love interest, just in a different way.
Disney's Hercules
The Hercules that Disney presents is a very dulled down version compared to that of Greek mythology, justifiably so. Disney's youth audience is incapable of understanding concepts of adultery and lust and would therefore lack an appropriate audience. Some changes, such as, Hercules birth and the killing of his family are welcomed because of their graphic content. However, I feel that such a brief and trivial depiction of Hercules's twelve labors is an insult to the myths. There are only minute glimpses of what made Hercules such a powerful hero and to be replaced by a music number does not support the legacy of Hercules. If the Disney movie were to expand the depth of Hercules and the magnitude of his power and capabilities as a hero the film would be better off.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Heracles/Hercules
Hercules is definitely a problematic hero because of his penchant to randomly go crazy if hera felt like it. Sure, he was great and beat up a bunch of monsters and stuff, but he was a constant danger to anyone around him at all times. He is similar to any tortured hero in a story, as they often are dangerous and realize it so they try to stay away from others.
Hercules
Hercules is a problematic hero due to his fits of rage caused by Hera. As a result of these mental break downs Hercules kills innocent people including his own wife and children. Hercules is a great hero but unfortunately he is plagued by Hera's curse. Although the Hulk did not begin to act in a way that benefited society until the Avengers, in my opinion he is the most relatable to Hercules. The obvious similarity is the uncontrollable fits of rage that can cause immense amounts of destruction.
A Problematic Hero
Hercules was a problematic hero because he had no sense of self control. his aggression levels would peak often and result in another being person dead. He strides for the simplistic approach to get a job done which goes against what we think of when we read the word hero. Hero's do not cut corners and yet Hercules constantly does this. On top of this he uses trickery to get what he wants. in doing this he puts others at a disadvantage like we see with the case of atlas having to hold the world. Hercules is a monster with good intentions, his resemblance is that of Hancock, the hero in reality who destroys nature in his attempts to do the right thing.
Hercules is a problematic hero because Hera had made him such. Hera would cause Hercules to have fits of madness and rage, she did this through her magic and powers as a goddess. These fits by Hercules did not just affect himself, they also harmed people and things around him. By not being able to control his mentality and actions at times Hercules was a tool for death and destruction towards the undeserving. A hero would not harm or kill a person that does not deserve it. His lack of consistent stability, and his strength of arms but not of mind also makes Hercules a problematic hero. The character Hercules can be compared to the character Hulk from Marvel Comics.
Heracles: a true hero?
Heracles was a problematic hero. This is because he constantly gets fits of rage ending up in an innocent person or creature dying. He also solves his problems through trickery and deception. When you think of a hero you think of someone who would do the right thing in an honorable fashion. Heracles takes the easy way out of most situations. With the Ceryneian Hide he was not suppose to harm the animal but he takes the easy way out and shoots the deer with an arrow. An example of his decept is when he tricks atlas into holding the world again. He directly lied to atlas to get what he wanted. A modern hero who is very similar to Heracles is The Incredible Hulk. They both have god like strength and both have extreme fits of rage that end up in innocent people dying.
Heracles was a problematic hero. This is because he constantly gets fits of rage ending up in an innocent person or creature dying. He also solves his problems through trickery and deception. When you think of a hero you think of someone who would do the right thing in an honorable fashion. Heracles takes the easy way out of most situations. With the Ceryneian Hide he was not suppose to harm the animal but he takes the easy way out and shoots the deer with an arrow. An example of his decept is when he tricks atlas into holding the world again. He directly lied to atlas to get what he wanted. A modern hero who is very similar to Heracles is The Incredible Hulk. They both have god like strength and both have extreme fits of rage that end up in innocent people dying.
Heracles: Not Hercules But Previously Alcides
Heracles is attributed with heroic status even to this day and yet he was one of the most destructive 'good' guys to exist. The classic image of the hero is in his feats where he saved cities and damsels from wild boars and sacrifice. However, the very need for him to complete the 12 labors is rooted in guilt for killing his entire family. Modern authors must leave out their heroes murdering and 'accidentally' harming everyone they meet from their formulaic stories. Yet, the theme of a hero that is regarded as such despite horrific actions persists through characters even though it deviates from the ideal. While a Disney movie may not reflect Heracles killing his teacher and children, Watchmen (2009) partially revolves around The Comedian, a maniac possessed with violence in the costume of a hero. On a general scale, several if not all hero movies show the destruction of towns and cities in the hero's fight to defend it. How many people really die when Superman throws the villain through a building? Therefore, the case of accidental harm on part of heroes is more common than it seems. Heracles is just a myth that aims for a tragic hero by attributing his negative actions to rage that is made out to be a burden that he suffers through not his own responsibility.
Hercules: Superman or super flawed?
Greek myths often feature flawed heroes. Oedipus accidentally married his mother, Jason betrayed his lover Medea, leading to the murder of his new wife and his exile and Odysseus’s pride and adulterous ways prevented him from returning to Ithaca for more than twenty years. These flawed heroes are either redeemed through heroic journeys or are meet with tragic fates. Hercules falls into the first category. As the mortal son of Zeus, Hercules possess immense strength. His godly strength is matched by his violent temper, leading to many accidental murders such as the death of his music tutor. In addition to his violent temper, Hercules is the victim of the wrath of Hera who hates Hercules due to him being the product of Zeus’s adulterous ways. In her quest to punish Hercules, Hera forces Hercules into one of his rages, causing him to murder his wife and children. To atone for his crimes, Hercules completes twelve labors such as killing the Nemean Lion. Hercule’s violent temper is ignored in Disney’s animated Hercules film. Instead, Hercules is portrayed as a Superman type character. While Hercules and other Greek myths have influenced comic characters such as Superman and Spider-Man, the flawed character of Hercules is more similar to characters such as Wolverine of the X-Men comic series and Max from the Mad Max series. These characters have tragic backstories, usually involving the deaths of their loved ones. Wolverine in particular has accidentally murdered several of his love interests and children, often due to being manipulated into a blind rage by his enemies. To redeem themselves, these characters must undergo trials, similar to the twelve trials Hercules underwent. Ultimately, Hercules is by no means a perfect character due to his violent temper and numerous accidental murders.
Heracles: The Problematic Hero
Heracles is a problematic hero because of his use and abuse of his power. While his strength and his curse put him in a position where his help was necessary to aid others, it also put him in positions where it could be utilized for harm. His powers came as a blessing and a curse, helping him defeat several monsters and save many lives, however, in the process he needlessly took several others. His reckless actions perpetuated themselves. As he destroyed monsters people began to worship his as a hero and glossed over his reckless and dangerous actions. We see Heracles glorified as a hero in these tales because people tend to overlook the bad in favor of the good. We see this concept with vigilantes tales in our modern day, while they aren't exactly the same as Heracles, we still choose to overlook the bad deeds that people commit due to the good ones that they perform as well. In the tale of Robin Hood, he steals from the rich to give to the poor. While it is morally wrong to steal from anyone, Robin Hood is seen as a hero due to the good actions that he performs when giving to the poor. Many other tales such as all modern day superhero stories, namely the Hulk, show us heroes that leave destruction in their wake while ultimately performing a good deed.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Hercules: The Problematic Hero
Hercules is a problematic hero because of Hera's wrath placed upon him. Although, he completed many heroic deeds he suffered fits of madness as a result of Hera's jealousy of his birth. These fits of madness can be seen as his tragic flaw. In addition to his fits of madness however, was his lack of faithfulness for his wife Deianira which leads to his death. Another, more modern, representation of a problematic hero can be scene in the character of Jon Snow in the popular HBO series "Game of Thrones". Jon Snows problem lies in the conditions of his birth; being born the bastard of a king results in lack of respect and therefore authority. This results in his membership to the Night's Watch, similar to that of the twelve trials Hercules faces. It is there that he proves himself a natural leader and remarkable warrior. Similarly to that of Hercules it is there that those closest to him lead to his death by betrayal. The Night's Watch murder of Jon Snow parallels that of Deianira's murder of his husband has they were convinced by someone else. Lastly, is the parallel to Hercules becoming a god; Jon snow is revived through magic where he then leaves the Night's Watch to go and help his family. That is where the series left off and as you can see the story of Jon Snow as a problematic hero has parallels to that of Hercules.
Heracles
Heracles was doomed from the beginning. He faced the wrath of Hera from before his birth until after his death. Plagued with fits of madness that would claim the lives of those closest to him, Heracles led a troubled life. However, his life was filled with great deeds and feats of cunning and intellect as well as brute strength. What makes Heracles a problematic hero are the downfalls in his morals and those brought on with madness he is forced to endure. Most heroes in any book or movie are problematic. It allows the reader or viewer to connect with the hero. Watching a movie or reading a book would be far less interesting with a "perfect" hero. The most common example of a problematic hero would be any number of superheroes. They try to help humanity from a great evil and in the process they leave great destruction on their city and its inhabitants.
A Problematic Hero
Hercules is a very problematic hero because of his curse from Hera. He ends up saving a lot of lives but because of this curse he ends up killing his wife and children, and hurting many other people without any consequences. Heroes being immune to backlash is a common occurrence in epics and stories, but it still shows that Hercules was not all he was talked up to be. The fact that Hera cursed him at his birth, because she didn't want him to be born, reminds me of the movie Ella Enchanted, even though she isn't a hero, she is also cursed when she is born and has to overcome this. If i were to compare Hercules to a superhero though, Spiderman comes closest because, even though his heart is in the right place and he ends up saving people, he causes destruction everywhere and gets away with it.
Hercules- A Problematic Hero
Hercules was a problematic hero because the goddess Hera resented the fact that her husband Zeus had a kid with a mortal. She was so upset that she even tried to prevent his birth all together. When this failed, she decided to curse Hercules every now and then, rendering him completely insane. These fits of madness that he occasionally experienced often ended with Hercules killing at least some if not a number of innocent lives. However Hercules often performed many heroic deeds that helped many people stay alive. These conflicts made Hercules a problematic hero. He saved many innocent lives but at the cost of other innocent lives. He reminds me of the Star Trek next generation character named Q who enjoyed wrecking havoc on people's lives through out the galaxy, but who also played an important role in saving the Enterprise on many occasions.
Hercules: A Problematic Hero?
Hercules is a problematic hero because sometimes he kills people or hurts people and there are minimal consequences for him. For example, he killed his wife Megara and his children and he only had to get purified by King Thespius. Even though he kills them because of a madness that was brough on by Hera, I don't forgive him for this act because he marries again, and makes it possible for the exact same thing to happen again. In addition, he hurts the wise centaur, Chiron, putting him in eternal pain and for this he also recieves no consequences. I think there are quite a few modern heroes that experience the same thing, Superman, Spiderman, Batman, etc, all wreck havoc in their cities when fighting evil and for the most part don't experience the consequences of the havoc that the wreck.
Hercules: A Problematic Hero
Hercules is a problematic hero because Hera had made him such. Hera would cause Hercules to have fits of madness and rage, she did this through her magic and powers as a goddess. These fits by Hercules did not just affect himself, they also harmed people and things around him. By not being able to control his mentality and actions at times Hercules was a tool for death and destruction towards the undeserving. A hero would not harm or kill a person that does not deserve it. His lack of consistent stability, and his strength of arms but not of mind also makes Hercules a problematic hero. The character Hercules can be compared to the character Hulk from Marvel Comics.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Death of Maximus's Family
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Gladiator
This is the scene where Maximus has just beaten the the famous gladiator known for being undefeated. In this shot the audience is looking up at Maximus to show how powerful he is. The sun is shining on him and the handle of the axe is now golden and shining. His skill in battle is so good that some could even call it god like. The spectators chant his name as if he is some sort of divinity amongst them. He also makes the choice to not kill the man even though the emperor has motioned him to do so. The crowd seems to love this act of kindness and uproars even louder chanting his name. Also in this scene he is somewhat playing god because it is ultimately his choice if the other gladiator lives or dies. Symbolically he is taking the role of emperor away from Commodus because it is the emepors choice who lives or dies and Maximus makes that decision rather than the emperor.
This scene is when Commodus is feeling the crowd for how they think the fight should end. The camera angle gives power to him because we are looking up at him while he looks down on the gladiators. Their fate is in his hands and the smug look on his face means he knows how much power he has and he loves it. The way the lens focus is not on the hand but on his face makes the audience pay attention to his expressions as he makes his decision, playing up the suspense just for the sake of the crowd. His dark clothing and dark background gives the appearance that Commodus is in a dark shadow, which is fitting because he is about to seal the deal on whether a man is killed or not. Also his dark outfit shows his evil character and you can't really see his body, only his hand and his head, the two important, decision making focuses of the scene.
Gladiator Screenshot Analysis
This screenshot shows an up close picture of Maximus right before he is going to kill the other gladiator. At least that is what the crowd and viewers think, but instead he lets the other go to chants of "Maximus the merciful!!!" looking back on this shot we could have guessed that he was about to do something good because of the light shining in behind him. Light like this shining down upon someone in a movie is always a sign that the person is good or will do something good. The way Maximus is looking down, with a look of part pity and part sadness, shows really well the conflict in Maximus' mind between killing to be set free, or not killing out of morality. Just after this shot, Maximus drops his axe and wins the crowd over further, setting up his final duel with Commodus by angering him further.
Gladiator.
The scene above shows Commodus confronting Maximus before the final combat scene. The scene seems to embody the continuous theme of "squaring off" as it undoubtedly resembles scene from movies as far back as Ben-Hur (1925) where Messala and Ben-Hur puff chests at each other before the race. However, Gladiator is true to its claim of being visually different in that for one of the first times the evil villain is clad completely in white, contrasting later with Maximus' characteristic black armor. In the specific scene above, Maximus is intended to resemble Jesus. His arms are spread in the pose of crucifixion and his garment is simple light colored cloth. Thus, his death makes him a martyr of the cause of the Roman Republic rather than Christianity. Additionally, the use of lighting in this scene creates a stronger contrast between the enemies. The light hits Maximus in streaks over his face, illuminating him, while Commodus is left in the dark to mirror his character. Hopefully the filmmakers hoped by slightly blurring the background that nobody would notice Maximus not securely chained. In fact it looks like he is holding himself there.
This scene depicts Maximus prior to his first fight in the Coliseum in which he is intended to loose. More importantly is the fact that the main character wears a helmet. In almost all other movies the main character always has their face revealed to the audience. However, his face being covered helps build the tension in the following scene in which he reveals his identity to Commodus. As a result, of this clever use of facial protection the director more effectively gets the emotional response from the audience that he intended
Gladiator Scene Analysis
This shot depicts Maximus's reaction to all the carnage around him after the battle is over. While the battle was won, Maximus is not celebrating as though he has won some great victory that will bring about a lasting peace. On the contrary Maximus looks appalled by the carnage that he see's all around him. His face appears darkened and even slightly mangled by the battle he just fought. He looks like a man who has suffered from the violence just like the rest of his men. In my opinion what this scene depicts is that Maximus is not a conflict first sort of a man. I think this scene tells us that he is an ordinary man who simply cares for his farm and his family. In addition it also shows that Maximus cares for his soldiers and men who are under his command and that he feels responsible for them. Overall the shot is used to portray Maximus as an ordinary man even though he holds the distinction of being one of Rome's best generals.
Gladiator Scene
Gladiator Scene Analysis
Like most toga movies, Gladiator is filled with political subtext. Along with serving as a warning for government corruption, Gladiator comments on the mob effect of politics and the power of the people. In the film, both Maximus and Commodus must gain and retain public favor to achieve their goals. Maximus needs the support of the people to kill Commodus and avenge his family and Commodus needs the support of the people in order to rule Rome. This need for support can be seen in the scene where Commodus tries to orders his Praetorian Guard to execute Maximus after he revealed himself. Due to Maximus’s incredibly entertaining performance in the ring, the people in the stadiums angrily yell at Commodus to spare the gladiator. Commodus quickly realizes that executing Maximus would damage his already rocky popularity and orders the Praetorian Guard to stand down, causing the crowd to cheer. From this scene, it becomes clear that even Commodus, one of the most reviled Roman emperors in history, can be swayed by the pressure of public opinion. Interestingly, Maximus is able to defy the crowd by sparing the life of Tigris. Instead of this turning the crowd against Maximus, the crowd’s support for Maximus increases. This can be interpreted as commentary on how easily swayed public opinions can be, especially when dealing with a popular and exciting figure. Ultimately, Gladiator shows that the power of the people and public opinion can be just as powerful as the sword.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Gladiator Scene Analysis
Gladiator Scene
This is the scene of Commodus's arrival to Rome. This is a long and wide shot that has a focus on the front and the back. In the back stands the Colosseum of Rome. In the middle is citizens of Rome, large rectangles of nameless people. In the front is Emperor Commodus, his nephew Lucius, and two Senators, Gracchus and Gaius. Gracchus and Gaius are wearing white with black stripes, while Commodus is wearing white under his armor. The Colosseum behind Commodus shows what he will use for support. Support for his image, and his love for and from the people of Rome. However the Colosseum behind Commodus also shows that it will stab him in the back, betray him and cost him his life. The middle is what he wants acceptance and love from, Romes citizens is what he hopes to have standing behind him. And the the front is the Senators whom Commodus despises. In between Commodus and the Senators is Lucius, wearing brown, is acting as a barrier between these two opposing forces. The majority of color in this shot is black and white, this makes the shot look drab and simplistic. The shots colossal background and animation makes it impressive as well. This is also a high angle shot, the camera is well above Commodus, Lucius and all Roman citizens. The Colosseum is the main object in the shot that is above the camera. This represents the prominence and importance of the Colosseum. This shot also says that the Colosseum is paramount when compared to other forces in Roman society.
Gladiator scene analysis
In this scene Maximus is walking through the fields to his family in the afterlife. The entire film we are given these flash backs of What looks like Maximus's hand grazing over this wheat. Initially in the opening scenes we are given the impression that he is reliving happier moments in his life and that is portrayed by the uplifting light sound of the music. we are never given a clear image of where Maximus is or what he is walking towards until the end of the film where the paths of reality and these visions cross. Upon Maximus's death we finally see his body walking through the fields and and we see that he is walking towards his family. It is now clear to see that Maximus's day dreams of a better time were really his visions of being with his family again and the difference between life and death is his being with his family
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Was Nero Evil?
I myself do not believe that anybody is inherently evil, it is not something that somebody is born with but rather something that they develop. Nero was not purely evil however he did have evil qualities. He was responsible for the death of his brother, mother and two wives, and potentially thousands more in the Great Fire. The death's of his family members and wives were very personal killings that it takes a great amount of malice to perform, such as kicking his pregnant wife to death. Despite Nero's lack of respect for death and evil acts he was not an evil man. He was loved by most of his people and was respected and loved even after his death. Nero's evil deeds may have been a result of a poor childhood, being raised by a power hungry single mother and being put under the pressure of an entire empire at such a young age. This possibility that he was raised to be ruthless may be why Nero was capable of such evil deeds. Overall, I do think that Nero had evil moments in which he acted ruthlessly or poorly but he was not entirely or inherently evil.
Was Nero Evil? I believe that people are innately good and have good intentions. Although Nero is highlighted for his evil deeds, I don't think he was an all around evil person. An evil person only intends to do harm in this world, and I don't believe that any person could ever only intend to do harm. People supported him as Emperor so he must have done something at least somewhat good. I'm not trying to say that Nero was a good person because he definitely wasn't. He killed members of his own family and evidence shows that he raped and abused many people. So there's no way he's a good person by any means but I'm still not convinced that he is an evil person.
A Perspective on Nero
Emperor Nero of Rome carries a preconceived notion of persecution, cruelty, and insanity. However, he is historically attributed to the execution against his own family the most. In 55 he poisoned his brother and in 59 he was responsible for the murder of his own mother. Consequently, the deaths of two of his wives followed in the years of his rule. While Christians were heavily persecuted by Rome, Nero is not an outstanding example of that or the only cruel emperor. The people of Rome actually supported him throughout his reign. If he had not alienated the Senate, he may be remembered in a kinder light than he is now. Although Nero was supported by some, the concept of him as an embodiment of evil is plausible to those after his rule. Stories of rape, mugging, murder, and homosexual abuse tend to conjure negative connotations. Therefore, Nero is certainly responsible for evil deeds and should in no way be idolized. However, if there were people who supported him he must have been a decent emperor in the public eye, at least at the time. A film representation of Nero as punishing and malicious could very easily slip out of accuracy and take the evil actions much further.
Evil Nero
Nero seemed to always be causing trouble to someone somewhere. He had several people close to him killed including his mother Agrippina, his wives Octavia and Poppaea, the natural son of Claudius, and others. The only decent act he seemed to do, whether it was genuine or for personal gain, was organize relief measures for the public after the fire. His kindness here was quickly overshadowed by the construction of his new Golden House. His passion for music was even quite selfish because he hired the greatest living master of the lyre as his personal teacher. From the article it would be easy to say Nero is evil, but unfortunately we don't know how much is true or written by a very biased author.
Was Nero Evil?
I think that you can never truly say that a person was absolutely evil. Everyone has redeeming qualities, it isn't inherently evil to like all things Greek or to have a love a music, plus the general populous loved him. However, it is very clear that Nero was not a good person, considering how his opponents, perceived or no, dropped like flies, even his mother. In addition, it is very unlikely that a good person would have a rumor about them going out at night to mug, attack, rape people, etc. Therefore, I would say that no, Nero was not evil through and through but he did a lot of evil thing and that makes him a bad person.
Nero
You could argue that Nero was not all bad. At the beginning of his reign, he was viewed as a good ruler who held up democratic ideals, and gave speeches saying so. But, he did not write these words, they were written by Seneca, his tutor and caretaker. Later was when Nero started to show what I believe were his true colors. He had his mother killed, then exiled his first wife (later having her killed) because he wanted a prettier wife. Then, when his second wife was pregnant with their second child, he beat her to death. Nero was clearly mentally unstable, and a very dangerous person, not just to those close to him but also to the general populous of Rome. It is widely believed that he set a giant fire in Rome just so he could build a new house, then blamed it on the Christians. So, Nero was really only bearable when he had Seneca keeping him in check. After that he was able to let loose and do all of the crazy evil stuff he really wanted to do without opposition.
Is Nero evil?
Nero was a man plagued with power. At the age of 16 having the title of dictator of Rome is very overwhelming. However; it seemed he handled it fine with the guidance of his mother. This leads to his first burst of evil in a way as he orders his mother killed. This along with some other occurrences display the crazy and evil nature of Nero. Forcing the people to watch his plays and similar occurrences show how crazy Nero was. Yet Roman history was recorded by the wealthy. Nero raised taxes and pissed off the senate meaning that what we know of Nero may be biased and therefore I cannot determine if Nero is pure evil but rather a man of the common people who pissed off the wrong rich people.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Nero is evil
Nero was an evil man. Under his authority people
with religious affiliations such as Christianity where tortured and morals
destroyed. this being something that came with Nero’s amounts of overwhelming
power. He was very cut throat and his expectations were not met, who ever responsible
would suffer severe punishment. It was even said that Nero killed several
family members including multiple wives and his own mother. This kind of
ruthless instinct is something you see present in wild animals not human
beings. As an emperor Nero was at fault for several horrendous actions leading
up to his death and that is why we remember him today
Does Nero deserve his reputation?
Nero certainly had a dysfunctional relationship with his mother Agrippina, even by modern standards. Agrippina’s controlling relationship over her son reportedly bordered on incest and resulted in Nero becoming a paranoid, insecure and violent emperor. The unhealthy relationship Nero had with Agrippina reminded me of the unnatural mother-son relationship in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, especially due to the early death of Nero’s father. However, kicking to death a pregnant woman and many other crimes, such as his violent persecution of Christians, cannot be excused by a sympathetic childhood or a devotion to the Roman arts. Ultimately, Nero earns his infamous reputation.
Was Nero Evil?
This question is a difficult one to answer because the history of Nero and his reign could be alternate to what actually occurred, to some degree. History is written by the victors and Nero was at the end, a loser. From what I do know of Nero through historical account he was an evil man. By his ruling Christians were tortured and their safety and comfort destroyed, Nero abused the Christians so much that sympathy for them was established by people that stood by. Nero's reign also accounted for the mistreatment of civilian's livelihoods, and the carelessness of the empire's economics. Along with his love of his own arts and the controlling of others, whether it be another mans genitals or a large audiences required attendance, by all this Nero is a through and through evil leader with selfish intentions.
Nero is Absolutely Evil
Emperor Nero is in my view the very definition of evil. He was man who was so consumed by the executive power that he wielded that if something did not meet his expectations he would see fit to simply terminate by any means necessary. He killed two wives simply because they couldn't bear children for him. He even kicked one of his wives to death while she was pregnant with a child. Is that not the very definition of evil? While he may have been razed by a power hungry mother and brought up in a wealthy atmosphere, isn't Nero in the end responsible for his on actions? He murdered his own mother, I highly doubt that's what she razed him too do with his life. Every individual is accountable for his own actions. Society or more specifically Nero's mother are not the guilty parties. Nero is solely responsible for his actions. Nero committed some horrific actions while he was Emperor of Rome and his ineffective rule and failure to get along with the Roman Senate led to his eventual assassination or suicide. I'd say he was a failure as both an emperor and especially as a person.
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