Plot & History
Comparing the myth and movie has its challenges as the two stories have almost nothing in common. The original Hercules, actually spelled Heracles, was seen as a murderer and was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene. The adultery and violence present in the myth made the original Hercules unfit for a Disney Hero, therefore they felt it necessary to take some creative liberties to make the story more family-friendly.
The Disney version of the story shows Hercules as the well-loved child of Zeus and Hera. One night he is taken away from them by Zeus’ brother Hades due to a prophecy shown by the Fates. The prophecy states that after eighteen years Hades shall release the titans and destroy Zeus. However, if Hercules fights he will fail. In an effort to make Hercules mortal and then kill him, Hades orders his minions Pain and Panic to feed baby Hercules a mortality potion with specific instructions that the baby must drink every last drop of the potion. Unfortunately for Hades, Hercules drinks the whole bottle except one drop, therefore he is able to keep his one superhuman gift of strength. He is then found by a peasant couple named Alcmene and Amphitryon who raise him as their own. His superhuman gift doesn’t come without struggle as it causes Hercules to be ostracized from the rest of the children in his town. Hercules is left feeling like he doesn’t belong and starts on a journey to find his real family. He discovers he was once a god and in a conversation with a statue of his dad, he tells young Hercules that he will be able to come back Olympus once he proves that he is a true hero. Hercules then finds Philotetes or Phil a famous hero trainer who agrees to train him to become a hero. He fights many monsters that mirror the monsters he had to fight in the myth and starts to become famous among the people of Greece. Hades tries everything in his power to kill Hercules along the way but nothing works until he uses his love interest, Megara or Meg, as leverage. Hades makes a deal with Hercules that if he allows his power of strength to be taken away for 24 hours, Meg wouldn’t get hurt. On this day Hades releases the Titans and Meg ends up being crushed by a pillar. It is only when Hercules risks his life for Meg when diving into the pool of souls to save her from dying, does he become a true god. In the end, Hercules turns down his opportunity to live amongst the gods and decides he belongs with Meg on Earth. In Disney’s version, Hercules is portrayed as the perfect hero, who is selfless and a family man, but in reality, this wasn’t the case.
The Myth is full of pain and selfishness. Just before Heracles was born, Zeus boasted about the new child that was half-mortal and half god. Hera was angry that her husband had fathered another child with a mortal woman and while Heracles was still an infant, Hera sent two snakes to kill him in his crib. Heracles used his strength to strangle the snakes but Hera's wrath continued to plague him until the end of his life. She periodically inflicted fits of madness on Heracles that drove the hero to destroy those around him. When Heracles was a young man, he took music lessons from a man named Linus. During one of their lessons, Linus struck Heracles. Young Heracles flew into a rage and killed the music teacher. Later in his life, Heracles and his wife Megara had three children together, but in a fit of madness caused by Hera, Heracles killed Megara and the children. The Pythia told him he should serve Eurystheus, king of Tiryns, for twelve years, and if he completed all the labors imposed on him by Eurystheus, Heracles would become immortal.
As described above, the only things that the two have in common are similar names and the fact that Hercules in both stories strived to become immortal. These changes were made because of the specific audience Disney was trying to reach and to create a beginner’s guide to the ancient world without the harsh realities of blood, sex, and violence.
