![]() ![]() To further this, Hades also conformed to, and not challenged, broader Greek customs and ideas of morality. Furthermore, this leniency and justness contradicts the evil agenda driven by greed that is often depicted in popular culture. Therefore, within myth, Hades is not pitted against these heroes, but alongside them. In another myth, he also aided Orpheus, allowing him to venture to the underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice (an action in itself that ultimately undermines the natural balance of life and death), and even warns him not to look back at her until they had reached the land of the living. In Apollodorus’ narrative, Hades allowed this on the condition that no weapons were used and the subsequent return of Cerberus. Rather than obstruct, Hades actually aided Heracles’ twelfth labour, which was to retrieve Cerberus (Hades’ guardian of the gates) from the underworld. It, again, was Hera who taunted Heracles his whole life, by sending him into an enraged madness that resulted in him murdering his wife, and ultimately had to embark upon his twelve labours (set out by Hera) to repent. For starters, in the myth, it was Hera, Zeus’ enraged and jealous wife and goddess of marriage, who ordered the death of infant Heracles, who was Zeus’ son by a mortal mistress. While obviously altered to follow the standard Disney narrative of ‘plucky hero’s plight against evil’, wherein good ultimately triumphs, the portrayal of Hades as ‘The Bad Guy’ wildly contrasts Hades in myth. It also centres around Hades’ greed and jealousy, as he hires his minions ‘Pain’ and ‘Panic’ to kill Hercules in a bid to overthrow to ‘good’ gods of Olympus. The narrative depicts him as the antithesis of Zeus, who is presented almost as a modern-day God. This article will explore not only how the depiction of Hades in ancient myth contradicts that of Disney’s Hercules, but also why the creators present the god in this light.Īs a Disney villain, Hades is presented as an inherently evil force than must be overcome in order to rebalance the world. However, this framing is far from true by Greek mythological standards. Disney not only physically presents him as an embodiment of the Christian devil, by depicting him with ‘hellish’ characteristics, but also with typical villainous qualities – greedy, feared and ruthless. ![]() Within all of these, Hades is presented as an inherent evil. Ancient Greek myth has become commonplace amongst popular culture, with many-an adaptation of the myth of Heracles, alongside other staples such as the Percy Jackson series and the loosely-based God of War franchise. ![]() A catchy soundtrack, a lovable hero, and the triumph of good over evil, the film fits the bill of a typical Disney film. Anyone with a shred of taste has watched and loved Disney’s 1997 adaptation of Hercules. ![]()
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