A myth is a ‘folk tale’, usually explaining why events in history occurred the way they did or why natural phenomena occurred, and in terms of ancient history, this often relates back to the ancient gods. For example, Ancient Greek myth speculates that lightning occurs as a result of Zeus’ rage.
However, ancient myths have evolved over time, whether due to differing interpretations, or being adapted to be more palatable to modern audiences. Early Greek myth portrays Medusa as monstrous from the womb, not due to a transformation. However, later Greek and Roman myth depicts her originally as beautiful, and then undergoing a transformation into the monster she is known to be, because of Athena’s rage.
Myths have also evolved over a larger timescale, such as Hercules. In the original myth, goddess Hera, married to Zeus, discovers her husband’s infidelity, which resulted in the birth of demigod Hercules. She becomes irate and uses the full extent of her power to kill Hercules, including sending snakes to his cradle as a child, encouraging him to fight dangerous battles and overall, her actions render him temporarily insane to the point he kills his wife and children. He then had to complete 12 labours in order to be cleansed of his sin and become an immortal god.
However, in Disney’s 1997 film adaption, Hercules is the child of Zeus and Hera, but is cursed by his uncle Hades to be a demigod and live on Earth. The movie follows Hercules journey to return to Mount Olympus and restore his immortality. This interpretation is drastically altered to cater to family audiences by removing infidelity and attempted murder and forging a typical family dynamic and a love story.
The evolution of ancient myths proves their significance in our lives today. They have transformed for many purposes, whether to deliver a moral warning such as Pandora’s box, or simply for entertainment, such as Percy Jackson.
~Hana
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