Who Is Heracles Affect My Childhood Perception Of The Hero?
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Sophocles' tragedy Women of Trachis destroyed my childhood perception of the hero, Hercules. Heracles is much different man than the Disney-glorified Hercules. Hercules is goofy and courageous while Heracles is vain and quick to pass judgment. When we first encounter Heracles, he is passed out on a stretcher, suffering from the poison of the robe his wife, Deianeira, gave him. Heracles awakens in a hot flash of anger, crying out "I'm in agony here, stabbing pain, total misery" (985). Heracles blames his searing pain and imminent death on his wife, saying to his son, Hyllus "Your mother is godless" (1035) and thus Heracles calls for her death. The worst part of this death to Heracles is the lack of honor. He is not being killed in battle or dying of old age after a long and illustrious life.…show more content… Heracles attempts to regain his masculinity be recounting the great deeds he has done, from never being defeated on the battlefield to defeating great monsters like the Hydra of Lerna, the lion of Nemea, and the great dragon which guarded the golden apples. But Heracles knows that his fate is not noble unlike all these feats he has performed. He says now "I am nothing and I cannot even crawl" (1107). Hyllus finally stops his father's pity party, informing him that the poison was from Nessus, the centaur, and it was not Deianeira's intention to kill him. Actually, her intention was to bring Heracles closer to her through the blood Nessus described as a love potion that ultimately proved to be poison and Heracles' demise. After hearing this, Heracles moves to a state of understanding. He tells Hyllus: "Now I know exactly where I stand" (1145). Heracles accepts his death because it is