MYTHOLOGY: Friday, November 20th, 2015

Dear Mythology Kids,

THANKSGIVING BREAK is almost here....YOU CAN DO THIS!

If you missed class, we completed the following.

1. Students completed Journal #11 entitled "Interesting Medusa. " You can find the clip on the History Chanel; it is called "Medusa." Please view it and record a minimum of 10 interesting points regarding the information shared with you regarding Medusa.

2. Students were introduced to a new assignment (indicated below). Please read through the instructions and come prepared on Tuesday to type your response in the lab. It is due at the end of class! Choose your art work, and locate text to support your points within the "Perseus" myth found within your book.

3. Student completed a quiz covering the "Perseus" myth. The myth is located on page 146 in your book, or page 205 if you purchased your own addition.

“Damaging Self”

“Hercules and the Nemean Lion” By: Baldassarre Peruzzi

1. Identify the subjects indicated in the piece of art work.

In the piece entitled “Heracles and the Nemean Lion,”by Baldassarre Peruzzi, Heracles, the greatest of Greek heroes, is grappling against the Nemean lion. The lion was the first of twelve seemingly impossible tasks completed by Heracles

2. In order to understand the piece, does the audience need some schema regarding past events?

Hera, queen of the gods, detested Heracles, because he was the child of Zeus, her husband, and a mortal woman named Alcemene. Hera was so jealous of Zeus’s constant infidelities that she chose to retaliate against his lovers; however, Hera did not choose to take her anger out on Alcemene, as Alcemene was a faithful follower to Hera. Instead, Hera took her fury out on the child, who Alcemene named Heracles, after the goddess she worshipped. Hera wanted to destroy the child, as he was a constant reminder of Zeus’s infidelity. So, to carry out her revenge, Hera caused the young Heracles to go insane. While playing with his three young sons and his wife, Megara, he temporarily went mad. According to Edith Hamilton "Hera who never forgot a wrong sent the madness upon him. He killed his children and Megera, too, as she tried to protect the youngest. Then his sanity returned. He found himself in a blood bathed hall; the bodies of his wife and children beside them" (Hamilton, 168). Once his lucidity returned, and he saw the bodies of his family, he knew that he must accept any fate the gods prepared for him, as this was the only way he would be forgiven of his horrible crime. Hera, naturally thrilled that he had destroyed his family, decided that she would determine his fate and punishment. She said the only way he could be forgiven involved the completion of twelve impossible tasks. The first labor was to kill the Nemean Lion; an impossible task, because the lion’s skin was impenetrable.

3. What is taking place in the art work?

Heracles is able to defeat the Nemean lion by using his own strength against it. Hamilton states, " The first was to kill the lion of Nemea, a beast no weapons could wound. That difficulty Heracles solved by chocking the life out of him" (Hamilton, 171). After choking the lion, Heracles realizes that the skin would be an ideal form of armor, since it is impenetrable. Initially, he is lost for a way to sever the skin from the lion’s body. He finally decides to use the lion’s claw as the “tool” to complete the job. He rips one of the claws from the immense paw, and uses it to cut through the steal-like skin, finally obtaining the impenetrable armor. From that moment on, he wears the skin as a form of protection against other monsters and weapons that he will encounter in the future.

4. Explain the symbolic meaning concerning the myth depicted in the piece.

The “claw” used to sever the lion’s skin represents the “damage” individuals cause themselves. The lion's claw was the only way Heracles could obtain the lion's hide; basically, the lion then severed its own skin. The symbolism behind this action indicates that people act as their greatest enemies; consequently, they cause the most damage to themselves. It is not outside forces that destroy individuals, but their own flaws.

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH! IF YOU ARE LEAVING EARLY FOR THE BREAK, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SUBMIT A HARD COPY PRIOR TO STARTING YOUR HOLIDAY!

1. Select a piece of art located below for your assignment entitled " Myth in Art"

2. Follow the example above, by thoroughly responding to the included questions:

Identify the subjects indicated in the piece of artwork
In order to understand the piece, does the audience need some schema regarding past events?
What is taking place in the art work?
Explain the symbolic meaning concerning the myth/character depicted in the piece.

3. Textual support must be used in questions #2 and #3. Please see the example above.
4. Please use MLA format, evn though the example given to you in class, and above, is single spaced.