Was Perseus A Hero Or A Villain?

There have lived and died many great heroes of Greeks Mythology, all of which have left incredible stories to tell throughout generations and generations of people. Yet, were these heroes truly heroic? Were Theseus, Perseus, or Hercules ever magnificent people without ever having flaws? Did Theseus have the courage that resembled no other? Was Perseus as notable as people believe him to be? Could Hercules be seen as a villain rather than a hero?

To begin, the Ancient Greeks admired Theseus as a hero because of his courage. One of the first examples in his story is when “he steadfastly refused, therefore, the ship his mother and grandfather urged on him, telling them that to sail on it would be a contemptible flight from danger” (Hamilton 150).

It even states in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology that “He was what all Greece except Athens most admired” (Hamilton 225). For example, when Hercules killed his wife and child, he felt the need to pay for his sins. He, therefore, went to The King Of Mycenae, to do whatever tasks the king saw fit as a way for Hercules to pay for his sins. These would be called The Twelve Tasks Of Hercules. Each of the tasks were “all but impossible” (Hamilton 232). These tasks took Hercules years to complete, yet he kept to them, to pay part of his life for his lost family. To add, The Ancient Greeks valued the trait of inner drive that Hercules possessed because it showed people that while Hercules may be stronger than them they could still have the same inner strength that he had. His story also shows that no matter how many times Hercules messed up, he would go back and try to fix it. After doing this same thing for years, only when he died, he would finally win over Hera’s kindness. This story for the Ancient Greeks was a very positive driver for them to be good to each other and hold themselves accountable for their

While his strong and violent side was of value in Ancient Greece, the trait of cruelty and violence he possesses would not be of value as a hero. Sure, all heroes have flaws and weaknesses, but Hercules’ inability to make decisions outside of what his emotions tell him to do is a major flaw in his character. For example, when Hercules met his friend King Admetus, Hercules did not notice that his friend was upset. He stayed at his castle for days getting roaring drunk night after night until a servant accidentally told Hercules about their Queen, Alcestis, recently died. Then, of course, Hercules only then pieced it together in his head and felt that he must make amends. He let his emotions control him too much and went directly into the underworld after this Queen. While he was able to bring her from the underworld and reunite her with Admetus, Hercules was so dense that he never realized what happened. The sheer stupidity Hercules possesses is not a trait that is admirable nor is it a trait that would be worthy of a hero. Additionally, while he does have a semi-functioning moral compass, he would not be considered a villain either. He has done villainous things such as slaughtering his whole family, under Hera’s mist. I do wonder, if Hercules was less driven by emotion and had a stronger willpower, would he have been able to snap out of Hera’s mist