PerseusJarrod Casper, Taylor Meckes,

Jax Hendrickson, Chloe Bagwell

Heroic Qualities and FlawsHeroic Qualities Flaws

Determined Killed his grandfather

Brave Cocky

Hopeful Stubborn

Events • The Oracle of Apollo told King Acrisius that his

future grandson would kill him.• He locked Danae, his daughter, away in a house of

bronze underground to avoid the birth of a child. • Zeus came from the sky in the form of gold and

Danae had a child 9 months later. • When King Acrisius discovered Danae’s child,

Perseus, he locked his daughter and grandson in a box and threw them in the sea.

Events • Danae and Perseus eventually washed up on an

island, and a kind-hearted fisherman, Dictys, found them and took them in as his own.

• Dictys’s evil brother, Polydectes, the King of the island, fell in love with Danae but did not want anything to do with Perseus.

• Polydectus announced that he wanted the head of Medusa as a wedding gift. He did this because he knew that Perseus would offer to get it because he was unable to afford anything else.

Events • He journeyed to Greece to find where the Gorgons

(three snake-headed sisters) would be found • He searched for a long time and did not succeed.• Hermes and Athena came to assist Perseus on his

Quest. Hermes gave him a wallet (that would hold Medusas head), a sword, and winged shoes.

• Athena gave Perseus a protective shield, and Hermes acted as his guide to three different places: the gates, the home of Medusa, and the Nymphs of the North (who gave him an invisibility cap).

Events• When Perseus found the Gorgons, he used his wing sandals to

fly over the sleeping sisters, looking only at his shield to avoid Medusa turning him into stone. Athena guided his hand as he beheaded her, and when the sisters woke, he put on the cap of darkness so that they could not see him. He then placed the head inside of his magic wallet.

• On the way back, he came across a fair maiden named Andromeda, who was chained to a rock to be sacrificed to a sea monster. This was a punishment from the Gods because of Cassiopeia’s (Andromeda’s mother) hubris, bragging, and arrogance.

• Perseus rescued Andromeda from the serpent by chopping off its head. He instantly fell in love with her and they married soon after.

<Events

• Upon their return, Perseus found Polydectes in a banquet at his palace. He turned him and his people into stone with the head of Medusa.

• Perseus and his mother returned to Greece with Andromeda for a reunification with Acrisius. They soon discovered that Acrisius had been driven away from the city.

• Later, Perseus participated in an athletic contest, which was hosted by the King of Larissa. Perseus took part in a disc-throwing contest, but his disc slipped and flew toward the crowd.

• Prophesy came true and the disc accidentally struck his grandfather, who was killed instantly.

• Perseus and Andromeda lived happily ever after.

* Their son, Electryon, was the grandfather of Hercules

Motifs and Themes• What goes around come around

- the prophesy with the king - Polydectes’s evilness led directly to his death. • Rag to Riches

- Perseus went from being a nobody to being the first to kill Medusa

• Pride before fall- the king tried to alter prophecy and it backfired on him

• Never try to change fate or destiny.

Character Archetypes• Hero- Perseus• Villain- Polydectes• Damsel in Distress- Andromeda• Wise old man- Dictys• Temptress- Nymphs of the North

Archetype Symbols/Settings/Situations

• Islands- isolated from other places• Sea- danger, death (206, 198)• Sea Serpent- power, evil, mystery (206)• Land of the Oak Tree- wisdom (200)• 3 Fates (197), 3 gorgons (200) and 3 gifts (202) -

represents good or Unity• Athena/Hermes- super natural intervention (201)• Journey and quests- the journey was finding out how to

find the head of Medusa (201-202), quest was actually retrieving the head (203-204)

What did Perseus Learn?• Perseus learned that happiness must be

gained through hard-work and determination. Life can be very difficult at times and there are many hazards, but with strength, people have the ability to overcome hardships. He came near to death several times but always made it through. In the end, his courage paid off.

Cultural Values• Greeks were well known for determination and

strength, which was one of the main themes of the story.

• Greeks highly valued intelligence. Intelligent strategies were used during Perseus’s quest.

• Greeks valued hospitality to strangers, which was shown when Dictys took Perseus and Danae in as his own.

• Greeks value honor, which is why Perseus decided to go on his quest in the first place.