THESEUSBy: Jessica, Katie, Tyler and

Jackson

Qualities

HEROIC QUALITIES FLAWS

Strong Forgiving Wise Loyal friend Leader Protector of the

defenseless Bravery

Likes danger Selfish Too much pride

Journey/Quest/Tasks

Task: Needs to move the stone to get to Athens and prove himself to his father

Quest: On the way to Athens, he kills all the bandits

Journey: Theseus slays the minotaur and saves a lot of people’s lives

Motifs and Themes

Themes -What goes around comes around: Theseus was a good hero which is why when he died, in honor of him the people built a sanctuary to help the defenseless people

Major Archetypes

Theseus-Hero: He slayed the minotaur so no more people had to be sacrificed, he was a great king

Madea-Villan: she tried to poison theseus not knowing he was Aegeus’ (the king of Athens) son and heir

Aphrodite-Shrew: she punishes Hippolytus by death because she was mad that Phaedra fell in love with him while she was married to Theseus

Major Archetypes

Phaedra-Sacrificial Victim: she killed herself so Aphrodite would not punish Hippolytus (Phaedra’s stepson) for Phaedra being in love with him

The minotaur-Villan: every 9 years the minotaur would eat 7 maidens and 7 children (described as a monster in the story)

Phaedra-Unfaithful wife: While married to Theseus she also falls in love with Theseus’ son Hippolytus

Story Summation

The sword and the stone -Theseus had to move a stone to get a sword so he could prove himself to his father The road to Athens

-Theseus killed bandits that killed innocent people who were on their way to Athens Arrival in Athens

-Madea tried to poison Theseus and theseus pulled out his sword and his father, Aegeus, recognized it and stopped Madea right away

Story Summation

Background of the Minotaur -The minotaur killed Minos’ only son when he tried to slay the minotaur Theseus in Crete

-Theseus slayed the minotaur and saved people’s lives Ariadne’s help and “reward”

-Ariande helped Theseus find a way out of the maze where the minotaur was and Theseus came home to marry her and found out she died

Story Summation

The return to Athens -Theseus told his dad if he slayed the minotaur he would put up a white sail but Theseus forgot and had his black sail up, so Aegeus killed Theseus’ rule

-Theseus thought everyone should be treated the same so he stepped down and let the people rule in a democracy

Story Summation

The perfect knight -Theseus made Thebes bury the soldiers that had died because he would not give them a proper burial Pirithous and the underworld

-Theseus and Pirithous went to the underworld to get Persephone but got trapped by Hades and Hercules came to rescue Theseus

Story Summation Phaedra and Hippolytus

-Thesus’ wife Phaedra fell in love with his son and her stepson Hippolytus and Phaedra killed herself so Aphrodite could not punish Hippolytus for not loving Phaedra back The death of Theseus

-Theseus’ friend King Lycomedes killed him for a reason we are not told why but after his death Athens built a sanctuary for the defenseless in honor of Theseus

Lessons or Cultural Values in Story

If you believe in yourself anything is possible: How Theseus was able to kill the minotaur when nobody else could because he believed in himself

Things aren’t always as they seem: How when Theseus’ dad Aegeus killed himself because he saw the black sail was up and not the white one, he had assumed that Theseus had died because he didn’t wait to find out so Aegeus jumped off a cliff and killed himself

Democracy is the best government