CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY

B BURIAS CAMPUS
Burias, Mambusao, Capiz

Joshua L. Nepomuceno Dr. Gerard Lee Atienza

BSEd – English – 3rd-year COURSE FACILITATOR

December 12, 2024
ENG – 119
Reader-Response Criticism
Hercules (1997)

A long time ago, in ancient Greece, the gods of Mount Olympus ruled over the world.
Zeus, the king of the gods, and his wife, Hera, were blessed with a son, Hercules. However,
Hades, the god of the Underworld and Zeus’s brother learned of a prophecy that said a child of
Zeus would one day overthrow him. Fearing this, Hades devised a plan to steal the baby
Hercules and prevent the prophecy from coming true.

Hades sent his minions, Pain, and Panic, to capture the baby, but their plan failed. Hercules
was accidentally sent to Earth, where he was found and raised by a kind mortal couple. As he
grew up, Hercules realized he was different from the other kids—he was incredibly strong, but
he didn’t know why. Despite his strength, he didn’t quite fit in with the mortals around him.

When Hercules was older, he discovered the truth about his origins—he was the son of Zeus,
and he belonged to the gods of Mount Olympus. Determined to find his way back to his real
family, Hercules traveled to the top of Mount Olympus. There, he met Zeus and Hera, who
explained that he could only return to Olympus if he proved himself to be a true hero.

To become a hero, Hercules needed training. He was sent to a wise and grumpy satyr named
Philoctetes (Phil), who had trained many heroes before. Though skeptical at first, Phil
eventually agreed to train Hercules. Through hard work and determination, Hercules became a
great fighter, facing and defeating various monsters, including the fearsome Hydra.

During his travels, Hercules saved the city of Thebes from the giant monster The Cyclops. The
people of Thebes hailed him as a hero, and his fame spread throughout Greece. However, not
everyone was happy about his rise to fame. Megara (Meg), a beautiful but cynical woman,
appeared in his life. At first, Meg was working for Hades, secretly trying to bring about
Hercules' downfall. She had been tricked into serving Hades after he had once saved her from
a tragic fate, only to use her for his own plans.

Despite Meg's initial deceit, she slowly began to fall for Hercules, who showed kindness and
courage. However, Hades was not finished with his plans. He unleashed the Titans, powerful
and ancient monsters, to destroy Hercules once and for all. In the final battle, Hercules had to
face the Titans, but with the help of his friends, he defeated them and saved the city of Thebes.

In a dramatic turn of events, Hades captured Meg and threatened to send her to the Underworld
unless Hercules gave up his immortality. In a selfless act of bravery, Hercules chose to give up
his immortality and jumped into the River Styx to save Meg. His sacrifice proved that he was
truly a hero.

Seeing Hercules' noble heart, Zeus and the gods were moved by his courage and selflessness.
They restored his immortality, allowing him to return to Mount Olympus. Now a true hero,
Hercules was reunited with his family and took his place among the gods.

Hercules and Meg, now in love, lived happily ever after, and Hercules found peace in knowing
that he had earned his place in the world—not by being the strongest, but by being true to
himself.

Typical questions:

1. What does the text have to do with you, personally?

- I can connect with the story of Hercules in a few ways. Like Hercules, I can relate
to the idea of trying to find my true purpose, I’ve been trying to find myself where
I’m good at because, I’m afraid that the future might throw something in me that I
wouldn’t expect. But I do believe that God has a plan for all of us, we just need to
be patient because if it’s meant for you, God will give it to you. It also reminds me
of how important it is to help others and to realize my capabilities; sometimes
Gods send us or he send us some people because they might need help or we
might need their help. Lastly, I like being a maverick sometimes, but no man is an
island, and we all need each other.
2. How much does the text agree or clash with your view of the world, and what
you consider right and wrong?
- I think I agree with my view of the world in many ways. It shows that being
strong or powerful isn’t the most important thing. Like, you might be intelligent,
but you don’t even have the right attitude. What matters more is being kind, brave,
and selfless, like when Hercules chooses to save Meg over keeping his
immortality. I always sacrifice my time and myself when someone needs help and
I believe that doing the right thing, even when it's hard, is important. We should
always try to help others, even if it means making sacrifices. I believe, in doing
the right thing for the sake of others, even if it’s difficult.

3. How did you learn, and how much were your views and opinions challenged or
changed by this text?
- Well, I learned from Hercules that being a hero isn’t just about strength or
winning battles. It’s about doing what is the right thing to do, even if you’re
having dilemmas. Before, I might have thought that heroes are only strong people
who win fights, but the story showed me that real heroes are those who make
sacrifices for others. It changed how I view heroism, now I believe it’s more about
having a good heart and helping others than just being powerful.

4. How well does it address things that you, personally, care about and consider
important to the world?
- The things I care about, like doing the right thing, helping others, and staying true
to yourself. Many people, including me, go through times of self-discovery, and
Hercules’ journey of realizing who he truly is shows how important it is to stay
true to yourself. Overall, the movie supports the values of kindness, bravery, and
staying true to your values, which I think are key to making the world a better
place.

5. How well did you enjoy the text (or not) as entertainment or as a work of art?
- I really enjoyed Hercules because it has been my favorite movie since I was a kid,
and it was fun and exciting to revisit an old favorite. The music, like 'Go the
Distance,' was catchy and never gets old, and the animation was colorful. Last
semester, I discussed 'The Underworld.' It was a nostalgic feeling to remember
 these characters from Hercules, like Hades, Cerberus, Charon, the Fates, Tartarus
(the prison of the Sons of Gods), and Erebus, where the dead pass as soon as they
die. The movie made an old story feel fresh and fun. Overall, it was both
entertaining and full of important lessons.

6. What is your overall reaction to the text?

- I think, I already said everything about my reaction to this story. I really liked
Hercules. It was fun, exciting, and had a lot of heart. The movie taught important
lessons about being a true hero about helping others, being selfless, and staying
true to yourself. The characters were interesting like Hercules's different types of
monsters, and the music or the "zero to hero" made it even more enjoyable.
Hercules’ journey never fails to impress me, and it made me think about what it
means to be a hero in real life. It’s a great mix of entertainment and meaningful
lessons.