Who Actually Was Megara In Greek Mythology?
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Who Actually Was Megara In Greek Mythology?

Call Meg a Disney Princess if you want to​, because she was a princess.

5056
Who Actually Was Megara In Greek Mythology?
YouTube

Even though she doesn't have an official "Disney Princess" title, Megara (AKA Meg) from Disney's Hercules is a favorite among Disney-philes.

She's witty, she's self-aware, and she's strong...but she's also compassionate, driven by her heart, and sensitive.

But, as we know, Disney has a tendency to disregard source material to the point where the "Disney version" of the story is so incredibly warped, that the original source material is virtually unrecognizable beneath the "Disney-fication." Hercules is certainly no exception.

Like a handful of people my age, I had a very strong "Greek Mythology Nerd" phase while in middle school---and it wasn't just limited to the Percy Jackson books. I got really into it.

Of course, it's been quite a while since I brushed up on my Greek mythology...but there are some things that are glaringly wrong with the mythology of Disney's Hercules that also apply to Meg's greater mythological story. (I'm not going to list all the issues Hercules has, just the ones most directly pertaining to Meg)

Here goes

So, in actual Greek mythology, as you might already know, Zeus was still Herc's father, but Hera was definitely not his mother.

Alcmene, a mortal woman was. Because Zeus was always sleeping with mortals and acting a fool, Hera (who was still Zeus's wife) would get downright jealous. Oh, and that's another thing: the Greeks didn't call him "Hercules" (that's what the Romans called him. In Greek, Herc was "Herakles," or "Glory of Hera"

We know that Hades was pretty much the main antagonist in Disney's version of the myth, but in the source material, Hades had a minor role, as he was basically chilling out in the Underworld for most of the action. Hera, on the other hand, had a much bigger, much more meddling role.

ANYWAYS, back to Megara (she's the one this article is about, anyways). Basically, there was no "deal with Hades" or anything like that.

Meg was actual the daughter of Creon (yes, that Creon for any of my Theatre/Mythology friends). Creon was the King of Thebes (and brother-in-law/uncle to Oedipus, if you know him from the Theatre side of things) and when Herc won a major battle for Thebes, Creon basically gave his daughter Megara over as a "gift"or "prize" to thank Hercules. (♪What happened to Miss Independent?! ♪)

And, in most versions of the myth, Megara & Hercules start out by having a happy marriage and three children together...

Imma sidetrack here for a moment, just to make a case. Call Meg a Disney Princess if you want to. For real! Even though she and Hercules don't officially get married in the Disney movie, they do get married in the source material. And, Herc is the son of the King of the Gods, Zeus, which makes Herc a "prince" of sorts...so he's a Disney prince, and in marrying Meg, she becomes a "princess" of sorts.

But if we were going by the source material anyways, this thought process wouldn't even matter, because Megara was literally a Princess of Thebes. Oh well, Disney. You missed your chance. It wouldn't have been that hard to follow the source material and make Meg a princess in one of these two ways.

However, this happy marriage didn't last, unfortunately. (Hey, the Greeks love a tragedy) In most versions of the myth (though some vary), Hera does one of her many "let's torture Hercules" schemes, and decides to strike Hercules with madness. In his madness, Hercules ends up killing his three sons, and in many versions, he also kills Megara.

Of course, once Hercules had realized what he had done, he was devastated and tried to some way reconcile his actions, which lead him to the Oracle at Delphi, which lead him to his most famous quest: The Twelve Labors.

A bit grimmer than the Disney re-telling, right? That said, I think it's wonderful that Disney very often does recreate material that may inspire the public to actually go out and research more about what they've seen.

There's hardly any company that can extend their influence in quite that way, and I admire that they're almost always able to create such quality content. I do think it's a great movie, with great songs, and a much more lively Meg than the original source material...and if you're reading this, Disney has succeeded in getting you to further research its characters, so there you go and now you know!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70865
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132458
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments