Let us first analyze some of the
characteristics of the concept ‘hero’ in the warrior culture of ancient Greece.
According to M I Finley in The World of Odysseus, “‘Warrior’ and ‘hero’
are synonyms, and the main theme of the warrior culture is constructed on two
notes- prowess and honour” (125). Prowess - physical or mental - refers to the
inherent strengths of the hero which set him apart from other mortals. When we
look at physical prowess- strength and endurance- Theseus, Perseus, Heracles
and Achilles are classic examples of heroes who possess this quality in
abundance. Resourcefulness, patience, courage, being mission oriented, and not
giving into excess are some of the mental prowess. The entire life of a hero is
a quest for arête so that he could
have a worthy kleos. His prowess
helps the hero in his quest for kleos
and arête. According to Finley life
is an easily forfeitable commodity if the sacrifice ensures a name. Achilles,
given a choice, chose a short glorious life over a long inglorious one. A hero
earns honour by going on missions, taking part in games, war and single combat.
Honour depended on whom one fought/competed with, how one fought/competed and
the end result. Greeks of Homer measured honour in concrete terms. Treasure and
trophy were the physical expressions of honour. As a result heroes spent a
considerable amount of time and effort collecting them. Treasure is something
given and taken in a host-guest relationship as a mark of philoxinea. They tell a hero
his value in the eye of his host. Trophy is gathered at war. Heroes often risk
their lives stripping the corps of the dead enemy so that he could boast back
home of the famous ‘kill’ he had made (Hector stripping Achilles’ armour off
Patroclus). A hero lives his life by the heroic code. According to Finley
heroic code overlaps the sense of social responsibility in a hero and relieves
him of the responsibility of working for the common good when the
responsibility clashes with his ultimate goal, arête and kleos. But it must be noted that heroes do uphold the Greek way of
life and values as sacred. The Achilles’ heel of a hero is his tragic flaw. An
epic is always about how a tragic flaw brings down a hero and the effort he
makes to regain the lost/damaged heroic stature.
Let us examine how Jason in the movie
version fares in comparison to the heroes depicted in Homeric (Achilles,
Odysseus, Aias), Alexandrian (Jason) and Roman (Aeneas) epics in the light of
the prowess and honour as discussed above.
Jason and the Argonauts, the 1963
film version and Apollonius’ The Voyage of the Argo have marked
differences in structure as well as in the treatment of characters, especially
Jason. The cinematic Jason possesses many of the hallmark characteristics of Homeric heroes such as superhuman strength
and endurance. He manages to survive for twenty years under the care of the
Centaur Cheiron. The young hero upon returning to Thessaly
saves King Pelias who has fallen into the swollen Anaurus. Completing a
rigorous voyage filled with perils leading forty high spirited heroes can also
be quoted as a testament to Jason’s strength. The son of Aeson proves his might
as well courage when he fights with the seven-headed hydra and her skeletal
‘children’. These two encounters are similar to the battles heroes like Cadmus
and Heracles have waged against hybrid creatures. Jason does not rely on
Medea’s magic in fulfilling his mission. As a justification to Apollonius’
Jason’s reliance on Medea’s magic, it must be noted that he has to face several
extra challenges such as taming the bronze-hoofed bulls and ploughing a
four-acre plot, planting the teeth and kill the armed ‘Sparti’ that are born of
them. The guardian of the Golden Fleece too sounds infinitely more terrifying
in Apollonius than the rubbery creature seen in the movie. Given the same
circumstances, cinematic Jason too undoubtedly would have felt the need for
some helpful magic.
Jason in the Jason and the Argonauts
possess all the mental prowess of an epic hero. He is intelligent. When Zeus
offers him a ship and a crew, Jason refuses it and demand information. Colchis being outside Greek world, information is one
thing that is hard to come by for Jason; but gods, being omnipotent, would be
able to provide him with that very necessary ingredient if they wished to. The
leader of the Argonauts displays astuteness from the way he extracts
information from Medea about her country upon rescuing her. This occasion also
shows a change in his personality. At the beginning Jason recklessly reveals
his mission to Pelias. Here the hero displays discretion- a likeness to Odysseus.
Jason displays resourcefulness and a
psychological insight to the way the minds of his people in his dealings. He
displays this quality in a reply he gives the Father of gods and men;
“I shall
tell the shipbuilders of Greece
that the richest cargo in the world waits in Colchis...
The athletes of Greece
are proud. I will tell them that only the best can expect a place in the most
perilous voyage of history. I shall announce games. Invite the strongest and
the bravest of the Greeks.”
Jason has understood the
high regard heroes place on honour and its material representations; treasure
and trophy and he uses his knowledge to entice people to achieve his own objective.
In this respect Jason is very similar to Odysseus. Jason in Apollonius is given
a crew and a ship by Athene depriving him a golden opportunity to display his
initiative. Agamemnon uses a similar technique in enlisting heroes for the
Trojan War.
Cinematic Jason displays patience. He
organizes the games and supervises the building of the ship single-handedly.
During the voyage he is the only one who stands uncomplaining about the
shortage of water. Jason’s patience is repeatedly tested by Acastus who constantly
accuses and challenges the leader of the Argonauts. It is only after the Hera
has revealed Acastus’ identity and the purpose of his presence among the Argonauts
does Jason challenge the prince and soundly defeat him. Jason in the epic too is
depicted as in possession of patience. When Telemon accuses him of abandoning
Heracles purposely Jason does not fly off the handle; he sits apart from others
with tear-filled eyes until Glaucus comes to his rescue. He uncomplainingly
allows Medea to give a well deserved tongue lashing on his lack of concern in
protecting her from the Colchians. Patience in Apollonius’ Jason is tainted
with impotence and despondence. In contrast, when accused of the same crime by
Acastus, Jason in the movie gets Hera to clarify the matter without losing his composure.
Patience is a characteristic Achilles, Heracles and Aias has in short supply.
On the other hand both Odysseus and Aeneas are often given this very trait as
an epithet.
As discussed above physical and mental
prowess of a hero are means for him to achieve honour. Heroes use their prowess
when they go on missions and take part in wars and games. They use them to
uphold the heroic code and the Greek way of life.
The Greek way of life is about order,
avoidance of excess and faith in gods. Jason in the film respects Greek values.
Aeson was the basileus of Thessaly. Therefore, by killing the royal family and
usurping the throne Pelias has committed a crime against Jason’s oikos and it lies with Jason as the only
survivor to right the wrong and bring back order to the kingdom. The young
heroes feelings regarding this matter is clearly displayed when he says, “I am
Jason, the rightful king of Thessaly”. He
accuses Pelias of making his land “pride of Greece to savage and evil land”.
The clear-thinking hero knows that he cannot just order Pelias off the throne
and wait for things to fall back to their rightful order. His shrewdness is
displayed when Jason tells Pelias, “People need more than a leader. They must
believe the gods have not deserted them. They need a miracle.” This is rather equivocal of Jason as he
himself has no faith in gods. When Hermes in disguise asks him if he has come
to pray to the gods Jason says, “They do not answer who believe in them. Why
should they answer one who doesn’t?” Upon seeing the Clashing Rocks crushing a
ship Jason retorts angrily that the gods “need their entertainment.” During his
visit to the Olympus he has seen the gods
playing a board game which decides the fate of human beings. This has clearly
made the Argonaut think that humans are nothing but a form of amusement to the
Olympians. Jason goes as far as to predict an age in which Greeks have no faith
in gods. When Argus asks him to pray to the gods, the son of Aeson says, “Gods
of Greece are cruel. In time all men learn to do without them.” He throws the
talisman given to him by blind Phineas into the sea. These acts amount to
hybris and irreverence. Greek, Alexandrian and Roman heroes, too grumble about
their lot and make veiled remarks reflecting their displeasure on the way gods
are dealing with them. Achilles in his conversation with Priam says, “We men
are wrenched things, and the gods, who have no cares themselves, have woven
sorrows into the very pattern of our lives” (451). But neither Greek nor Roman
heroes have ever gone as far as to foresee a time in which gods have no sway
over the Greeks. Jason’s lack of faith in gods can be taken as his tragic flaw.
Leadership is one of the strong points of
Jason. When mighty Heracles dared to gainsay him at the Isle of Bronze on the
issue of women Jason stands firm and says, “Food and water, Hercules, nothing
else.” Hercules disregards the order, but so do the crew of The Odyssey
and Patroclus in The Iliad. Jason in the epic according to J.F. Carapace, is “chosen leader because
his superior declines the honour”(). In the foreword to his translation, E.V. Rieu’s suggests that Jason
in The Argonautica is “an ordinary man ... (who) possesses…some of the
qualities that make a leader...He is a man who gets things done for
him"(16). According to J. Andrew McLaughlin the very qualities that many
condemn as un-heroic in The Argonautica are considered heroic in The
Odyssey.
Jason does not take part in the games held
to select the crew. But that could be excused on the grounds that it is he who
has hosted the event. But Jason in the epic refrains from accepting the
challenge issued by King Amycus to a boxing match and sits clueless with a
quaking heart upon hearing King Aeetes’ challenge. In contrast, Homeric heroes
never backs down from an opportunity to display their prowess in the sporting
arena as seen at the funeral games of Petraclus in The Iliad and
Phaeacian Games in The Odyssey. Prizes are coveted and jealously guarded
as a testament to their valour.
War and single combat are two ways in
which a hero can acquire honour. Aeneas in The Aeneid, surrounded by
fire and bloodthirsty enemies says, “Which is the point of greatest danger?
Where do we take our stand?” (60). Sarpedon and Diomedes as well as Aias and
Hector engage in a single combat in The Iliad and exchange gifts upon
drawing to everyone’s admiration. Both Jasons have an aversion to war and they
place a high regard on discussion. Their difference is that the Jason in the
epic allows the assembly to dominate him while the screen version dominates the
assembly. According to Finley, though there are constant references to
assemblies in Iliad and Odyssey, no real discussions are carried out in them.
“The assembly neither voted nor decided” (Finley 88). This trait could be
clearly seen in the assemblies called by Achilles in Iliad and
Telemachus in Odyssey.
Jason values peace. When Peleus proposes to
storm Colchis he points out the impossibility
of it with just forty fighting men and asserts that they were not pirates.
Instead he proposes to seek a peaceful means to get the Fleece. Achilles is
known to place his trust only in his valour. Odysseus has double standards; he
attacked those who are weaker (Cicones/ Thersites) and had discussions with the
stronger (Phaeacians/ Achilles). Epic Jason too values peace and that is one
reason why he accepts Medea’s assistance.
Jason on screen is direct and truthful in
his dealings. In this capacity he is similar to Achilles, Heracles and Aias who
are equally straight foreword in their interactions. Epic Jason is somewhat
closer to Odysseus in the manipulative egocentricity he displays in his
dealings with Medea.
Jason is mission oriented. It is Jason who
decides to seek the miracle –the Golden Fleece-that would give confidence to
his people. He refuses to turn back even after seeing the other ship being
crushed by the Clashing Rocks. When Medea asks him to give up the search for
the Fleece Jason says, “You tell him (Aeetes), I will fulfil the task gods set
me and never betray the Argonauts whatever he offers me.” This is the degree of
commitment associated with an epic hero. Aeneas is given the epithet ‘true’ by
Virgil as he has been true to his mission despite the many complications and
difficulties he has to face. When Aeneas tarries in Carthage, Virgil intentionally refrains from
using the epithet for the Trojan prince. Odysseus and Heracles too are prime
examples of this remarkable heroic quality. Both epic Jason and cinematic Jason
lacks the purity of the motive in accomplishing the mission seen in Achilles.
For Jason, arête earned through the mission is a by-product, not the
end-product sought after with all consuming passion.
Finally, Jason in the movie is undoubtedly
an epic hero who shares many of the qualities associated with heroes of the
primary and Roman epics. He overcomes the obstacles placed on his way by fate
and men and achieves his objective with a show of aristeia. Jason also develops respect for gods, a necessary trait
in an epic hero. Overcoming a tragic flaw such as lack of reverence is a heroic
characteristic in the Greek and Roman epics. He matures as a result of his
experience with Pelias and learns to be more cautious with his dealings with
strangers. In the end Jason has a more positive and pragmatic view of the world
and his life. In contrast, Jason in The Voyage of the Argo remains the
same despondent dependent figure seen at the beginning of the mission.
Works Cited
Apollonius of Rhodes.
The Voyage of the Argo. Trans. E. V. Rieu. London: Penguin, 1959.
Carspecken, J. F. "Apollonius
Rhodius and the Homeric epic", ''Yale Classical Studies 13 (1952:101) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argonautica>
Chaffey, Don,
dir. Jason and the Argonaughts. Perf. Todd Armstrong and Nancy Kovack. Columbia Pictures. 19 June, 1963.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BaLKYlC07w&feature=related>
Finley, M. I. The World of Odysseus. London: Chatto &
Windus, 1964.
Homer. The Iliad. Trans. E. V. Rieu. London: Penguin, 1959.
Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. E. V. Rieu. London: Penguin, 1991.
McLaughlin, J. A. “APOLLONIUS' VOYAGE OF ARGO-
Standing on its Own Merits in the Age of Homer” <http://www.visopsys.org/andy/essays/argo.html>
Virgil. The Aeneid.
Trans. W. F. J. Knight. London:
Penguin, 1958.
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