Misunderstood Mythological Monsters Choices

Monster or Misunderstood? Mythological Analysis Collage

Directions: Choose 1 misunderstood mythological monster and, for the assignment submission, create a collage using THIS TEMPLATE Feel free to move beyond this list and do your own research as well!

The Minotaur

Cerberus

Cerberus is a three-headed doglike creature who is often used in pop culture as a security system for its master. It is always portrayed as bloodthirsty and violent, seeking to tear any interlopers to shreds for encroaching upon its territory. In mythology, the creature's purpose is nobler, preventing the exodus of the dead from the kingdom of his master, Hades. Cerberus also kept the living from venturing into the Underworld. Regardless of where the creature is stationed, his actions come solely from following the orders of his master, which is not such a bad thing at all.

The Minotaur is usually portrayed as a vicious creature with the head of a bull and the body of a man. He existed in the Cretan Labyrinth where it received seven young men and seven young women to eat every year from Athens. Eventually, Prince Theseus and Princess Ariadne work together to slay the creature. The Minotaur's origin is such that its eventual death is both sad and merciful. Before he was king, Minos prayed to Poseidon for a white bull as a sign of the gods that he was to rule the island of Crete instead of his brothers. Instead of sacrificing the bull as promised, Minos killed a different one and hoped Poseidon was none the wiser. Instead, Poseidon made Minos's wife fall in love with the bull and bear its child - the Minotaur. King Minos then ordered Daedalus to build the labyrinth for the child to live in and fed it human sacrifices from Athens.

Medusa

Akheilos

Medusa is known by all as a villain who turns enemies to stone for daring to look into her eyes. The tangle of snakes wreathing her head does nothing to dispel the idea that she is an evil woman doing harm to innocents for merely glancing at her. Her life eventually ends when demigod Perseus lops off her head and uses her powers as a weapon against his enemies. Most people don't know that Medusa was once a lovely young girl who caught the eye of Poseidon, the god of the seas. He sexually assaulted the young woman in Athena's ancient temple as a result of his deranged attractions. Instead of punishing the sea god, Athena punished the victim by turning her into the monster we know today.

Akheilos is a shark-like monster who doesn't make many appearances in literature or visual entertainment. Said to be the son conceived of the Lamia and Zeus during their disastrous affair, the boy was exquisitely attractive and knew it. He entered into a competition where Pan judged him as quite beautiful, angering goddess Aphrodite so much that she turned him into a lipless shark demon. .