Analyzing the Labours of Hercules

Alireza Nabilou^1,

¹Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, University of Qom.

Cite this paper:
Alireza Nabilou. Analyzing the Labours of Hercules. American Journal of Educational Research. 2014; 2(10):876-882. doi: 10.12691/education-2-10-5

Abstract

In this research, Labours of Hercules has been studied from the viewpoint of Greimas. Features of story have been explained and then narration and narratology has been studied. Greimas is one of the narratologists who modified Propp’s theory about seven scops of fictional actions and mentioned new attitude for studying structure of narration by mentioning six actants (Object/subject; sender/receiver; helper/ Opposer). He also introduced three separate sequences in narration which were known as contractual, the performative and the disjunctive. By studying this story from the viewpoint of Greimas, we find valuable points. In this narration, Hercules is subject and the goals are expiation, atone and immortalize. Senders are Eurystheus and oracle Pythoness. Hercules is helped by Thespius, Athena, Iolaus, Artemis, Atlas, Zeus, Hermes etc. Hera, Nessus, creatures and agents in Labours decide to fight against Hercules and defeat him. Sender and receiver are common in labours of Hercules; Eurystheus is Sender and Receiver. As we see, Hercules is Receiver and Subject. Of other issues of Greimas which have been studied in this story are three narrative sequences i.e. contractual, the performative and the disjunctive and as shown, these sequences are available in the discussed story. Therefore it is proved based on Greimas’ theory that Labours of Hercules has fixed design and pattern and systematic narrative structure.

Keywords:
Labours of Hercules narration Greimas’ theory actant narrative sequences

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