HeraclesMadness2.0100_ClementsMusker

HeraclesMadness2.0100_ClementsMusker

Ron Clements & John Musker, screenplay and directors, 1997, Megara in Hercules, animated by Ken Duncan and voiced by Susan Egan.

Clements & Musker redirect Meg's narrative arc diverging considerably from the classical myth, aligning thereby to modern love-stories.

The narrative gain in this cinematic adaptation is likely much more complex than "disneyfication toward family values." Meg's character progression from unprincipaled seductress to worthy recipient of Hercules' love drives the plot to its end. Her self-sacrifice effects his self-sacrifice, and they earn what they deserve in the end. For, Hades had contrived (52:00) a new scheme to bring down Herc, proposing a Faustian exchange — exploiting raging hormones by deceiving the hero down in exchange for Meg's freedom. The plan fails when Meg actually falls in love (1:02)...and Herc can finally become a "true hero" only when he chooses to skip immortality to stay with Meg. "People always do crazy things when they're in love." (1:23). Thus, C&M's narrative gain funnels Heracles' complex career into one entirely new — and entirely modern — love story.

Hercules kissing Megara on the cheek while she holds a white flower, from Disney's Hercules

Classical authors account for Heracles' four brides — 1) Megara whom he wed in his youth, before his Labors, with whom he had several children; 2) Deianeira his bride after the Labors; 3) Iole whom he took as a bride shortly before he departed mortality (i.e. died) on Mt Oeta; and 4) Hebe (Youth) who was given to him as a bride by the Olympians.

Megara, in classical myth, was murdered along with her children by Heracles, when a fit of divine rage was cast upon him by Hera. Megara is thus a tragic victim of Hera's rage.

Clements & Musker ingeniously conflate the mythological figures of Heracles' various brides. Meg is Megara (the bride of his youth), Deianeira (the bride who effects his demise), and Hebe (his immortal bride) at times in the narrative. Each is partly manifest in C&M's Meg.

Philoctetes' rules include specific rules that involve "rescuing damsels". Therefore Herc's first real labor in Phil's training regimine involves rescuing a damsel in Thebes. (31:50) The first DID (damsel in distress) they meet coincidentally is Meg who is apparently being assaulted by Nessus. (Classically, Nessus' attempted rape of Deineira opens the last, much later chapter of Heracles' mortal existence.)
Clements & Musker reveal (37:00) later that Meg has been conspiring with Hades to seduce Nessus to the dark side. Rescuing Meg becomes the principal plot for Herc's quest to get "from Zero to Hero".