Theseus and the Theseus and the MinotaurMinotaur

A brave feat…A brave feat…

……and no more young and no more young

Athenians for feasts!Athenians for feasts!

CharactersCharacters

King Minos (son of Zeus and Europa)King Minos (son of Zeus and Europa) Queen Pasiphae (daughter of sun-Queen Pasiphae (daughter of sun-

god Helios)god Helios) Daedalus (an Athenian architect)Daedalus (an Athenian architect) Poseidon (god of the sea)Poseidon (god of the sea) Minotaur (a monster born to Minotaur (a monster born to

Pasiphae)Pasiphae) Ariadne (King Minos’ daughter)Ariadne (King Minos’ daughter)

More CharactersMore Characters

Aegeus (king of Athens, father to Theseus)Aegeus (king of Athens, father to Theseus) Theseus (hero from Troezen)Theseus (hero from Troezen) Princess Aethra (Theseus’ mother)Princess Aethra (Theseus’ mother) Medea (sorceress who married Aegeus)Medea (sorceress who married Aegeus)

Dionysus (god of wine)Dionysus (god of wine) Icarus (son of Daedalus)Icarus (son of Daedalus) King of SicilyKing of Sicily

Island of Sicily Aegean Sea

Island of Naxos

Island of Crete

City of Athens

City of Troezen

Who is Theseus’ father?Who is Theseus’ father?

King Aegeus of AthensKing Aegeus of Athens Theseus must move a large rock and Theseus must move a large rock and

find the sandals and sword beneath find the sandals and sword beneath it and bring them to his father it and bring them to his father

Some say Some say

Poseidon is Poseidon is

his father… his father…

http://www.heritage-history.com/books/hawthorne/tanglewood/zpage032.gif

What is the Minotaur?What is the Minotaur?

half man, half beast (bull)half man, half beast (bull)

The minotaur lives in a labyrinth built by Daedalus, an Athenian architect, under the palace of Cnossus on the island of Crete

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Theseus_Minotaur_Mosaic.jpg

How many boys and girls will be How many boys and girls will be sacrificed to the Minotaur?sacrificed to the Minotaur?

7 girls, 7 boys7 girls, 7 boys

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/Francois/FRDance.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/Francois.htm&usg=__jurpcC6GmNlvZwqdM74Ye6V9xDY=&h=270&w=500&sz=34&hl=en&start=40&zoom=1&tbnid=Geye4uEbV1swTM:&tbnh=70&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dathenian%2Byouths%2Band%2Bminotaur%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D1%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1

http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/images/mlw_0001_0004_0_img0191.jpg

Who does Theseus fall in love Who does Theseus fall in love with?with? Ariadne, King Minos’ daughterAriadne, King Minos’ daughter Upon returning to Athens, Theseus Upon returning to Athens, Theseus

leaves Ariadne on the island of Naxos leaves Ariadne on the island of Naxos where she marries Dionysus, the god where she marries Dionysus, the god of wineof wine

http://www.illusionsgallery.com/Ariadne-L.jpg

Why does Aegeus kill himself?Why does Aegeus kill himself?

Theseus, while hurriedly leaving Theseus, while hurriedly leaving Crete, forgets to hoist the white sail Crete, forgets to hoist the white sail of victory after killing the Minotaurof victory after killing the Minotaur

King Aegeus sees King Aegeus sees

the black sail and the black sail and

jumps off a cliff jumps off a cliff

to his death to his death

http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/gallery/myth/heroes/images/theseus_.jpg

Plot GraphPlot Graph

Introduction:Introduction: Version #1: Medea, King Aegeus of Version #1: Medea, King Aegeus of

Athens, Theseus, Princess AethraAthens, Theseus, Princess Aethra

Version #2: King Minos of Crete, Version #2: King Minos of Crete, Queen Pasiphae, Daedalus, Poseidon, Queen Pasiphae, Daedalus, Poseidon, the Minotaurthe Minotaur

Complicating Incident:Complicating Incident:

Version #1: Theseus arrives at King Version #1: Theseus arrives at King Aegeus’ palace with the sandals and Aegeus’ palace with the sandals and sword; Theseus almost poisons him sword; Theseus almost poisons him but realizes he is his sonbut realizes he is his son

Version #2: Poseidon offers a bull to Version #2: Poseidon offers a bull to Queen Pasiphae for her to sacrifice, Queen Pasiphae for her to sacrifice, but she wants to keep it; Poseidon is but she wants to keep it; Poseidon is angry and punishes Pasiphae by angry and punishes Pasiphae by causing her to give birth to the causing her to give birth to the MinotaurMinotaur

Rising Action, Crisis, ClimaxRising Action, Crisis, Climax

Complicating Incident: Pasiphaie gives birth to the Minotaur

Daedalus creates labyrinth

King Minos wages war with islands for prisoners as good

Son of Minos visists Athens and is killed

Minos demands 14 Athenians fed to Minotaur every 9 years

Theseus comes to Athens & brings sword & golden sandals

Theseus offers to fight Minotaur

Crisis: Ariadne aids Theseus with ball of twine if he will marry her

Crisis: Theseus kills Minotaur