OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE MYTH
3. HEROIC PATTERN
3.1 THE BIRTH AND ADOLESCENCE OF BELLEROPHON
3.2 VICTORY OVER THE CHIMERA
3.3 THE RISE AND FALL OF BELLEROPHON
4. MYTH INTERPRETATION
4.1 STRUCTURALISM
4.2 ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO
5. CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY

CLASSICAL CULTURE 1B 2013: ASSIGNMENT 1 – HEROIC PATTERN OF BELLEROPHON
J J Swallow 201378988
1. INTRODUCTION
This Essay will be based on the Myth of Bellerophon from The Iliad by Homer as translated by Chapman and edited by Allardyce Nicoll. The purpose of this essay is to analyse the Myth according to the Heroic Pattern of Lord Raglan and Joseph Campbell and according to the theories of myth interpretation. This will be done by critically analysing
The battle with the Chimera is Bellerophon’s symbolic descent into the underworld. Not only does Bellerophon ‘travel to the underworld’ however, he also faces and confronts death. So many heroes had died trying to defeat the Chimera that Iobates believed he was sending Bellerophon to his death, and yet Bellerophon welcomes the challenge and is excited by the prospect of adventure. This once again shows Bellerophon’s Animus and Anima. His Animus is more prevalent than his Anima as he is seeking adventure and being reckless in the face of danger and death.

3.3 The Rise and Fall of Bellerophon
After defeating the Chimera and completing many of Iobates other challenges such as subduing the Amazons and killing all of the king’s guards, Bellerophon finally returned to Lycia a hero to the people. Iobates “then recognized him for the son of a god, and welcomed him into his house as his son-in-law and heir.” (Atsma 2011:n/a)
Bellerophon has now been given the throne of Lycia, the king’s daughter’s hand in marriage and he is now a hero to all the people of Lycia. It is hard to imagine Bellerophon could ‘rise’ any higher. This falls in with the heroic pattern in that many heroes “develop a new vision of themselves” (Chhiba 2013:n/a) after returning from the underworld. Not only has Bellerophon developed a new vision of himself after defeating the Chimera, all the people of Lycia