Heroes of BY HELEN'S HAND: Theseus

Since it's been a while, and most of my posts relating to the research and reading I did to write HELEN OF SPARTA and BY HELEN'S HAND are buried in the archives, I thought it might be a good idea to bring some of them back to your attention, hero by hero and topic by topic, so when May 10th rolls around, you'll be as ready to read as I was to write!  

NB: The Myths are the Myths, but most of these posts will include my perspectives and approaches to them, which could be spoiler-ish, so proceed with caution! 

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Since Theseus is my favorite, and the primary hero introduced in HELEN OF SPARTA, I figured he's the best place to begin. Here are some highlights from the archive!

photo by Jastrow [Public domain], via Wiki Commons

The Myth of Theseus and Democracy in Athens

What if Theseus is the first Adopted heir? And the reason he's credited as bringing democracy to Athens is because he was claimed the "long lost son" of Aegeus as a political necessity, to appease the people of Athens and Attica? 

(This post primarily addresses Theseus's earlier history, pre-Helen, so read without fear of Spoilers!)

Not Without Theseus: A Hero's Propaganda

Theseus has a lot of adventures. He gets around a LOT, really, and gets all kinds of accolades that maybe, just maybe he doesn't entirely deserve. Stories, in fact, which one might even go so far as to consider... propaganda. 
(If you haven't read HELEN OF SPARTA and aren't familiar with his myths, this post might contain a spoiler!)

Theseus Is Not Your Typical Bronze Age Hero

We remember Theseus primarily for his heroic deeds of self-sacrifice more than those of self-service, and that's strange indeed for a hero of his time, something that opens the door for an interpretation of his character that jives more readily with modern ideas! 

(Spoiler free!)

 

The Fall of Theseus (Part I and Part II)

King Theseus doesn't get nearly as much press as Young Theseus -- maybe because his later exploits (one of which is the abduction of Helen) end in disaster.

(Possible spoilers for HELEN OF SPARTA!)

You can also find a very short little piece of flash about Theseus and the Minotaur which I wrote waaaaaay back in 2010 on ye olde Good to Begin Well -- if you're eager for more Theseus in advance! (Or maybe just curious about his evolution as I played with his character.)

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If you enjoyed Helen of Sparta don't forget to pre-order your copy of BY HELEN'S HAND -- available May 10th in paperback, audio (cd, mp3, and audible), and for kindle! Or maybe just mark it to-read on Goodreads in the meantime :) And don't forget to subscribe to THE AMALIAD for a free short story prequel to HELEN OF SPARTA: Ariadne and the Beast!