Cerberus The Monster

To me a monster is something relatively bad, evil, or at least naturally hostile through intention, acts, or loyalty. Also, for me to consider something a monster it needs to be something supernatural looking and that goes against the natural order.

In the original myths Cerberus is the offspring of Enchinda, who was half-woman, half-serpent, and Typhon, who was a giant monster that was feared by even the Greek Gods of Olympus. Cerberus became a loyal hound to Hades and was tasked to guard the gate to the underworld. He will show no remorse for a living soul trying to get into the under world and he will not stand for any soul trying to get out. He is usually described as a giant three-headed dog but some stories say he has more, such as Hesiod’s poem which claims that Cerberus had 50 heads. Some stories also describe him with a snake as a tale and a mane of snakes.

What makes him a monster is that he is a giant three-headed dog (sometimes with a mane of snakes and/or a serpents tale) and he will eat whatever Hades tells him to or anything that comes near him or the gate to the underworld. The only thing that he would allow through the gate is a dead spirit trying to get into the underworld. In addition to that, he is normally vicious and serves as an enemy to the main hero of the story.

This blog will explore Cerberus in books and movies to see how he is portrayed in the stories and to see how he is different within the two mediums.

I believe that the emotions caused by him in movies will be more intense than the ones caused by the books, but i also believe that the books may cause more lasting effects.

-Cerberus’s most basic physical appearance