Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify themes and symbols from the novel, and support their choices with details from the text.
The bull shows up repeatedly in the stories of Minos and Theseus. Europa is abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull, and gives birth to Minos. Pasiphae, Minos' wife, is forced to lust after a bull in punishment for Minos' dishonesty. The Marathon bull kills Minos' son [some stories say Androgeus was assassinated by jealous rivals], and the Minotaur in the labyrinth is part bull. Our hero also captured the Marathon Bull and sacrificed it to the gods.
Theseus metes out justice to each of the six foes he faces on his way to Athens. He makes the punishment fit the crime. Literally in some cases. The monster in the middle of the Labyrinth who has a taste for human flesh is slain, never to devour human flesh again.
Theseus triumphs over unjust and savage beings throughout his story. He defeats the bad guys at every turn, from his "Six Labors" on the road to Athens, to the wild Marathon Bull, the unnatural minotaur, and beyond. Theseus and the Athenian army defeats the invading "unnatural" Amazon force who objected to Theseus taking the Amazon Hippolyta. He also helps the Lapiths fight the centaurs who disrupted a wedding in a most uncivilized way.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes and motifs in the story of Theseus. Illustrate instances of each and write a short description below each cell.