Theseus and Heracles were very similar characters in mythology. In this paper I plan to point out these similarities, and also tell what is different between them.

First of all, Theseus and Heracles were both well know for their strength and hero-like attitudes. They were well known for helping people, or places, out from certain evils such as Theseus killing the Minotaur so that the tributes to it would cease. Much of these similarities are all because of Theseus, who looked up to Heracles and basically wanted to be just like him. From the time that Theseus was old enough and left Troezen, he and Heracles would sometimes perform almost identical tasks. However, they do have different reasons for performing these tasks. Heracles does them because he has to. He must complete ten labors so that he can free himself of the guilt of killing his family. Theseus does them only because he wants to help people. Why we're on the subject of differences now, I'd like to mention their knowledge of women. Heracles would seem to know what he was doing with women, considering he impregnated 50 of them in one night. But he actually doesn't have a clue, and he doesn't understand that they posses the wisdom that he lacks. Theseus on the other hand understands them perfectly and is able to trick them into doing what he wants them to. Just like he tricked the Amazon queen, Antiope, into joining his side and fighting against her own people. One last difference between these two mythological heroes is that Heracles is actually bothered by all the killing that he is forced to do, and it annoys him throughout his life. But Theseus isn't bothered at all. He could care less how many people, or monsters, he's killed. It seems as though he lacks a conscious all together.

So, as you now know, at first glance Theseus and Heracles seem relatively the same. However, upon further examination, they are actually quite different in the way they feel about things. Let this be a lesson to you; don't judge people just from what you've heard or seen, make sure you know the facts.