Résumé
Résumé de Les Héros
À qui s’adresse-t-il ?
For parents reading aloud, young readers who love sea voyages and monsters, and anyone who enjoys Greek myths in a clear story form, with courage, honesty and kindness at their heart.
De quoi parle ce livre ?
The Heroes is a book of three Greek legends retold for children by Charles Kingsley, an English clergyman, novelist and professor of history. He first published it in 1856, under the full title The Heroes, or Greek Fairy Tales for My Children. He wrote it for his own young family, and he wanted them to meet the old stories as living adventures, not as dry lessons from a schoolroom.
The book gives you three tales in turn. The first follows Perseus, who must bring back the head of the Gorgon Medusa. The second follows Jason and the Argonauts, who sail in the ship Argo to find the golden fleece. The third follows Theseus, who grows up far from his father and goes to Athens to claim his place. Before them all, a short opening introduction speaks to the children about the heroes, the gods and the world they lived in.
Kingsley tells these stories in a warm, spoken voice, and he often speaks straight to the young reader. He treats the gods with care, and he makes courage, honesty and kindness the real marks of a hero. Let us begin with the old centaur Chiron, who teaches the young heroes on Mount Pelion, and then follow Perseus on his first great task.
Dans ce résumé
- 1Chiron Teaches the Heroes of GreeceFree
- 2Perseus Is Cast Out to Sea
- 3Perseus Wins the Gorgon's Head
- 4The Argo Gathers Its Crew
- 5Perils on the Road to Colchis
- 6Medea, the Fleece and the Flight
- 7Theseus Grows Up and Sets Out
- 8Theseus in Athens and Crete
- 9What the Heroes Teach and How
Point clé 1 sur 9
Chiron Teaches the Heroes of Greece
Kingsley opens with a short introduction in which he speaks to his children. He tells them that the Greeks were a people who loved beauty, courage and clever speech. They believed that gods and heroes once walked the land. He says these stories were the first lessons of a people who grew into great thinkers and soldiers.
He also explains how the stories came down. Poets sang them long ago, and he wants to tell them again in plain words. He admits that the old tales sometimes show the gods behaving badly. So he chooses to keep what is noble and to leave out what would harm a child.
The opening also speaks of Chiron, the wise centaur who lives in a cave on Mount Pelion. He is half man and half horse, and he is a kind and patient teacher. Many young heroes come to him to learn music, healing, hunting and the right use of strength. Jason and Achilles are among his pupils, and the book later shows how Jason carries those lessons.
This teaching sets the tone for everything that follows. A hero in Kingsley is not only strong. He must be truthful, brave and gentle to the weak. Keep that in mind as you meet each hero, because each tale tests those very qualities.
The opening also shows the author as a friendly guide at your side. He is never far from the page, and he tells you what to notice. That voice is one of the pleasures of the book, and it begins here.
That’s 1 of 9 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Questions about Les Héros
What is The Heroes by Charles Kingsley about?
It retells three Greek myths for children: Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa, Jason and the Argonauts seeking the golden fleece, and Theseus and the Minotaur. Kingsley tells them in a warm voice that stresses courage, loyalty and kindness.
Who wrote The Heroes and when was it published?
Charles Kingsley, an English clergyman and writer, wrote it for his own children. It was first published in 1856 under a longer title that called the stories Greek fairy tales.
Is The Heroes a true story?
No. The tales come from ancient Greek myth, passed on by poets and storytellers over many centuries. Kingsley retold them in Victorian England, shaping them to suit young readers and adding his own moral outlook.
Is The Heroes hard to read?
It is fairly easy. It reads well aloud, and Kingsley's direct, storytelling voice helps the reader along.
Who is Chiron in The Heroes?
Chiron is a wise centaur who lives on Mount Pelion and teaches young heroes music, healing and the proper use of strength. Jason is among his pupils, and his lessons shape the heroes' character.