Theme: With strength comes great responsibility
Both first marriages fail
Hercules kills his wife
-Samson's father in law gives his wife to another man
Both used supernatural strength to overcome great obstacles
Born out of unordinary circumstances
-Samson killed 30 Philistines, set 30 foxes on fire, and when he was captured he broke his bonds and killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.
-Hercules used his strength to complete the 12 labors after killing his wife and kids,rescued princess of Troy from sea-monster, and helped Zeus defeat the giants
-Hercules birth was special because he was the son of the greatest Greek God Zeus and his mistress Alcmene
-Samson's birth was special because he was a Nazirite (Dedicated man to god that wouldn't cut his hair or beard or touch a strong drink)
Similarities
Samson
-Both had supernatural strength
-Both perform heroic feats
-both born out of unordinary circumstances
-both first marriages failed
-Performs heroic feats
-kills 30 Philistines
-set 30 foxes on fire
Samson (Biblical)
-Born by a barren woman visited by an angel
- Strongest man the Bible mentions
-Granted suprnatural strength by God
Hercules
-Hera tried killing him as a baby
-Strangled the two snakes as a baby
-killed his own wife
-conquered the 12 labors
Hercules (Mythology)
Samantha Branson
-Son of Zeus and Alcnene
-Had great strength
-Greece's greatest hero
Comparison between Hercules and Samson