Jason of the Argonauts, an ancient Greek mythological hero, appears often in popular culture.

Film

Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Todd Armstrong 2

*The 1958 Italian production of ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

'' starring

Steve Reeves Stephen Lester "Steve" Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 1, 2000) was an American professional bodybuilder, actor, and philanthropist. He was famous in the mid-1950s as a movie star in Italian-made sword-and-sandal films, playing the protagon ...

, featured the characters of Jason (played by Fabrizio Mioni) and the Argonauts, as well as Ulysses (played by

Gabriele Antonini Gabriele Antonini (born 16 April 1938, died October 2018) was an Italian film, stage and television actor. Life and career Born in Rome, the son of an army general, Antonini was chosen by Mario Monicelli for the role of Sandro in '' Fathers and ...

). *The 1960 Italian-French film, ''

The Giants of Thessaly ''The Giants of Thessaly'' ( it, I giganti della Tessaglia (Gli Argonauti), french: Le Géant de Thessalie, released in the UK as ''Jason and the Golden Fleece'') is a 1960 Italian-French adventure-fantasy film directed by Riccardo Freda. It is ...

,'' is loosely based on the epic poem ''

Argonautica The ''Argonautica'' ( el, Ἀργοναυτικά , translit=Argonautika) is a Greek epic poem written by Apollonius Rhodius in the 3rd century BC. The only surviving Hellenistic epic, the ''Argonautica'' tells the myth of the voyage of Jason a ...

'' by

Apollonius Rhodius Apollonius of Rhodes ( grc, Ἀπολλώνιος Ῥόδιος ''Apollṓnios Rhódios''; la, Apollonius Rhodius; fl. first half of 3rd century BC) was an ancient Greek author, best known for the ''Argonautica'', an epic poem about Jason and t ...

. Jason is played by Roland Carey. *Two movies titled ''Jason and the Argonauts'' have been produced: '' Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963), directed by Don Chaffey, and '' Jason and the Argonauts'' (2000), a Hallmark TV movie. *

Lars Von Trier Lars von Trier (''né'' Trier; 30 April 1956) is a Danish filmmaker, actor, and lyricist. Having garnered a reputation as a highly ambitious, polarizing filmmaker, he has been the subject of several controversies: Cannes, in addition to nominat ...

's made for TV movie entitled ''

Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; grc, Μήδεια, ''Mēdeia'', perhaps implying "planner / schemer") is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, a niece of Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. Medea figures in the myth of Jason an ...

'' (1988) depicts

Udo Kier Udo Kierspe (born 14 October 1944), known professionally as Udo Kier, is a German actor. Known primarily as a character actor, Kier has appeared in more than 220 films in both leading and supporting roles throughout Europe and the Americas. He h ...

as Jason after he has retrieved the Golden Fleece. *"Jason and the Golden Fleece," episode 4 of the 2005 documentary, ''In Search of Myths and Heroes'' by Michael Wood, explores the Jason myth. *Michael Eisner's 2008 web show, ''

All-for-nots ''All-for-nots'', produced by Michael Eisner, is a web TV mockumentary-comedy that followed the ups and downs of an indie rock band touring on the road. The web series was created by Kathleen Grace and Thom Woodley of Dinosaur Diorama, the co-c ...

'', is loosely based on the Argonautika, as it follows an indie rock band whose Argonaut-sounding name is The All-for-nots (itself a pun on "all for naught") who tour America on their way to the "golden fleece" of rock stardom. *Episode 2 of the 2008 TV series ''Age of the Gods: Journeys Edition'', titled "Jason", is based on the myth of Jason and relates the stories of King Pelias, the Argonauts, the Isles of Lemnos, Phineus and the Harpies, the Symplegades, Medea, the Iron Bulls and Sown Men, the Golden Fleece, the Betrayal of Medea, and the Death of Jason.

Literature

*"Jason's Voyage" is the title of Book Five of

Thomas Wolfe Thomas Clayton Wolfe (October 3, 1900 – September 15, 1938) was an American novelist of the early 20th century. Wolfe wrote four lengthy novels as well as many short stories, dramatic works, and novellas. He is known for mixing highly origin ...

's autobiographical 1935 novel ''

Of Time and the River ''Of Time and the River'' (subtitled ''A Legend of Man's Hunger in his Youth'') is a 1935 novel by American author Thomas Wolfe. It is a fictionalized autobiography, using the name Eugene Gant for Wolfe's, detailing the protagonist's early and ...

.'' *''The Golden Fleece'' (1944 UK version; aka ''Hercules, My Shipmate,'' 1945 US version) written by

Robert Graves Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was a British poet, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were both Celtic ...

, is a somewhat humorous account of Jason and the Argonauts. Graves sometimes gives "natural" explanations to some of the myths. At other times he includes new myths of his own. *The novel ''Jason'' (1961) by

Henry Treece Henry Treece (22 December 1911 – 10 June 1966) was a British poet and writer who also worked as a teacher and editor. He wrote a range of works but is mostly remembered as a writer of children's historical novels. Life and work Treece wa ...

is narrated by Jason himself. The supernatural elements are largely removed, but a major theme of the book is the clash between the older religion of the mother goddess, favoured by women (who are portrayed as dangerous and hostile to men in many ways) and the newer religion of Zeus and Poseidon favoured by men. *The 2006 book ''

The Sea of Monsters ''The Sea of Monsters'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan and published in 2006. It is the second novel in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series and the sequel to ''The Lightning Th ...

'', by

Rick Riordan Richard Russell Riordan Junior (; born June 5, 1964) is an American author, best known for writing the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million co ...

, parallels Jason's story in many ways. *

Jason Grace A description of most characters featured in various mythology series by Rick Riordan. Overview List indicator(s) * A dark grey cell indicates that the character was not in the property or that the character's presence in the property has yet to ...

, a main character in the 2010 ''

Heroes of Olympus ''The Heroes of Olympus'' is a pentalogy of fantasy-adventure novels written by American author Rick Riordan. The novels detail a conflict between Greek demigods, Roman demigods, and Gaia (Roman name Terra). In the fourth book of the series, ...

'' series (also by Rick Riordan), was named after Jason. *''

The Heroes of Olympus ''The Heroes of Olympus'' is a pentalogy of fantasy-adventure novels written by American author Rick Riordan. The novels detail a conflict between Greek demigods, Roman demigods, and Gaia (Roman name Terra). In the fourth book of the series, t ...

'' features an Argo II made by

Leo Valdez Leo or Léo may refer to: Acronyms * Law enforcement officer * Law enforcement organisation * ''Louisville Eccentric Observer'', a free weekly newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky * Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Arts an ...

, appointed by

Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; grc-gre, Ἥρα, Hḗrā; grc, Ἥρη, Hḗrē, label=none in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she ...

. *In comics, outside of a comic book adaptation of the film ''Jason and the Argonauts'' published by

Dell Comics Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1974. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium.Evanier, Mark"Wh ...

in 1963 as part of their ''Movie Classics'' series, there were 2 series that featured Jason and The Argonauts. The first was a 5 issue series published by

Caliber Press Caliber Comics or Caliber Press is an American comic book publisher founded in 1989 by Gary Reed. Featuring primarily creator-owned comics, Caliber published over 1,300 comics in the decade following its inception and is ranked as one of America ...

in 1991, while the other was a series called ''Jason and the Argonauts: Kingdom of Hades'', a 5 issue mini-series, published by Bluewater Comics in 2007. In 2011, Campfire Books published a graphic novel called ''Jason and the Argonauts'' written by Dan Whitehead.

Music

* Hip-hop duo Hermit and the Recluse (composed of rapper Ka and producer Animoss) released a 2018 album titled ''Orpheus vs. the Sirens'', which utilizes mythical imagery from several episodes of the Argonauts' voyage.MacAdams, Torii. ''Hermit and the Recluse, Orpheus vs. the Sirens.'' Pitchfork
Original ArticleArchive
* In 2001, a radio drama adaptation of Apollonius' ''

'', was produced by the ''

Radio Tales ''Radio Tales'' is an American series of radio drama which premiered on National Public Radio on October 29, 1996. This series adapted classic works of American and world literature such as ''The War of the Worlds'', ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Un ...

'' series for

National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...

. * "

Birdhouse In Your Soul "Birdhouse in Your Soul" is a song by American alternative rock band They Might Be Giants. It was released in late 1989 through Elektra Records as the lead single from the album ''Flood'', making the single the band's first release on a major label ...

", a 1990 single from the

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a d ...

album ''Flood'', features references to Jason and the Argonauts. *"Jason and the Argonauts" is the title of a track on

XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...

's 1982 album, ''

English Settlement ''English Settlement'' is the fifth studio album and first double album by the English rock band XTC, released 12 February 1982 on Virgin Records. It marked a turn towards the more pastoral pop songs that would dominate later XTC releases, wit ...

''.

Stage

Giasone ''Giasone'' (''Jason'') is an opera in three acts and a prologue with music by Francesco Cavalli and a libretto by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini. It was premiered at the Teatro San Cassiano, Venice on 5 January 1649, during carnival. The plot is loos ...

is an opera in three acts and a prologue with music by

Francesco Cavalli Francesco Cavalli (born Pietro Francesco Caletti-Bruni; 14 February 1602 – 14 January 1676) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian composer, organist and singer of the early Baroque music, Baroque period. He succeeded his teacher Claudio Monteverd ...

and a libretto by

Giacinto Andrea Cicognini Giacinto Andrea Cicognini (1606–1651) was an Italian playwright and librettist, the son of poet and playwright Jacopo Cicognini. Biography Giacinto Andrea Cicognini was born in Florence. In 1627, he graduated from the University of Pisa, ...

. It was premiered at the Teatro San Cassiano, Venice on 5 January 1649. *

Mary Zimmerman Mary Zimmerman (born August 23, 1960) is an American theatre and opera director and playwright from Nebraska. She is an ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre Company, the Manilow Resident Director at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinoi ...

wrote and directed ''

Argonautika The ''Argonautica'' ( el, Ἀργοναυτικά , translit=Argonautika) is a Greek literature, Greek epic poem written by Apollonius of Rhodes, Apollonius Rhodius in the 3rd century BC. The only surviving Hellenistic civilization, Hellenistic ...

'', which premiered in 2006 with the Chicago Lookingglass Theatre Company. It tells the story of Jason and the Argonauts from Pelias' initial charge through Jason's betrayal of Medea. *

Euripides Euripides (; grc, Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs, ; ) was a tragedian Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful e ...

wrote the play ''

'', which depicts Medea killing Jason's bride and their two children. This play has nine characters and a chorus role.

Television

* Jason is played by Jeffrey Thomas on ''

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' is an American television series filmed in New Zealand, based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles (Hercules was his Roman analogue). Starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and Michael Hurst as ...

'' and in flashback episodes and in ''

Young Hercules ''Young Hercules'' is a prequel series to the television series ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' the originally aired on Fox Kids Network. It premiered on September 12, 1998 and ended on May 14, 1999, with a total of 50 episodes over the cou ...

'' by Chris Conrad. * Jason is portrayed in the

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...

series ''

Atlantis Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas (mythology), Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works ''Timaeus (dialogue), Timaeus'' and ''Critias (dialogue), Critias'' ...

'' by

Jack Donnelly Jack Donnelly (born 28 October 1985) is an English actor, best known for his role in BBC series ''Atlantis'', in which he played the role of Jason. Early life Donnelly was born the first of four boys in Bournemouth on 28 October 1985, the son ...

. In the series, he was born in

but emigrated to the world of the 21st Century with his father when he was a child. * Jason is voiced by

William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...

in '' Disney's Hercules: The Animated Series'' in a performance parodying ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

''s

Captain Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the '' Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in '' Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk lea ...

. * In the 2005 children's series ''

Class of the Titans ''Class of the Titans'' is a Television in Canada, Canadian animated television series produced by Studio B Productions and Nelvana, Nelvana Limited. It premiered on December 31, 2005, at 5 pm ET/PT on Teletoon with a special 90-minute prese ...

'', one of the main characters, Jay, is a descendant of Jason, and the characters have run-ins with Medea and Talos.

Video games

*Jason is an antagonist of the Okeanos singularity in ''

Fate/Grand Order is a free-to-play Japanese mobile game, developed by Lasengle (formerly Delightworks) using Unity, and published by Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The game is based on Type-Moon's ''Fate/stay night'' franchise, and ...

''. During the game's 4th Anniversary Event in 2019, he has been added as a 1-star Saber Servant alongside other Bronze Servants. *Jason is briefly featured in the 2007 video game ''

God of War II ''God of War II'' is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). First released for the PlayStation 2 (PS2) console on March 13, 2007, it is the second inst ...

''. He has taken the Argonauts to the Isle of Creation, and has made it as far as

Euryale In Greek mythology, Euryale ( ; grc, Εὐρυάλη, lit=far-roaming") was the name of the following characters: * Euryale, one of the Gorgons. * Euryale, daughter of Minos, possible mother of the great hunter Orion. * Euryale, one of the Ama ...

's temple, where they were overcome by a cursed Cerberus. As Kratos walks into the monster's dungeon, Jason has been eaten alive and the Golden Fleece is hanging out of the creature's jaws. After Kratos kills the Cerberus, he takes the Golden Fleece, which is interpreted as a golden arm-long gauntlet, as his own, which becomes a permanent addition to his character throughout the rest of ''God of War II'' and all of ''

God of War III ''God of War III'' is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. First released for the PlayStation 3 on March 16, 2010, it is the fifth installment in the ''God ...

''. * Jason is a playable character in '' Herc's Adventures''. *

Codemasters The Codemasters Software Company Limited (trade name: Codemasters) is a British video game developer based in Southam, England, which is a subsidiary of American corporation Electronic Arts. Founded by brothers Richard and David Darling in Octo ...

released '' Rise of the Argonauts'', an

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

role-playing video game A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...

developed by

Liquid Entertainment Liquid Entertainment was an American independent video game developer based in Pasadena, California. The studio was founded in April 1999 by Ed Del Castillo and Mike Grayford. History Liquid Entertainment was founded in April 1999 by Ed D ...

, in 2008. The game was loosely based on the mythology, telling a new version of Jason's search for the

Golden Fleece In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece ( el, Χρυσόμαλλον δέρας, ''Chrysómallon déras'') is the fleece of the golden-woolled,, ''Khrusómallos''. winged ram, Chrysomallos, that rescued Phrixus and brought him to Colchis, where P ...

with many changes to both characters and events. *Jason is one of the heroes in the 2002 ''

Age of Mythology ''Age of Mythology'' (''AoM'') is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on October 30, 2002, in North America and a week later in Europe. A spin-off from the '' ...

''. *In the ''

Age of Empires ''Age of Empires'' is a series of historical real-time strategy video games, originally developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. The first game was ''Age of Empires'', released in 1997. Nine total games within the ser ...

'', Jason featured as a

khopesh The ''khopesh'' ('; also vocalized khepesh) is an Egyptian sickle-shaped sword that evolved from battle axes. Description A typical ''khopesh'' is 50–60 cm (20–24 inches) in length, though smaller examples also exist. The inside c ...

swordsman and an axeman.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jason In Popular Culture

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

Classical mythology in popular culture