Magical MacGuffins in Greek Mythology

For people who wouldn't know a MacGuffin if it stood on the Acropolis and shouted "Xerxes rocks!" at them, the ancient Greeks used MacGuffins expertly and abundantly in their myths. Greek mythology boasts endless examples of this dramatic device that the Merriam-Webster defines as "an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance." Think Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark; the typewriter with the slightly raised t's in Jagged Edge; or, more recently, the eponymous car in Gran Torino.

The most common (and easily recognizable) type of MacGuffin is the object of a search, of a quest. The Golden Fleece is such an object in Greek mythology. Jason and the Argonauts set out on a long and adventurous journey to find the Golden Fleece, so that Jason could bring it back to his wicked usurper of an uncle and claim his throne. (The throne was rightfully Jason's in the first place, but wouldn't it be boring if it were just handed to him?) The Golden Fleece is a complex type of MacGuffin in that it is both the object of a quest (i.e. get the fleece) and a requirement (aka plot coupon) towards the object of a bigger quest (i.e. get the fleece to get the throne).

A similar type of MacGuffin is the Gorgoneion, the monstrous head of the Gorgon Medusa, so horrid and disgusting to behold that onlookers turned immediately into stone. The Greek mythic hero Perseus set out to fetch the Gorgoneion as a wedding gift to Polydectes, king of Seriphos. In actual truth, Polydectes had his eye on Perseus' mother, and he sent the gullible son off on a wild Gorgon chase so that the coast would be clear. (Literally, since Seriphos is an island.) Getting the severed head of Medusa was no easy feat for Perseus, as he also had to do all the severing himself. He did manage admirably though, and in the end, the Gorgoneion served Perseus well in turning all his enemies into stone (smacks of a cop-out, doesn't it?), including the aggressively amorous Polydectes.

Jason and Perseus were very brave in pursuing one MacGuffin each, but they pale in comparison to Hercules, who was required to collect not one, but twelve plot coupons-one per Labor. As it usually happens on these mythic quests, horror and gore abound, so let's consider a pleasurable MacGuffin for a change: The Apples of the Hesperides were golden apples that gave immortal life. They were guarded by gorgeous nymphs, the Hesperides (their name means "nymphs of the evening"), in a lush garden in the utmost west corners of the Greek world of myth. Hercules stole the apples and fulfilled his quest (the 11th Labor of Hercules) without shedding a drop of blood.

If only all apple-related stories had such happy endings... but alas, not all golden apples are created equal. There is an apple in Greek mythology that caused a whole ten years' worth of strife and bloodshed: The Golden Apple of Discord, awarded by Paris (one of the silliest men ever) to Aphrodite (one of the silliest goddesses ever), not only caused the wrath of the other two eager contestants (goddesses Hera and Athena), but also led to the abduction of Helen and the Trojan war. (Lesson learned (let's hope): If a man, a woman, and an apple spell trouble, you don't want to know what happens when three women, a man, and an apple are involved.)

Other MacGuffins associated with the Trojan war are Aphrodite's Girdle and the Trojan Horse. Aphrodite's girdle was a love charm: When she put it on, it made her even more attractive and irresistible. Surprisingly, it was a gift from her husband, Hephaestus. (Now, what husband in his right mind would give his drop-dead gorgeous wife a gift that would attract even more rivals, is beyond me, but I am digressing.) Normally, the enchanted girdle would only affect Aphrodite's love life, but it just so happens that it also played a part in the Trojan war. Hera was quite adept at borrowing the girdle (of course under false pretenses, what did you think?), seducing Zeus, and wreaking havoc in the battlefield while hubby was deep asleep in post-coital bliss.

And then there was the Trojan Horse, the hollow wooden horse of death, the ultimate MacGuffin of deception, the stratagem that brought down Troy and signified the end of the war.

One war, three MacGuffins: One started it (Golden Apple of Discord), one kept several sub-plots going (Girdle of Aphrodite), and one brought about the blood-drenched denouement (Trojan Horse). Not to forget Helen of Troy herself, the animate MacGuffin, the ultimate object of the ten-year quest.

Top that, Indiana Jones!

Quiz
Can you spot the Gorgoneion in one of the two pictures accompanying this article?

Sources:
Merriam-Webster Online: http://www.m-w.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_mythology
http://www.pantheon.org/areas/mythology/europe/greek/articles.html