Chimera (Barth novel) Chimera (Barth novel) Chimera is a 1972 fantasy novel written by American writer John Barth, composed of three loosely connected novellas. The novellas are "Dunyazadiad", "Perseid" and "Bellerophoniad", whose titles refer eponymously to the mythical characters Dunyazad, Perseus and Bellerophon (slayer of the mythical Chimera). The book is an example of postmodernism, which can be seen in its metafictional content and its incorporation of stylistic elements that go beyond the traditional novel genre. It shared the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction with "Augustus" by John Edward Williams. The Dunyazadiad is a retelling of the framing story of Scheherazade, the
Megara (mythology) Megara (mythology) In Greek mythology, Megara (; Ancient Greek: Μεγάρα) was the oldest daughter of Creon, king of Thebes and possibly, Eurydice. She was the sister of Menoeceus (Megareus), Lycomedes, Haemon, and Pyrrha. In reward for Heracles' defending Thebes from the Minyans at Orchomenus single-handed, Creon offered his daughter Megara to Heracles, and he brought her home to the house of Amphitryon. She bore him a son and a daughter, whom Heracles killed when Hera struck him with temporary madness; in their hero-tombs in Thebes they were venerated as the "Chalkoarai". In some sources Heracles slew Megara too, in others,