According to Greek mythology, Medusa is considered to be a chthonic monstrous female character, the daughter of Ceto and Phorcys. Originally this character was perceived as goddess Athena aspect from Libya being the Libyan Amazons’ Serpent-Goddess. Her role in the mythology has undergone different interpretations and versions. Medusa was beheaded by Perseus, the mythological hero. According to the legend he used Medusa’s head as a kind of weapon until providing it to goddess Athena to put on her shield. In modern mythology this character is known as the expression of the evil named Gorgoneion.
According to the mythology Medusa was considered to be the only mortal person among three sisters. Originally, she was depicted as the horse having wings; later on the history of mythology shows the image of this character as the creature with wild boar tusks, black tongue, serpents instead of wings and brazen claws instead of hands. According to the legend her gaze could turn any person into stone. The character of Medusa is usually called Gorgon or in other words “Mistress of the Gate of Death”.
Speaking about symbolized character of Medusa it should be noted that this creature used to mean the female genitals together with female sexuality. From the very beginning of the Medusa mythological legend she happened to have been illustrated as a head only. It was stated that the body which was added a bit later enabled to kill Medusa. It helped to explain the origin of the disembodied head of a terror look and solute a conflict between the human fears and a man as to the female demonic sexual energy. In Ancient Greece kiln doors and ovens were decorated with the image of Medusa in order to frighten children for them not to hurt themselves.
Speaking about the analysis of the character it is important to stress that Sigmund Freud tried to involve this image into his theory in order to illustrate the meaning of the creature in modern world. According to his statements:
“The terror of Medusa is thus a terror of castration that is linked to the sight of something.”
He considered that the fact of depicting Medusa in the works of literature and art in the snake form can be explained by its derivation from a castration complex. Freud stated that despite the frightening image of the character it could serve as the horror mitigation; he considered that the absence of penis is the only cause of the fear and horror that is why snakes are used in order to replace it. Sigmund Freud stuck to the point that this was a technical rule confirmation according to which penis symbols multiplication signified castration. (Levi, 2003)
The image of Medusa became the element of the Freud’s theory and human study. He stated that the snake of Gorgon was considered to be the male phallic symbol; nevertheless he managed to fail in his considerations that the woman was fantasized with a penis similar to the male one. Despite all his mistakes the conclusion as to the technical rule was generally recognized and perceived in the world of science.
The image of Medusa was also examined in Christian culture. The symbolism of this character represented the death and the dreaded enemy becoming the depiction of the Devil. The books and works of art related to the Christian culture reflected the character of Medusa as the personified image of the Sin and Death. The culture represents this mythological image as the reflection of negativity.
Having the function of the evil and horror in the Greek mythology Gorgon still continued to fulfill it in modern literature and art. The theory of Sigmund Freud regards the characteristics of Medusa as the part of the psychological study of human being. Despite all the confusions caused by his theory the Freud’s conclusions as to the creature’s nature were perceived in the mythology and modern science. (Brunel, 2000).
Thus, to sum up the purpose and the meaning of the Medusa character in the ancient mythology and modern art and literature it should be noted that this creature had negative nature. She was considered to be the embodiment of the Horror and the Evil; the death and the sin were the basic elements of the Gorgon’s characteristics. Nevertheless this image left a print not only in the myths but also in the world of theoretical science due to the theories of Sigmund Freud. The presentation of Medusa as the illustration of the female biological nature allowed to evaluate Freud’s flow of thoughts and considerations as to the function of the mythological character. The technical rule analysis managed to show the meaning of the Freud’s theory and characteristics of Medusa. So, it should be pointed out that Medusa was the great character of the Ancient mythology and remains to be the significant image in the world of modern literature and art.
References
Brunel, Pierre. Medusa in Myth and Literary History. Classical Publishing Inc. 2000.
Medusa. 2002. Web.
Levi, Iakov. Medusa, The Female Genital and the Nazis. NY: 2003.
Medea is a character used for explaining specific cultural beliefs and traditions entailing Greek mythology. The ancient community had a civilization structure that determined public leadership (Graf). Traditionally, verbal concessions were typical among community members, and each party obliged with every agreement term. Medea and Jason dominate the entire plot after escaping from Colchis (Dillon).
In essence, Jason was sent by King Pelias of Iolcos. Individuals conspired to acquire expensive materials made of rare metals due to their high value in quality and wealth. Medea comes out as a defiant daughter of King Aeetes of Colchis in the mythology (Karakis 3). Her subsequent actions are concerning as she kills her siblings in pursuit of personal gains. This literary analysis discusses fundamental social and political themes. Most importantly, the Greek Mythology presented by Medea evaluates the relevance of cultural beliefs and myths in enhancing specific values depicted in ancient kingdoms.
Ancient Greek depicted high levels of civilization, as evidenced in various mythologies. Leadership was a societal value that was attributed to unique individual and social abilities. In this case, the position of kingship was the highest in political rankings, equivalent to the presidency in modern-day practices (Karakis 3). Individuals aspire to these positions due to associated social, economic, and political benefits. For example, kings acquired the most extensive tracts of land during their reigns in power (Berkowitz 40). In Medea, nonetheless, leadership is depicted between the two kings of Colchis and Iolcos (Graf).
The rivalry was also typical in ancient kingdoms across Greek. Powerful empires would expand their territories by engaging in military conflicts. Jason is depicted as an intruder intended to steal a valuable product from King Pelias (Dillon). Greek mythology identifies a conspiracy involving the king’s daughter Medea. Most importantly, the element of leadership in Greek mythology was characterized by concessions and plots.
Moreover, death is another aspect of standard practices in ancient communities. Individuals murdered each other for succeeding in malicious activities. The Greek mythology in discussion highlights how characters used death to achieving individual objectives (Berkowitz 40). For instance, Medea murdered her brother Absyrtus and dismembered his body parts to delay the king from catching those (Karakis 5). Additionally, the daughters of King Pelias murdered their father after incitement from Medea. In this case, the main intention was for Jason to occupy the throne. This indicates that death was an instrument of obtaining personal goals in ancient communities. Greek mythology, however, warns that such activities have severe social and political consequences (Dillon).
For instance, perpetrators of murders were hanged or stoned to death guided by cultural beliefs and traditions. Similarly, ancient leaders would order arrests for imprisoning individuals threatening the throne (Karakis 6). This was depicted by Medea when she incited the king’s daughters to kill their father. Most importantly, Medea lost her family and husband due to ill-intentions against close friends and relatives.
Moreover, traditional communities also engaged in partnerships through agreements. Concessions were verbal or symbolic when sealing a deal, while others had to be recorded using text. Jason and Medea, in Greek mythology, agreed on an escape if the former acquired the fleece. He endured a series of challenges intended to test his patience, courage, and bravery. For example, Jason was taken through a task involving fire-breathing oxen not easy for ordinary persons.
He was also told to place dragon teeth in a sowing field which he ploughed earlier. A conspiracy between the two was founded on an escape plan after obtaining the Golden Fleece (Karakis 7). Agreements were binding for all parties involved, and breaching terms would attract severe consequences. People would kill each other when sensitive secrets leaked to the public. Most notably, Greek mythology depicted concessions that conspired to kill family members.
Heroism is another critical aspect of many ancient communities, as evidenced by Jason. Acquiring valuable products and items guarded by armed soldiers was considered a heroic act. Similarly, escaping with the king’s daughter was punishable by death as leaders would take personal offense in such crimes (Graf). Medea was tactical in planning her escape with Jason. She facilitated the poisoning of the sleepless guardian of the Golden Fleece for Jason to acquire the product and escape together. (Berkowitz 40).
Sailing away was a heroic act that indicated a significant accomplishment. In essence, heroism was intended for varying purposes in Greek mythology. For example, saving a community from suffering through military prowess was highly recognized by ancient leaders. Fundamentally, heroism was familiar among individuals who managed to escape oppression.
In conclusion, Greek mythologies were helpful in enhancing specific cultural beliefs and values. Leadership was an essential social attribute that depicted levels of civilization and political power. Kings consolidated wealth by acquiring important valuables, including the Golden Fleece. Conspiracies leading to death were also common in ancient societies, as evidenced by Medea. Individuals were murdered for specific achievements, which involved theft or leadership contests to occupy the throne. Greek mythology also identifies acts of heroism in improving specific social values. In this context, nonetheless, the practice was implemented for an escape plan after obtaining the Golden Fleece.
Works Cited
Berkowitz, Sara K. “Staging Death: Performing Greek Myths in Roman Arena Executions.” Chronika, Volume VII, 2017, p.40.
Dillon, John. 9 Medea among the Philosophers. Princeton University Press, 2021.
Graf, Fritz. 1 Medea, the Enchantress from Afar: Remarks on a Well-Known Myth. Princeton University Press, 2021.
Karakis, Ioannis. “Neuroscience and Greek mythology.” Journal of the History of the Neurosciences vol. 28, no.1, 2019, pp.1-22.
All through the ages, a number of Greek women have stood out for undergoing a great deal of suffering. They have dealt with their lot, not just by enduring their respective hardships in a stoic manner but by doing something about the situation. Even the goddesses were not spared. Demeter, for instance, had an only daughter, Persephone, the maiden of the spring. Her mother lost her and in her terrible grief, withheld her gifts from the earth, turning it into a frozen desert.
In Olympus, Demeter sat alone wasting away with longing for her daughter. Zeus told Hermes to go down to the underworld and bid the lord of it to let his bride to return to Demeter. Hermes found the two sitting side by side, Persephone shrinking away, reluctant because she longed for her mother. Persephone suffered too (Hamilton, 1942).
Then there is Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. Her husband left her and the young Telemachus for more than twenty years. Waiting alone was suffering enough. When it became inevitable that Odysseus was still alive, her many suitors prevailed upon her to choose one among them to be her next husband. Penelope and her son, Telemachus pooled their resources together to hatch a plan to get rid of the pesky suitors once and for all. Mother and son were successful, but not before Penelope spent sleepless nights exhausting ways and means of stalling her suitors from taking matters into their own hands and forcing her to choose from among who would replace her husband (Hamilton, 1942).
Suffering really seems to have been in store for the women in Greece since ancient times, but this paper will concentrate on three particular women whose sufferings are made evident in Greek Mythology, particularly in the stories of Agamemnon and his children. The stories to be discussed in this paper are those of Clytemnestra, Phaedra and Medea.
The suffering of Clytemnestra
The House of Atreus is one of the most famous in Greek mythology. Agamemnon who led the Greeks against troy belonged to it. Even his wife Clytemnestra and his three children, Iphigenia, Orestes and Electra were equally famous as the father. However, a curse seemed to hang over the family, despite themselves, resulting in ruin and suffering coming down on the innocent and the guilty as well. Therefore, it can be construed from this that whatever mistake may be committed by any female (or male) member of the House is absolved of that mistake. It is made clear from the onset, that whatever undesirable act of Clytemnestra there may be is condoned by her people who are familiar with the history of the House of Atreus (Aeschylus, Oresteia).
The tale of Clytemnestra dates back to the Trojan War. When Troy fell, Agamemnon was the most fortunate of the victorious Greek commanders. His ship survived the storms which drove to distant lands or even wrecked the ships of the rest, including those of Odysseus. He returned home triumphant and his subjects awaited him with great anticipation. It seemed for a while that only peace and prosperity were once again to reign. But the elders of the city had dire thoughts of his arrival as they remembered the past before the warriors set out to war. It was as though they themselves heard with Iphigenia, her beloved father, Agamemnon, telling his men to carry her and lay her body on the altar to kill her. He had unwillingly given orders to slay her forced by his army to sacrifice her in exchange for fair weather in sailing to Troy. He acceded to their wishes because the old wickedness in generation after generation of his race would also result in evil for him. Once again, they were only too familiar with the curse that hung over the House of Atreus (Aeschylus, Oresteia). Even so, the sacrifice was grossly unfair. Iphigenia was a mere child. She never expected this to happen to her – she was the daughter of the Greek Commander of the Army. Neither was her mother, Clytemnestra, consulted. Her father acceded without any objection. In those times, women had no voice in deciding serious matters – even concerning their own lives and those of the children they bore. Men had the final say and took precedence over women’s choices. It seemed that the dictates of war had priority over family relationships.
As the story goes, Agamemnon was killed by his wife’s lover aided by Clytemnestra herself (Aeschylus, Oresteia). It was a sordid tale. It is not known how it held the stage but centuries later, it was very different. About 450 B.C., as written by Aeschylus, it is a great story of implacable vengeance, tragic passions and inevitable doom. The motive for Agamemnon’s death is no longer the guilty love of a man and a woman as is depicted in earlier plays, but a mother’s love for a daughter killed by her own father, and a wife’s determination to avenge that death by killing her husband.
The very thought of Iphigenia’s sacrifice, that gentle, lovely, innocent young girl, trusting her father implicitly and then confronted with the altar, the cruel knives and pitiless faces above her were enough to break a mother’s heart. The sufferings of Clytemnestra from the time Iphigenia was killed up to the time the latter’s death was avenged can only be left to the imagination.
Ten years had elapsed since the death of Iphigenia, but the repercussions of that death reached through to the time Agamemnon returned from the wars. A menace from the dead hung over her father in his moment of victory. The old men awaiting return in front of the palace were hoping against hope that nothing untoward would result, but deep in their hearts, vengeance was already there in the palace. It had waited all these years since the Queen came home from the place where she witnessed her daughter’s death and how this mother must have suffered! She has never been the same ever since, and from then on, sought alleviation from her pain by plotting a way to get back at her husband and inflict the same pain, or much more, if possible, to him (Aeschylus, Orestia).
Her opportunity to take her revenge came when Agamemnon arrived with a beautiful stranger, Cassandra. As if to add insult to injury, that woman was a gift to Agamemnon, and he instructed his wife to see to her and treat her kindly. Clymnestra, on the other hand, put on a loving façade in welcoming her husband despite the knowledge of everyone else of her infidelity to him.
Despite Cassandra’s being a guest in the palace, it would be natural for Clytemnestra to feel resentment towards this stranger whom she regarded as a usurper in more ways than one.
After the murders of Agamemnon and Cassandra by the hands of Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus, Queen Clytemnestra emerged from the doorway to her people and announced that her husband was dead, struck down partly by her own hand and she was glad. She saw no reason for an excuse or an explanation. She knew her subjects understood – not because she was their queen but because she was a mother and deserved justice. She did not consider herself a murderer but an executioner of the murderer of her child. All those years of suffering came to this culminating point, and Clytemnestra finally got the justice she has sought.
It is interesting to note that in spite of the fact that it was a patriarchal society, Clytemnestra seemed to get away with murder of the king! This goes to show how the people empathized with her, and proved that blood is still very much thicker than water. Aeschylus’ play supported the people’s sentiments of family being the first priority.
Phaedra, the sister to Ariadne and wife to Theseus, was a victim of unrequited love – her love for Hippolytus, son of Hippolyta, an Amazon (Euripedes, Hippolytus).
Phaedra’s marriage to Theseus drew down terrible misfortunes on Phaedra. Theseus’ son, Hippolytus has also become cursed by this marriage. The young Hippolytus was sent to a southern city where Theseus grew up and where he developed into a fine specimen of Greek manhood. He became a strong athlete, an expert hunter and one who looked down upon his fellows who led a life of leisure and never bothered about improving themselves (Euripedes, Hippolytus).
The suffering of Phaedra
Phaedra became intensely in love with her stepson, Hippolytus, who in turn, spurned her. Such mad, irrevocable and wretched love of Phaedra was put there in her heart by the goddess Aphrodite who was determined to teach Hippolytus a lesson for looking down on soft-hearted individuals very much unlike him.
Lovesick Phaedra, agonizing in unrequited love, saw no solution to her problem. She resolved to put an end to her misery by means of suicide and would not let anyone but her nurse know the reason. When the nurse revealed to Hippolytus of Phaedra’s suffering, in an attempt to save Phaedra from committing suicide, Hippolytus reacted with abhorrence. The love of any other woman disgusted him, but the love of his father’s wife for him filled him with loathing. This is a reflection of how emotional women can be, especially when struck by intense love for a man. Hippolytus’ machismo attitude may be shared by the majority of the Athenians of Theseus’ day but probably not to the same extreme degree as Hippolytus’.
Phaedra, could no longer stand her misery that she did kill herself, but not without leaving a letter to her husband, Theseus that Hippolytus laid a hand on her. Irked, Theseus banished his son, Hippolytus. In his wanderings, he got injured, and his father was informed of it by Artemis who coaxed him to make peace with his son. In the end, father and son do reconcile. (Euripedes, Hippolytus).
It strikes the reader as strange that the suffering of Phaedra who loved and lost goes unremembered – is it because she told a lie? At this point, it is easy to believe that the ancient Greeks put significance on an exceptionally loving father-son tie over a man-woman relationship that does not fall within the bounds of decency and the law.
The suffering of Medea
The third and last woman to be analyzed who underwent intense and bitter suffering is Medea, daughter of King Colchis (Euripedes, Medea). Medea is closely connected with the Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece. Cupid took a shot at her heart to make her fall in love with Jason, the Captain of the Argonauts. This passion of the King’s daughter will come in handy for Jason to acquire the Golden Fleece from her father.
Medea’s insane love for Jason pushed her to betray her father’s trust by feeding him and his group information about the King’s movements. She suffers a sweet but excruciating pain from this, and wept guiltily over her treachery to her father in her chamber (Euripedes, Medea).
The play depicts such weakness of women in love to do things that they would not dare do otherwise when not under the spell of lovesickness. Going against her dearly loved father was not in Medea’s nature. However, the intensity of feelings she had for Jason made her blind to see the delineation between what is right and what is wrong. Her heart just opted to see what would make Jason happy.
After giving him everything she deems would make him happy even if went against her own convictions, Jason betrayed her by marrying the daughter of the King of Corinth. Of course, this caused an upheaval in Medea, making the King of Corinth fearful of his daughter’s safety with Medea around. So at her lowest point, Medea and her sons by Jason were exiled from the kingdom of Corinth (Euripedes, Medea). Her situation in exile with two small children and with nothing else was a situation worse than death. She pondered on what she underwent for her great love for one man:
“As she sat brooding over what she should do and think of her wrongs and her wretchedness – wishing for death to end the life she could no longer bear, sometimes remembering with tears the father and her home; sometimes shuddering at the stain nothing could wash out of her brother’s blood; of Pelias too; conscious above all of the wild passionate devotion that had brought her to this evil and this misery – as she sat thus, Jason appeared before her. She looked at him, she did not speak. He was there beside her yet she was far away from him, alone with her outraged love and her ruined life” (Euripedes, Medea).
Whatever else she lacked, Medea had a lot of intelligence. She refused Jason’s offer of gold and whatever she needed for the journey. Instead she was determined to do away with Jason’s bride. Her desperate thinking led her to kill her sons first, knowing they would just be turned to slaves when she leaves them behind and spares them from such fate by killing them instead (Euripedes, Medea).
When she succeeded, Jason was furious with her. He angrily pursued her, but she was able to escape by riding a chariot provided by her grandfather, Helios, the sun god (Euripedes, Medea).
There is no question about Medea being the character who suffered most among the three plays discussed at length in this paper. “Medea” opens on a note of foreboding. Medea’s muse stands outside of their house lamenting that Jason and Medea ever met. She notes fearfully that Medea’s heart is violent and that she has become a strange woman. Convinced that she has been cast aside because Jason has tired of her and prefers a virginal bride, Medea remains inside, weeping inconsolably.
“The Athenian society for whom Euripedes wrote was strongly patriarchal and patrilinear. In fact, despite the fact that the protagonist, Medea, is a powerful woman and that the play seems to explore many issues of the unfairness of prescribed gender roles, it is likely that women were forbidden to attend any of its performances. The male-dominated culture considered women’s primary function to be the production of heirs for their husbands” (Becnel: para 13). Even in a constrained role, women often found that they could not please the men, Medea’s situation proves a bit unusual that she had successfully provided Jason with healthy heirs and should have therefore, been accorded with somewhat more respect.”
In the play, Medea exposes the danger in which marriage placed women. In addition to the insulting dowry system, women were subject to legalized rape. There existed, too, a double standard in divorce and agonizing mortal danger in childbirth (Morwood:30). Of course an unmarried woman like Medea fared no better. Legally, she shared the same rights and privileges as a child and therefore depended entirely on the protection of a male guardian – father, brother, or nearest male relative for her existence.
A married or single woman could not vote, had no voice in government, could not speak in court even in her defense and was not allowed to conduct financial transactions. No wonder Medea became desperate. Once forsaken by her husband, she ceased to function as a member of society. She also could not appeal for security to her male “relatives” whom she betrayed at one time or another. Treacherous as she was, she could never hope to survive in classical Greek society without a man’s protection.
Discussion
Being aware of this backdrop of the position of women in Greek society, how did Aeschylus and Euripedes depict their women characters in their plays? Aeschylus’ Clytemnestra claimed her vengeance by actively doing something about it and bravely proving her point. Her murdering of husband Agamemnon was courageously announced to the public, whom she had faith believed she was not guilty and even tolerated the murder as punishment to a true murderer no matter how they respect him as their leader. Upon achieving her goal of vengeance, Clytemnestra felt released from her agony and suffering.
Euripides’ Phaedra and Medea suffered quietly until the end. For these two women, it seemed that suffering was a way of life, and as women, there is not much they can do. At the point of vengeance, they continued to suffer and did not exhibit the freedom from suffering Clytemnestra experienced.
Aeschylus’ tragic heroine Clytemnestra, suffered from losing her daughter in such an inhumane way. What was unforgivable was that her daughter suffered the worst in her father’s hands. Someone trusted with one’s life turned out to be the one who would ruin it. Although there were romantic angles in the play, the plot did not center on those but of the seeking of justice of a mother over the death of her daughter.
In Euripedes’ play’s the heroines Phaedra and Medea were both involved in romantic relationships and the plot of the story revolved on the lovers and how suffering came to be.
The tragic heroines’ natures closely resemble some women today. Overcome with emotions, there are those who cannot control it and are forced to think or do something about releasing it. In terms of suffering, women need to know how to handle it or else they would end up like the tragic heroines discussed. Aeschylus and Euripides may be known as misogynistic in their treatment and viewpoints. Males are always strong in battle and women stay home to care for it and the children and can be fraught with emotions they find difficult to control and express.
Conclusion
Greek society as depicted in this paper seems to be very restrictive and unfavorable for the tragic heroines that the plays. Aeschylus and Euripides did a great job in expressing women’s sentiments that readers or viewers of the play can easily relate to.
References
Aeschylus, Oresteia, trans. P. Meineck (Hackett 1998).
Becnel, K., Euripedes’ “Medea”, Lierary Contexts in Plays. Great Neck Publishing.
Euripides, Four Plays: Medea, Hippolytus, Heracles, Bacchae, ed. Stephen Esposito (Focus Publishing 2004).
Hamilton, E., Mythology – Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, 1940, 1942
Long ago, when men and gods toiled together in the ancient world, there was no Rat on earth. However, Rats are those mythical animals who will not die even in face of a nuclear infestation on the earth. Rats will not be destroyed even when the earth ceases to be. Rats can live even in case the earth becomes infected with the epidemic, or nuclear waste, and all living beings are dead. Why is Rat indestructible? Why Rat will never become extinct? There is a legend behind it all.
Hephaestus was the Greek God of Artisans. He taught mankind the craft of work and creation through artistry. He had created many beautiful things at the request of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. He was the only Greek God who worked. Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera, and was the god of the creative fire, and was the divine artisan who worked with metals (Morford and Lenardon 76).
According to legend, Hera created Hephaestus out of jealously without the help of her husband Zeus, after the latter created Athena. However, the son created out of Hera was sickly and had a limp in one leg. This disgusted Hera, and she threw the son out of Olympus into the island of Lemnos in Greece. On this island, Hephaestus hones his skills as a metalsmith and created many beautiful creations. When his fame as an artisan grew, he was brought back to Olympus, where he created a few of the best-known works of art.
Hephaestus’s workshop was on the Olympus. He was famous for his extraordinary talent for the creation of artifacts and things that were of divine beauty. One of his creations was the shield of Achilles, which is considered to be his best-known work of art. He even created robots with human intelligence and Pandora, the first woman.
The life of Hephaestus was devoid of happiness. He had never known the love of a mother or father. His mother felt that he was a misfortune and failure as soon as he was born due to his deformity. He craved for love and instead his focus was redirected to the creation of beauty. He created beautiful objects out of ugly material. He did not find happiness even in his married life. He was married to the beautiful and sensual Aphrodite, who was unfaithful to him.
She took Ares as a lover, the god of war. Throughout his life, people whom he loved and wanted love from dejected Hephaestus. He was deformed not only physically, but emotionally too. Hephaestus confronted Aphrodite and told her that she must apologize for her conduct. But the latter paid no heed to him and simply said, “O Hephaestus, you are my husband, but you cannot satisfy me as a husband should. You are incapable of giving me the bliss of motherhood. So I must find other means to establish my maternal instincts and create a progeny who can be brought up to be as knowledgeable and adept as you.”
This hurt Hephaestus further, and he proclaimed to Aphrodite that he will now create a son of his own, without her aid, and he will not allow her to mother that child. he said, “O you fool, I am the creator of Pandora, I created Achilles’ shield. I have created intelligence in the machine and you point a figure at the potency of my creativity? You are just trying to hide your guilt with hollow words, and I will not be hurt by your treacherous words.
Today I proclaim that I will create a child, a son of my own, and solely of my own. He will be the most beautiful child you ever lay eyes on. But you will not be allowed to even hold him, as he will be my son. I will teach him the art of living and bless him with the gift of living and toiling continuously for creation. He will be thus, created that he will not need a chisel and hammer for creating the works of art. He would be so gifted that he will make it without the aid of any tool. Then you will know that I am not impotent of creation. I am the creator of beauty and brain and I will create my son.”
Therefore, after he created Pandora, the beautiful mortal woman, he felt he could create the most beautiful object in the world, even more, beautiful than Pandora. But this creation of his will not be for others. This he will create only for himself – a son who would be beautiful and would love him. Thus, Hephaestus began the creation of his son without the help of his wife Aphrodite. Hephaestus, in anger and jealously, started working on creating his son. He locked himself in his workshop on Olympus and started making the best creation of his life. He toiled on creating the figure of the most beautiful of his all creations.
In this endeavor, Hephaestus used all the best ingredients found in the world. He collected all the colors of heaven, and all the precious gems, rays of light, and all things with beautiful and precious sight started the work on his creation. In all, he collected ten thousand priceless ingredients for the creation of his son. To gift him with the blood of divinity and his mastery over artistry, he cut his figure and put it in the cauldron, and mixed it.
He mixed it for three years, and the mixture took shape of a woman. This woman was more beautiful than Pandora, and had more allure and sharpness in the eye, as this creation had the knowledge and intelligence of Hephaestus himself.
Hephaestus was not happy. He wanted something more precise, more perfect, he did not want his child to be an imitation of something that he had already created. So he set to work again, but now with his chisel and hammer. He started chiseling the face, it make it more perfect. He went on chiseling. He worked night and day, without any rest or food or sleep. Aphrodite became worried that Hephaestus may cease to be due to this restless endeavor.
So she went to Hera and recounted the story of how Hephaestus had set to work on his most beautiful creation – his son. Hera and Aphrodite went to Hephaestus’s workshop and called out to him from outside the bolted door. Hera said, “My dear son Hephaestus, why do you toil tirelessly over a creation that is not necessary. We are here to take care of you and give you all the love you want.”
An angry voice replied from inside, “Mother, you had shown all your love when you threw me out of Olympus as an infant. So what love will you show now to this man who is deformed both physically and emotionally? Go away, go away both of you. Please don’t come back. I will rest only after I make my son. Then all of you who have laughed at my disability and have hurt me will see my creation. I am the creator and I will create the most beautiful and intelligent creature. Then I will call upon all of you to rejoice with me and see that a cripple is more capable than the complete Gods.”
Hera and Aphrodite left. They did not know what to do. They were worried that Hephaestus would become mad in his lunatic desire to create the perfect creature. They were less worried about the creation than about the non-creation of the desired object. What will Hephaestus do if failed to create? So they went to Zeus for help. Zeus listened to the whole story and said, “Why have you come to me? You two have driven Hephaestus to the maddening drive and not you must stop him from spoiling his life.”
To this Hera answered, “O Zeus, I know I am responsible for this state of Hephaestus and his desire to create an object of love when his mother and wife had been unfaithful to him. But if you do not help us, I will lose a son, and I do not want to do it anymore.”
This heart-wrenching appeal softened Zeus. He said that he will try to stop Hephaestus from this work. So, Zeus started to think about how Hephaestus can be stopped. He was sure no amount of counsel will appeal to Hephaestus, and therefore, cunning must be used to stop him from work. He called upon Morpheus and Hypnos the two brothers. Morpheus was the god of dreams and Hypnos, the god of sleep.
Under Zeus’s direction, Hypnos put Hephaestus to sleep and Morpheus appeared in his dream and showed him a vision of a life with his son and wife Aphrodite. After a long sleep, Hephaestus woke up happy that he had a loving family and his wife was with him, with whom he was still enamored. But he woke up and soon realized the reality. He looked at his creation a small creature, with a small bushy body, long tail, and small hands and teeth. Hephaestus gave a cry of pain. He cried out loud, “What have I created? O Zeus, please help me undo this wrongdoing.”
At this, Zeus appeared in the workshop of Hephaestus. He looked at the creature and smiled to himself. Hephaestus, in his desire to make the most perfect creature, had chiseled and chiseled in order to get the perfect features. However, was never satisfied. In the end, he was left with this small creature. He looked at Hephaestus and asked, “What do you want me to do?”
Hephaestus said, “Please tell me what do I do with this small creature? I wanted to create the most beautiful and intelligent son for myself, but in my vanity to create the perfect creature, I made him this small thing. He is so small, that he will never be able to survive. Please help me to give him powers that will help him to encounter all troubles, and become a survivor.”
Zeus said, “I am ready to help you if you agree to stop your work on the creature.” Hephaestus agreed, and Zeus granted the creature, which he called Rat to live through all disasters and become a survivor. Thus, Rat, the son, and creation of Hephaestus, got the power to survive all destructions and evils on earth.
Works Cited
Morford, Mark P. O. and Robert J. Lenardon. Classical Mythology, 8th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
Hera is a goddess who symbolizes marriage and femininity; she is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. This deity is often associated with the peacock and the cow. Allegedly, this goddess protects such an island as Samos as well as the city of Argos.
Hades is the god of the underworld, and he is the son of Cronus and Rhea. This deity governs and sometimes punishes the souls of deceased people. This deity is often accompanied by the three-headed dog, Cerberus.
Dionysus is the god who represents wine-making, the fertility of the soil, drinking, and even theater; he is the son of Semele and Zeus. This god grew up in the kingdom Phrygia located in Anatolia. He usually wears the skin of a leopard.
Prometheus is the Titan who gave the fire to human beings and taught them various skills and arts such as medicine. He is the son of Iapetus and Clymene. Prometheus was punished for his theft of fire, and he was chained to a mountain in Caucuses.
Titans are the children of primordial deities, namely, Uranus and Gaea. They are the opponents of Olympian gods. Titans are not associated with any geographic region. There are several generations of Titans, and these divine entities can perform several functions; for instance, Atlas is supposed to hold up the sky.
Gaea is one of the primordial deities, and she can be viewed as the personification of the entire Earth. Gaea is a self-borne deity; so, she does not have any parents, unlike Olympian Gods. The name of Gaea is sometimes linked with such a region as Delphi because she guided the oracles serving in the local temple.
Primary sources
Hera is mentioned in different primary sources such as Homer’s Iliad (2006) and Hesiod’s (2004) Theogony. These authors depict the birth of Hera and her interactions with gods as well as heroes.
Hades is depicted in Theogony by Hesiod (2004) and Homer’s Odyssey (2006). For instance, Homer (2006) writes about Odysseus’ travel through the underworld governed by Hades.
Dionysius is described by various ancient authors. For example, one can refer to Hesiod’s (2004) works and Ovid’s Metamorphoses (2010).
One can refer to Hesiod’s (2004) books to learn about Prometheus and his conflicts with Olympian gods.
Titans are mentioned by Hesiod (2004).
The story of Gaea and other primordial deities is told by Hesiod (2004).
Discussion of critical points
The presence of such a deity as Hera shows that the family was one of the key values for ancient Greeks. Moreover, this goddess illustrates the responsibilities of a wife.
The representation of Hades and his underworld in ancient myths suggest that Greeks did not have an optimistic view of the afterlife. In their opinion, these experiences were deprived of any joy.
Dionysus challenges the rules and values established by Olympian gods. For instance, he does not value power that is one of the top priorities for his father, Zeus.
Prometheus is a cultural hero who enables human beings to build their civilization. One should bear in mind that this myth is present in various ancient cultures. For instance, it is possible to consider the Georgian epic character named Amirani, who is also renowned for giving fire to people.
Titans succeeded in overthrowing primordial deities, but they could not retain their power. However, they were subdued by Olympian gods. To some degree, this example indicates that brutal force is eventually conquered by rationality.
Gaea and other primordial deities represent the uncontrolled forces of nature. In contrast, Olympian gods symbolize various qualities of human beings, such as rationality.
Reference List
Hesiod. (2004). Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, Shield. (A. Athanassakis, Trans.). Baltimore, MD: JHU Press.
Homer. (2006). Homer – the Iliad and the Odyssey. (S. Butler, Trans.). New York, NY: El Paso Norte Press.
Ovid. (2010). Metamorphoses. (W. Johnson, Trans.). New York, NY: Hackett Publishing.
The impact of Greek mythology on the modern society cannot go unnoticed. Many spheres of the modern society have borrowed heavily on Greek mythology. Areas like modern language, arts and traditions among others all exhibit the influence of Greek tradition in the modern society.
A good example of this is where people with no or little understanding of Greek legends still know that Hercules was a strongman and that Venus is the god responsible for love. This goes ahead to show how the Greek mythologies have taken root in our modern society. In fact, majority of the traditions that people in the modern society carry out have their origin in Greece.
One Greek mythology that has influenced the whole world is the celebration of the Olympic Games. According to historians, the Olympic Games are a traditional Greek sport that was established in 776 B.C. The Greeks used these athletic contests to award vegetal crowns to people who excelled in different areas.
According to historians, the foundation of the Olympic Games is credited to Herakles. According to the myth, Zeus set up the games to celebrate his legendary success over his father Kronos. This event was celebrated once every four years and involved all Greece citizens.
As time went by, the rest of the world adopted the use of Olympic Games as a unifying event. Today, the Olympic Games are regarded as the most popular sporting event in history. In fact, the modern day sport has minimal differences compared to the original games. This goes a long way in exhibiting just how Greek culture has influenced the world systems. (Barringer, 2010)
In the modern society, very few people can speak Greek fluently. However, the English language has been greatly shaped by Greek mythologies. An example of this is a term like “Herculean task”, which refers to doing something that requires a big effort. According to historians, the term comes from the Greek legend that refers to the labors assigned to Hercules. Another common name in the English language that has its roots from the Greeks is the sleep inducing drug known as morphine.
According to English experts, this name has its origins from Morpheus, the Greek god responsible for bringing sleep. The Greek god of love Zeus otherwise known as aphrodisiac has also been incorporated in the English language. Today, the modern language uses the term aphrodisiac to refer to any stuff or condition that stimulates sexual need.
Besides their use in languages, Greek mythology also has a great impact on science. Today, most heavenly bodies have been given the names of Greek characters. On top of this, nearly all the planets and most of the stars in the solar system have been given Roman translations of Greek characters.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the modern world has borrowed much from Greek mythology. Reference to Greek mythology proliferate every sphere of our society. The Olympic Games one of the most celebrated athletic sport has its origins from the Greek culture.
The sport has undergone the test of time and today it is considered as an event that unifies the world. In fact, some things that we take for granted as maps have their origin from Greek myths. The Europe continent that houses many communities is named after Europa, the virgin carried off by Zeus, who tricked her by masquerading as a bull.
Greek mythology discusses the stories and tales of gods, goddesses, heroes, and kings of ancient Greece. The norms, mores, values, conventions, rituals, and traditions prevailing in their culture and civilization have been elaborated in an epic form where gods, goddesses, and kings look engaged in different conflicts, competition, and conspiracies. Every god maintains his domain and has complete and exclusive power over it. For example, Venus was the goddess of love, and her son Cupid was considered as the god of love; Pan was the god of the jungle, while Hymen was attributed to the domain of marriage, Apollo as the god of sun and Mars was the god of thunder, violence, and war. Zeus was stated as the king of gods, who resided on Mt. Olympus and had married her sister Hera. Similarly, Demeter is the Greek goddess of seasons, fertility, harvest, agriculture, and grains, whose Roman cognate is thought to be Ceres out of which the word cereal has been derived. Demeter was responsible for the growth, fertility, and bloom of the earth.
Demeter’s love
She had unabated love for her beautiful daughter Persephone, the Maiden of Spring, who was abdicated by Hades, the god of the underworld, while she was gathering the buds and flowers. Hades intended to make the exceptionally charming Persephone his bride and the queen of the underworld. Since Demeter found her beloved daughter mislaid, she started the search for her on the whole earth, but it was quite disappointing and dispiriting to note that Persephone was nowhere on the surface of the earth. Demeter also consulted the Olympic gods including Apollo, though none of them could help out the dejected mother. In a state of utter sorrow and grief, she caused famine everywhere on the earth. There was everything green and blossoming and people were happy and prosperous. But the anger of Demeter turned greenery into futility and barrenness and people became sad.
The situation remained the same for one year and the population started dying of starvation. Consequently, Zeus had to interrupt the situation to save the people from turmoil and destruction. He forced Hades to let Persephone meet her mother on the surface of the earth so that Demeter could let the earth grow trees, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, grass, leaves, and flowers making it pageant and gorgeous again. “Finally Zeus sent Hermes, the messenger god, to demand that Hades return Persephone to her mother. But through much cajoling during the past year, Hades had managed to persuade the miserable girl to eat seed from a pomegranate–the food of the dead.” (Demeter and Persephone: quoted in pa.essortment.com/demeterpersepho_rupu.htm) Hades complied with Zeus’s instructions but forced Persephone to eat one seed of pomegranate from the food of the dead, which could compel her to return after meeting her mother. Demeter was overjoyed to find her daughter with her and was ready to remove all disasters from the earth; but on coming to know that she had tasted the food of the dead, all her rejoiced dashed to the grounds. When Zeus asked Demeter to fulfill her responsibility regarding harvesting, blooming, and fertility, she refused to do so stating she would have to live without her daughter. Here Zeus interfered again and assured Demeter that Persephone would stay with her for half of the year while the remaining part of the year would be spent with Hades in the underworld.
Link with the culture
Culture is the identity mark of a social setup and contains the traditions, values, and norms of the population. Cult and religious beliefs are also part of the culture. The myth of Demeter and Persephone contained a direct link with their culture. The changing seasons, growing and defoliation of trees, harvest and cultivation of crops, and blossoming of colorful and beautiful flowers—all portray the cultural traits and alterations in the objects of nature. Persephone’s arrival brings the message of the beginning of spring, while her departure spreads autumn and winter on the world. Since Demeter is unhappy in her absence, she does not allow any cultivation, harvest, and growth of crops and flowers as well. On the other hand, the arrival of spring fills the hearts and the face of the earth with joys and mirth. Moreover, the myth reflects the powers and activities of the gods and their actions, reactions, rivalries, and conflicts on even trivial and petty matters. The arrow was thrown by the love-god Eros (Cupid in Roman) at the heart of Hades while his encounter with the Maiden of Spring i.e. Persephone reveals the gods’ lust of showing their strength and waging mischief against one another also depict the cultural traits. In addition, Persephone’s abduction at the hands of the underworld-god Hades clarifies the intentions of the gods that they could inflict their own will upon anyone by making him their prey. Hades desired to make Persephone his bride as well as queen of the dead. He did not consider for a single moment what consequences it might create in the world at large. In the same way, Demeter expressed her wrath in the form of famine and devastation on all the areas under her domain, which put the population into a sorry state of utter disturbance and starvation. The myth also revealed the very fact that the gods had the least care of either the population or the fellow gods. Thus, the constant conflict situation prevailed in their culture. Even Zeus was not free of it at all as he once seduced Leda, the Queen of Sparta, in a swan’s guise on the one hand and abducted a beautiful Trojan prince Ganymede for his purposes. The same was the case with Hebe, Aphrodite, Adonis, the seven Muses, and other gods and goddesses. Homer’s Iliad also presented the same that how gods, goddesses, and heroes were accustomed to waging wars and jumping into great risks by putting their souls in jeopardy and stake. They had the least care of the miseries their actions, reactions, and deeds caused on the earth. In addition, they were not familiar with the miseries and suffering of the individuals they underwent after the rivalries and conflicts of gods, as the earth had to experience and forbear famine for one year because of the anger of the harvest-goddess Demeter due to the loss and disappearance of her beloved daughter Demeter.
Watching an action film can rarely be followed by a thorough analysis of its content and the origin of its elements. In that sense, such analysis can be made either in historical films or comedy films that ridicule other movies in different genres. One of the exceptions of the previous statements is the Matrix trilogy directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski.
“The Matrix”, The Matrix: Reloaded”, and “The Matrix: Revolution”, all of which gained a cult status among fans, were distinguished by the fact that in addition to being an action film, it has many references which were interconnected in the film’s context, rather than merely referring to popular works. Greek mythology is one of the themes that the Matrix trilogy referred to constantly. This paper analyzes the mythological references in the trilogy which are related to the subject of Greek Myths.
Analysis
One of the direct references to Greek mythology in the Matrix trilogy was the usage of Greek Gods’ names. The mythology of these Gods in some cases was associated with events developed in the plot. An example of such reference is Morpheus, one of the main characters in the film, and a Greek God of Dreams.
The parallel can be seen in that Morpheus in the mythology sent not only dreams but also illusions, and in the film, Morpheus released Neo from the Matrix, i.e. from the world of illusions.
Another character in the film is the Oracle- Pythia. In Greek mythology, Pythia is the most celebrated of the Greek oracles – The Delphic Oracle.
In “1855 – BULFINCH’S MYTHOLOGY” by Thomas Bulfinch:
A priestess was appointed whose office it was to inhale the hallowed air, and who was named the Pythia. She was prepared for this duty by the previous ablution at the fountain of Castalia, and being crowned with laurel was seated upon a tripod similarly adorned, which was placed over the chasm whence the divine afflatus proceeded. Her inspired words while thus situated were interpreted by the priests. (Bulfinch)
The parallel can be seen quite obviously, where the Oracle in the film foretold the future, was consulted by kings-priests, and also was sitting on a three-legged stool.
Persephone in Greek mythology was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was abducted by Hades, the lord of the underworld. In the film, Persephone is the wife of the Merovingian, which is also an allusion although not to Greek mythology.
In the film and the mythology, Persephone was not happy with her marriage. Further, it can be assumed that the Merovingian is Hades who controls the dead in the mythology (“Persephone”) and control the Exiles from the machine world in the film.
In Greek mythology, Persephone also helped Hercules, by loaning him Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance of the underworld. In the film, Persephone helped Neo (Hercules) to free the Key maker. It can be seen that the Key maker provided access to the Matrix, while Cerberus guarded the access to the Underworld. In the Mythology, Hercules was on a quest to complete the twelve Labors, and in the film, Neo was on a quest to destroy the matrix.
The name of the ship in the trilogy, Icarus, is also connected to Greek mythology, where Icarus was the son of Daedalus, a skillful architect, who gave his son wings connected with wax. Ignoring the advice of his father to fly low, Icarus flew upward and the wax on his wings melted down resulting in his fall. (Bulfinch) Similarly, the ship in the film was destroyed.
It can be seen that through the usage of Greek names, the film not only referred to Greek mythology but also the events were also paralleled in both cases. Additionally, there were many references to Greek mythology which did not have parallels with the events of the films. Such references include:
Ajax, the captain of the ship Icarus and a Greek hero. (Bulfinch)
Caduceus, a ship in the trilogy and a rod entwined with two serpents which Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia and the messenger to all other gods, bore in his hands. (“Hermes”)
Niobe, a character in the trilogy and the queen of Thebes. (“Leto”)
In general, the trilogy is has a distinct theme that can be traced in many Greek myths, which is the inevitability of fate. Taking for example the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, Pelias who overthrew his brother Aeson was fearful that Jason, the son of Aeson would overthrow him.
Tracing the myth, neither the prediction of the oracle nor his precautions could change Pelias’ fate. (Rhodius) The same can be seen through the Matrix trilogy, where such elements as the Oracle’s prophecy, Morpheus prophecy, and the anagram of Neo being the “One”, all pointed to the fact that fate could not be changed.
Additionally, the theme of fate was explored by the dialogue with the architect explaining why he rebuilt the first matrix, “The inevitability of its doom is as apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being, thus I redesigned it based on your history to more accurately reflect the varying grotesqueries of your nature.“ (Wachowski and Wachowski)
Conclusion
It can be seen through the analysis, that although there are many pure allusions to Greek mythology, many serve concrete purposes in exploring the plot of the movie. Other references, which are not related strictly to Greek mythology, can be seen in the image of the hero who discovers his purpose, the theme of the protagonist’s love who died and then was saved, the theme of betrayal, and the theme of destiny. All of these themes were explored, in a way or another in other mythical, religious and philosophical works and cannot be said to be related specifically to a particular genre. The main point in the references being made in a particular movie is the purpose they serve, and in that sense, it can be said that in the Matrix Trilogy, these references served their purpose perfectly.
Works Cited
Bulfinch, Thomas. “1855 – Bulfinch’s Mythology: The Age of Fable or Stories of Gods and Heroes”. 2005. Greek Mythology. Web.