Greek and Roman Mythology - Essay Example

Proffessor: The of Theogony was a self- proclaimed farmer who loved to write poetry about the life of the common person.He was the son of a law fractioned and so most probably acquired a good understanding of the gods. The Greeks were patriarchal in culture and therefore had a worldview that projected that understanding. This also affected the way they conceptualized their gods. Everything including the Greek language is gender based. Language is the vehicle through which culture was communicated and this is very clearly defined in the Geek language. The gendering of the Greek language ensures that the life events of both gods and human was gendered. One can immediately tell the gender of any word in the Greek language as it is divided into the masculine and the feminine. The state, religion and common life were parts of a whole for the Greeks. The quest for glory was the goal of all things in Greek life, which ensured that all activities were centered on achieving glory. The Greeks understood glory as a means of immortality and it so it something to be sought after through wars and battles. Cities and nations pledged their allegiance to individual gods and looked to their patronage. The temples were the most prominent buildings in every city as they were the bode of the patron god. The gender of the patron god of a city would influence the nature of that particular culture. The god also participated at will in the life of their human subjects as they willed. Therefore since the gods were known to be very actively involved in daily life it was prudent for their roles to be clarified and explained. The ultimate goal was to please the gods and entreat their favor to avoid their wrath or ill will. The people aped the attire and their patron gods and strived to attain the beauty of their gods. The Greek gods were magnificent in beauty and were always attired in the best finery. The gods of the Greeks had intimate relationships and bonds just like the humans. Their human subjects therefore had to understand their relationships to each other and humans so that they could achieve the best worship experience. It was believed that the patron god would ascend and descend at will from their celestial abode to their temple. The ancient Greek society was patriarchal in nature and therefore all things that related to life such as customs, norms, values, culture reflected male dominance and virtues. The worldview of the ancient Greeks extended to their conception of their gods who were understood in human terms. The Greek gods were very similar to their human subjects save for the fact that they had divine powers and were immortal. Women were generally excluded from public life in the Greek society unless they were “royalty, goddesses and priestesses” (Rowlandson, 1998, p. 26). Patriarchal The Greek society was patriarchal in nature and this was reflected in their culture and language. The society of the gods was governed and guided by a clearly patriarchal pecking order. The Greek god’s society is called a Pantheon and consists of Protogenoi, the Titan, the children of Kronos and the Olympian gods (descendants of Zeus), the spirits and sea-gods. The Protogenoi are the original/primordial gods from whom all other gods originated and are a family. Zeus, a male god is the father of all the gods and the head of the family. His wife Hera is female and the mother of all the gods and the living. There are also other created god such as the Khaos (god off the air), Nyx (god of the night) and Eris (god of strife) (Mythology, 2000-1, p. 123). The most commonly worshiped gods were the Olympians followed by followed by gods that related to occupation and craft, as they were needed for success in daily life (Fisher, 1984, p. 87). These gods were patrons to things that related to their gender. Zeus is the father of all the gods but he himself also had a father called Cronos/Kronos who had wanted to swallow him up according to Hesiod. Mothers who are feminine and fathers who are masculine father many of the gods. An exception to this rule is Hera’s son who was self-procreated without a father and therefore had not father but was still subject to Zeus as a son since his mother was his wife. Language The Greek language is divided into the masculine and the feminine. This is because the masculine denotes some characteristics that are associated with the power, dominance and force. The feminine is associated with life, nurture and love (Bolton, 2002, p. 34). This is derived from the Greek understanding of the character and essence of the male and female gender and is reflected in the way their gods are described. The Greeks believed that their language originated with the gods and was therefore superior in nature. They believed that the gods spoke in Greek but were also able to communicate in any language they wished since they were gods. The gods spoke just like the ordinary human both to themselves and to their human subjects. They cursed and swore just as well as humans though they did so from a point of authority since they held the ultimate power. The gods were able to express emotion in their language such as anger, love, hate or jealousy. There was constant jealousy and rivalry between the female and female gods just as commonly as there was with the male gods. The language used between the gods showed the amount of reverence the particular god held even when the words were spoken form malice, rebuke or anger. War The Greeks considered war as an art and as a source of glory (Ferguson, 2000, p. 234). War was sought after and unlike in the contemporary cultures of today a most desirable thing. Death in war was more glorious than a normal everyday life, which brought no glory. The Greeks believed that the glory that was acquired in battle immortalized a human being. The gods of the Greeks were considered immortal but battle hungry as they too strived to gain glory and fame for themselves. The gods therefore competed against each other in celestial wars and through supporting their favored human subjects who were like pawns in celestial games of war. The gods are depicted by Greek mythology as immortal celestial beings that are in an eternal quest for entertainment and glory. Their human subjects pray and worship them in return for protection and favors (Robert, 1996). It was therefore the common proactive of the Greeks to offer sacrifices to the gods before they went into a war. The Greeks would consult the gods through their human intermediaries on earth the priests or priestesses before any undertaking such as journeys, building or wars. The priests role were to make sure that their patron deity was properly worshiped as they were known to have different emotions, temperaments and tastes. The gods were also appeases through offerings and sacrifices where the wrath was suspected such as in plagues, defeat, sickness or failure. Personhood The Greek gods behaved like their human subjects in their personality (Hull, 1999, p. 178). They fell in love with both humans and their fellow gods. They were also able to procreate with both their fellow gods and with humans. Some of the gods used their creative powers to make fashion new beings, creatures or phenomenon in the universe. The gods were moral agents in the cosmos and were understood by the Greeks as actors who had different roles in a play. This was because the Greeks understood a person from the point of view of the different characteristics displayed through their character in different points of time and place (Puccetti, 1968, p. 74).The personality of the gods was very similar to their human subjects and mainly stereotyped into male and female. The Greek gods were mostly worshipped in terms that were in line with their nature. Some gods were reputed for being highly temperamental while others were known for their congenial nature. Female gods of the Greek pantheon were famous for their capacity to be very magnanimous I one moment and turn around in the next into very vindictive and unstable. This was a stereotyped understanding of the female gender in the Greek culture and reflected in their understanding of female gods. Male gods were known to be unemotional and distant and had to be appeased with promises of worship and glory in order to win their patronage. Emotion The gods though considered as powerful, eternal and immortal displayed emotions that were similar in nature to those of their human subjects. There was a lot of stereotyping in the way the emotions of the gods were described, as they were a perfect description of the Greek culture of the day about gender. Hades is one of the Olympian gods but is not so popular since he is the patron god of the underworld. He is therefore very familiar and more prone to punishment, death and eternal grief in a never-ending dark world. He is also known for his craftiness and ill will and so was feared by both god and man. One could say that he is the villain god in the pantheon. However, just as with human villains meets the love of his life that he had captured with bed intent but finds himself in love with her. He was so enraptured with Persephone that he got her a garden that did not require any light and seeds o she could grow things. This was in great contrast to his nature as he was a patron of the underworld and therefore it was a great change to be giving and to be supportive of life giving projects and love. This is a great illustration of the much believed in truth held in Greek mythology that love has such immense power that it conquers all other powers. The love of women is therefore both a force and a virtue that could be be transformed into weapons just as mighty as the weapons of the male gender that relate to battle. Emotions had a heavy influence on the actions, character and patronage of the gods (Hull, 1999, p. 45). The Greek gods have emotions that are closely related to the human experience and as such give great insight of the emotional experience. The gods in Greek mythology are known for giving full vent to their emotions without apology, which led to many disasters. These emotions were rarely based on any moral principle but were merely an expression of the will of the particular gods, which was supreme and rarely had anything to with matters of justice. Physique The Greek gods were a perfect depiction of the male and female in their fullest glory and beauty. The female gods were described in the most alluring fashion in a manner that left no doubt that they were female. They were describes as having the all the perfect attributes of the female so much so that they exuded very powerful female attraction for the male gender. The same was true for the male gods who were the perfect depiction of the male. The female goddesses were described as beautiful, with soft glowing skin, and with perfect bodies just like the human females of great beauty. They were also depicted as graceful figures and the embodiment of beauty. The male gods were strongly built and muscular with all the best in masculine features. Their body parts were described as big and strong and warrior like which was what was perceived as the most desired state for a man in the culture of the day. Attire The clothes and accessories of the gods of the Greeks resembled those of their human worshippers and were gender based. The male gods were dressed in either the battle attire, official or casual attire of their day. The male gods dressed for the different activities just as their human subjects would. The female goddesses were always perfectly attired as though attending an official party in beautiful jewelry and clothes even though they may be in the middle of a battle as a patron god. The concepts of gender were clearly demonstrated in the descriptions of the gods no matter what they were doing. This was accomplished by the description of their attire in such minute detail that there was no doubt as to the gender of that god. A female god might be in the middle of a battle scene but is described as so mesmerizing to male gods and human subjects because of her attire. It maybe all her attire or some parts of it but the whole of the goddess manner of dressing was always seductive, alluring and strongly suggestive of female sexuality (Pinsent, 1982, p. 142). The attire of the male gods was mainly practical and reminiscent of war, strength and power. Role The gods were first gods and played the role of patron god to their human subjects. The roles of the gods and goddesses were very similar to those of humans. The females were mothers, wives, sisters, mistresses and daughters just like the humans were. The males were fathers, husbands, brothers and sons just like their human subjects could be. Their roles also affected the way they interacted with themselves and with their subjects and the universe; (Rose, 1991, p. 349).The female gods are depicted as more compassionate in their dealings due to their femininity. The .roles male god were more warlike, forceful and even destructive with little compassion. Status The highest position in the hierarchy of the gods belonged to a male, as they were patriarchal in culture. The female gods had great powers and could act independently but had to report to the highest authority that was male. Hesiod tells of how the gods praised Zeus as the aegis holder and how they praised his wife Hera. This shows the exalted position of the two among the gods. Some gods such as Kronos/Cronos was given the status of being crafty while Dione/ Diana were the beautiful one, Aphrodite the one with a golden crown. The immortality of the gods was also a status and Hesiod calls them “the deathless ones” as a title and status. The status of a person In Greek culture came from their personality, character and attributes and the same applied to the gods. A low- born person or god could improve their status and glory through valiancy. The King of all the gods was Zeus, he took Hera as his wife, and the two were rulers over all the other gods. The two rulers had three children with each other but also self- procreated and had children on their own without copulation who were gods but different from the other gods since they were conceived in a different manner (Fisher, 1984, pp. 98-234). The gods also begot children outside their marriages with other goddesses, which brought rivalry among them. The wives of the gods were also known to lust after other gods and human men who inflamed jealous fits form their divine spouses. The gods had children with humans or other creatures and produced Halflings who were Demi-gods. Demons were evil beings with the powers of the gods and who were immortal and eternal in nature. Both the gods and men despised them. Conclusion The culture, life and activities of the gods were a perfect reflection of the Greek cultures culture, life and activities. In fact, the way the gods behaved was such a perfect mirror of the life of their subjects that the only difference between them was divinity, immortality and power. The female gods were female in every sense of the word as were the male gods as male in every sense of the word after the pattern of their culture (Rose, 1991, p. 121). The gods existed in a patriarchal society that was male oriented in culture and outlook with clearly defined roles and statuses. The emotions and attire of the gods were clearly gendered and a reflection of Greek culture. The Greek gods had personalities and behaviors that clearly depicted gender differences. Women in the Greek culture of the time were considered as cunning and capable of subduing male power through craftiness or seduction. This is seen in Sky who conspires with earth to hide her children from her consort’s murders intentions. It is also seen in Eros who name translates as desire and is famed for turning the male purpose of mind and for softening the sinews (Bolton, 2002, p. 24). The sinews are symbols of male strength and its softening is something that is negative as it is overpowering and conquering of male strength. Works Cited Bolton, L. (2002). The Everything Classical Mythology. Adams Media Corporation: Avon Massachusetts. Ferguson, D. (2000). Greek Myths and Legends. New York: Collins and Brow. Fisher, L. (1984). The Olympians : Great Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece. New York: Holiday House. Hull, R. (1999). Religion and the Gods, The World of the Ancient Greece. New York: Frankly Watts. Mythology, T. G. (2000-1). Theoi Greek Mythology: Expoloring Greek Mythology in Classical Literature and Art. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from The Theoi Project : http://www.theoi.com/ Pinsent, J. (1982). Greek Mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books. Puccetti, R. (1968). Persons: A Study of Possible Moral Agents in the Universe. . London: Macmillan and Company. Robert, G. (1996). The Greek Myths. London: Penguin Books. Rose, H. (1991). A Handbook of Greek Mythology. New York: Penguin Books. Rowlandson, J. (1998). Women and Society in Greek and Roman Eygpt. Cambridge: cambridge University Press. Read More