Death in Greek Myth as Divine and Human - Essay Example

Death in Greek Myth as Divine and Human The concept of death in Greek myth is one that relates to the religious and cultural views of the time. In the story, Alcestis, the concept of death is one that is regarded by all with a specific perspective. When looking at the different concepts of death, there is an understanding that it is a part of the divine while there are other elements that show a perspective that is human. This not only includes the concepts of death as an agency, but also relates to religious views on fate and destiny. In each of these perspectives there is a contrasting viewpoint, one which is related to the sacred and religious ideal and the other which shows a specific ideal related to the human element of what death means. The first perception of death in Greek myth that is displayed in the story of Alcestis is by the personification of death as a God. This shows that the Greeks looked at death as a divine entity that was entitled to take the life of those that it wished. As death talks, not only is it seen that this is a divine entity that is able to take the lives of those who are ready to die, but also plays with the lives of those that are about to die for respect and for status among the other gods. This is seen from the beginning of the play when talking to Apollo. In a conversation, Apollo states, “One life is all you get. Young or old, what difference does it make? Death: Honor. The younger my victim, the more mankind fears and respects me” (Euripedes, lines 80 – 84). This shows that the concept of death is one that is attributed to the gods. When death is able to take a life, it causes a fear and unknowing among the culture. This allows death to remain as a god and to carry the ideal of a god. This sacred concept was one that was accepted by the Greeks and the ideals in which they held about death as a part of their religious philosophies. The concept of the divine is not only one in which the character of Death holds before taking Alcestis. The relationships to the divine by those that are in the play also reflect the idea of death and the mystery that it holds. This relates specifically to the religious and cultural affiliations of what it means to leave the earthly plane. An example of this is when Alcestis is getting ready for her death. She considers the moment sacred and dresses in her finest clothes to prepare. She is then seen praying at every alter in the area to prepare for her journey to the underworld, while asking for assistance for her family and children. The attitude toward death then became one in which an individual was able to prepare for the divine, even without understanding. When referring to Alcestis, it is stated that “But what she did and said, in privacy, inside - / her bravery and beauty in the face of death - / will touch your heart and amaze you even more” (lines 216 – 220). This same idea also shows the idea of loss among those that are watching Alcestis prepare for her journey to death. This shows the idea of loss from a cultural perspective and the idea of a sacred journey that was a part of the religious philosophies of the time. The same concept of the divine outside of the perspective of Death as a God is not only seen with the idea of the sacred journey, but also is viewed in terms of fate. The fate that was a part of death is one that is intertwined with the divine and the gods that are a part of the Greek. In the beginning, there are specific statements by Apollo that state that everyone must meet their fate, which eventually leads to death. This specific attitude of the divine is one that shows that death is not only a concept that is related to the divine journey, but also relates to a time frame and story in which every individual most go. Having this as a part of the divine plan is one that was important to Greek culture and is considered a part of death. At the same time, those surrounding death also considered it a part of their fate when losing others. When losing Alcestis, Admetos states, “The god of light looks down and sees us suffering. / Why, why? How we have hurt the gods that you should die, Alcestis?... Up, Alcestis. Stand. Live. Don’t leave me now. / Pray. The gods are strong. What they will is done. / Implore the gods for pity’s sake, to let you, please, let you live” (lines 327 – 337). This concept shows several ideas of fate and how it relates to the divine. In one part of this, Admetos shows that the fate of those surrounding the one who will die is intertwined with their fate. At the same time, there is a belief that the gods can change and reverse the fate that everyone is faced with, depending on their judgment. Admetos also shows the human element of death, which states that even though it is fate that she should die, he is sad over the loss and doesn’t want this to occur. This shows a different side of the divine when looking at death and how it relates to fate as well as someone’s outcome. The concept of fate with death, when combined with the sacred as well as the way in which others have to live through this fate, then leads into the overall understanding of what it means to die. The Greek myth is one that divided the idea of the sacred from the human element of grief. When Alcestis dies, the family is seen crying and showing their grief toward the lost. However, the leader of the scene states that they should stop this by stating, “It had to be, Admetos. All we can do with death is bear it patiently. Be brave. You are not the first to lose a loving wife; you will not be the last. We were born to die” (lines 507 – 510). This line is one that shows that the human element of death is one that does not have an understanding and which has to go through the human fate of bearing death patiently. At the same time, the religious understanding that is held is that of fate, in which we are born to die. This shows the contrasting attitudes of death, both with the sacred and the human concepts of the idea of death. The different sacred elements of death that were seen in Greek myth are then followed by the humanistic nature that most had when looking at this concept. While there was a sacred element and one that was divine, there were also opposing attitudes related to the human concept of loss. For instance, Alcestis is seen crying after she goes through her sacred rituals to prepare for death. This is linked to the idea of loss of her husband and children. At her death, this same concept is seen as Alcestis asks her husband not to remarry for the sake of her family. This wish of being separated from culture and society and leaving the physical realm in which one is not a part of their daily life shows the human side to this. At the beginning, the same concept of human emotion is seen and relates to the sacred. The idea of murder is one that calls for revenge, which is what leads Alcestis to her death. This human element then links to the divine for death. For those in Greek myth, there was an understanding of human emotion that brought grief, sadness and suffering as well as fear toward death. Even though there were several ideas related to the concept of the sacred as well as fate, the human emotions of suffering are also prevalent in the philosophy and attitude toward death. The different perspectives that are related to the idea of death in Greek mythology show a contrast between human emotion and that of religious and sacred belief. From one perspective, the idea of death included one that was linked to the gods and those that were looking over the planet. The sacredness of this then related to fate and the gods will for one to die as a part of the life they lived. This contrasted with the human nature of death as well as the emotion related to this, specifically through the concept of loss and grief. These attitudes toward death then created specific religious and cultural beliefs. Works Cited 1. Euripedes. Alcestis. Oxford University Press: New York, 1974. Read More