Greek mythology and African mythology are two very different things. Greek mythology is based on the stories of the ancient Greek gods and heroes, while African mythology is based on the myths and legends of the various African cultures. Greek mythology has influenced many aspects of Western culture, from art to literature to philosophy. African … Read more
In King Oedipus By Sophocles, Oedipus is doomed to fail in life from the very beginning. Like all tragic heroes Oedipus is destined to suffer and fall. When Oedipus was a child Oedipus’s parents, Laius and Jocasta (the king a Queen of Thebes), got news from an oracle that their son is going to kill … Read more
The process of experiencing a work can be transcendental as it can alter the emotional state of the viewer and enhance the space in which the work is displayed. Sculptures involving an movement and action can help enhance the visual and psychological experience for the viewers. Movement in sculpture can be created through the style, … Read more
What is “love? ” How do we define it? Can it genuinely exist in modern society as in Shakespeare’s stories? A literal dictionary definition of the word shows it to mean a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. Doesn’t that sound just romantic? Nowadays it seems that a majority of people often overlook the … Read more
The supernatural characteristics within The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Hebrew Bible represent contrasting definitions. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, it portrays a supernatural type of world where every character that it lists holds a certain role in the events that occur so therefore these characters are gods and goddesses in their own respects. As … Read more
Many cultural values are transmitted and discovered within myths, especially in the story, The Odyssey written by Homer. The Odyssey continues from the events of the The IIliad, focusing on Odysseus after the Trojan War and his long journey back home to Ithaca, to his wife Penelope and his son, Telemachus. Throughout the ten year … Read more
Hercules: Character Variation There was one hero in ancient Greece who stood out the most; he was the strongest, the bravest, and the most god-like. Hercules was a favorite hero among men because he suffered and was therefore relatable. Through multiple sources the story of Hercules has been told: in Mythology, by Edith Hamilton (the … Read more
When I was a young lad, I was fascinated by the Greek myths. I especially loved the fabulous accounts of the gods told by Herodotus who could tell the amazing tales in a way that brought them almost to life. However, as I grew older, I began to see the world through more critical eyes … Read more
Asclepius is the son of Apollo and the god of medicine. He was born between Apollo and Coronis. According to Scholia in Pindarum, “There is a legend that the raven revealed to Apollo the intercourse of Ischys with Coronis. ” For this reason, Pindarus said that Apollo let Artemis murder Coronis by her golden arrows. … Read more
The Orphic Mysteries cannot be looked at through the eyes of a single generation of Greeks. One must use fragments from many different centuries and from many authors to get an approximation of what the Orphic Mysteries were about. The first part of the essay will outline the character of Orpheus. We know from different … Read more
Upon reading Greek tragedies, many similar themes and tropes would often reappear as a way to tell the audience that the story which they are reading is a tragedy. One of these tropes was the seeking justice. Whether if the justice for another person or their own gratification, justice was a major influence in these … Read more
Hermes was the Greek god of commerce, athletes, literature, poetry, invention, trade, roads, boundaries, shepherds, merchants, music, luck, riches, good fortune and travellers. His name ‘Hermes’ literally means ‘boundary marker’. He is quick acting, cunning, adventurous and reflected as a trickster for his ingenious personality. Hermes the second youngest of the Olympian gods, is son … Read more
In Sophocles’ Oedipus The King,Oedipus was born with the curse that he would kill his father, Laios, and marry his mother, Jocasta. Oedipus tries to avoid his fate by running away from Corinth, however this causes him and Laios to meet one last time, and Oedipus ends up fulfilling the prophecy. With this in mind, … Read more
Abstract: Egyptian canopic jars function as funerary pottery and a symbol of the protection offered by the four Sons of Horus. Although Egypt gets the most recognition, several other ancient cultures have similar pottery used for the dead’s benefit. Greek kraters functioned both as wine mixing pots and pots for liquid offerings for the dead. … Read more
Hubris represents the extreme pride and arrogance of a character that often leads to his or her downfall. This foolish pride or confidence describes both the attitude and the oftenviolent behavior of many characters in classical mythology. Despite the individual nature of this trait, hubris often creates lasting consequences for any group in which the … Read more
Homer is allegedly a blind writer, who verbally dictated his poems. There is a blind bard that also appears in the Odyssey. Homer composed the Iliad and the Odyssey in 8th Century BCE, and they were changed a lot as they were passed down verbally. His poems were most famous especially because they survived the … Read more
Homer the Odyssey tells the tale of a journey of the hero Odysseus and the journey through danger, temptation, and self evaluation. The monsters of greek mythology test the heroic side of a person and that’s what they did to Odysseus. “This time his opponents are not military, instead, he encounters various monsters who try … Read more
Throughout many decades Zeus has been the ruler of Mt. Olympus, he is now ready to leave the throne. The best candidate for the position to become the next ruler of Mt. Olympus is his wife, Hera is the Greek goddess of marriage and childbirth. Hera is a very compassionate, caring, and smart goddess. Hera … Read more
In Nine Greek Lives: The Rise and Fall of Athens, Plutarch presents the life of Alcibiades as a contrast between inspired military excellence and disappointing moral failure. Although he was a brilliant and accomplished military strategist, Alcibiades’ lack of moral fortitude, and his provocation of the Athenians into reckless action led to his downfall, and … Read more
The first allusion that I’m going to bring up is ‘The Garden of Eden’ in Genesis 1-3. In the Garden of Eden everything is perfect. There are fruit trees, cool breezes, and rivers. People walk around naked, without shame. And talks to mortals, but suddenly you are whisked away from paradise, and banished. Well that’s … Read more
Hercules or Herakles is best known as the strongest of all mortals, and even stronger than many of the gods. Hercules was a demi-god which was a half god half mortal. His father was the god Zeus and his mother was a mortal woman named Alcmene. When Hera found out that her husband’s mistress was … Read more
Mythology is a way that the ancient societies explained why things are the way they are and how they came to being. Two ancient societies are infamous for their mythology. These societies are Greece and Rome. Great authors were made be the mythological works they wrote. Homer was a famous author who is best known … Read more
In Greek mythology, Apollo and Dionysus are nearly opposites of one another, and as with many opposites, life would not operate just quite right without both of them. They each played a specific role for the Greeks. They had very different things associated with them. Apollo was often associated with logic and the power of … Read more
In Greek Mythology a rivalry always occurs between certain Gods and Goddesses. In the case of Apollo and Dionysus there is no exception. They are half brothers, both sons of Zues and they compete just as most brothers do. Though the two Greek Gods, Apollo and Dionysus, were actually very similar in some ways, they … Read more
It has been known that the Romans and the Greeks have had many interactions with each other, whether it would be due to trading or just plain traveling, the stories of their myths have crossed each other in one way or another. This is may be the reason why there are many similarities between Greek … Read more
Greek Mythology played a very key role in the lives of the Greeks. Through the many legends about the gods, the Greeks were able to find reasons for all the laws of nature in a supernatural form. These legends were passed down from generation to generation until the spread of Christianity. On top of giving … Read more
Agamemnon is only the first play of the great tragic trilogy, the Oresteia. Aeschylus wrote the Oresteia around 458 B. C. E.. It is his sole trilogy to survive intact. Aeschylus probably acted in the first performances of the Oresteia. Plays were judged according to both high aesthetic criteria and the approval of the general … Read more
Cassandra, was a daughter of Hecuba and King Priam, the rulers of Troy during the Trojan War according to Homer’s Iliad. Cassandra was a beautiful young woman, blessed with the gift of prophecy by Apollo, who was infatuated with her. Unfortunately, she shunned Apollo at the last minute and he added a twist to her … Read more
Greeks believed in a series of myths which explained nature, set up a moral code for the people, and were just folk lore of the people. In this paper, the beginnings of myths, the Greek gods themselves, and several myths concerning morals, nature, and old lore of the Ancients will be discussed. Because the myths … Read more
Sisyphus was given a punishment by the gods, to push a rock up a hill, only to have it fall down on him again. Mersault is a person accused of murder who has spent over a year in jail. What both these characters have come to realize is that they are forced to live in … Read more
The fleet-footed messenger with wings on his heels and cap symbolizes fast delivery. However, Hermes was neither originally winged nor a messenger – that role was reserved for the rainbow goddess Iris (Medusa’s cousin and the daughter of Thaumys and Elektra). Hermes was, instead, clever, tricky, a thief, and, with his awakening or sleep conferring … Read more
Inside the compilation of mythical stories of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, retold by Roger Green, and Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths, two major characters in each story that could be expressed in similar and contrasting ways are Arthur, the king and head of the knights of the … Read more