Analysis Of Chapter Summary: The Gift Of The Goddess

Chapter VI “The Gift of the Goddess” describes how in earlier cultures there was a more of a spirit of homage to the Goddess figure. The similarities between women and Mother Earth were not lost amongst this culture: both provide nourishment, give life, and seemingly possessed magical powers. However when the Semitic people invade they push the Goddess systems out and it becomes a male dominated mythology, and the Goddess has been on the outside ever since, with the exception of India, where the two do interact. Campbell also discusses that in India, there is a system of seven psychological planes of concern, consciousness, and action running up the spine.

Analysis:

“The human woman gives birth just as earth gives birth to the plants.” (209) Campbell is noting the similarities between Mother Earth and woman, both of these acts are markedly female. “She is identical

With all the advances in technology that seem to make our lives better and easier, we have to stop and ask ourselves what is the cost of all this? The ancient myths of Mother Earth and the Goddess have long since been discarded, only to be replaced with a new generation of zombie like entranced youth who stare at hand devices, interpersonal communication is outdated, and divorce rates climb. The question remains of where do we go from here? How can we as a society fight against the machine and break free from the technological beings that we are becoming? How do we find our bliss? The sad part is as I walk around the street and stare into the crowds of people, some like cattle with blank mesmerized faces as they text away on their phones, some people are so engrossed in the machine, it might be too late, it feels like we’ve already lost. But as Campbell said, “It begins here.”