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Homer's use of symbolism in the odyssey
Homer's use of symbolism in the odyssey
Homer's use of symbolism in the odyssey
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Greek mythology provides insight into ancient Greek culture and their values; throughout these myths, many important morals are implied. The values are the basis of ancient Greek society. In regard to Greek myths, it is clear that the ancient Greeks valued creativity and bravery in their innovative culture and valiant society. The emphasis of creativity in Greek culture is symbolized in the myths of Daedalus and Hephaestus. In order to fulfill King Minos’s goal to hide the Minotaur, Daedalus fabricates the Labyrinth, a jail that “[is] so complex that no one who [enters] it could ever find a way out” (“Daedalus”). Due to his creativity, Daedalus is able to construct a sturdy and inescapable creation for the Minotaur; the jail exhibits Daedalus’s …show more content…
Prometheus creates humans out of clay, with the help of Athena; he teaches them numerous skills and arts. In an attempt to ensure the success of humans, Prometheus “promptly [goes] to Olympus, [steals] a spark of fire from Hephaestus, and [carries] it back to humans” even after Zeus had taken away fire from the humans (“Prometheus”). Due to his brave mindset, Prometheus successfully supplied humans with fire. In fact, he had to give fire to them twice- once after their creation and another time after Zeus took away fire; thus, Prometheus had courage to travel to Olympus and defy Zeus by giving humans fire again. Also, the use of the word “steals” shows that Prometheus wasn’t afraid of the consequences following his actions since he allowed the humans to survive. Moreover, Apollo was a very brave Greek God. From the island of Delos, Apollo embarks on a journey for the oracle of Gaia by turning into a dolphin to travel to the location. To obtain the oracle, “Apollo [kills] Pytho, [“a monstrous serpent \ [that] [guards] the place and [speaks] the oracle’s prophecies”], and [takes] the oracle for himself.” (“Apollo”). Apollo is shown to be fearless since fighting Pytho was perilous. Therefore, his bravery enabled him to successfully defeat the serpent and obtain the oracle. Henceforth, the use of the word ‘monstrous” to describe Pytho implies that the serpent was very
Throughout its history, strong values have stood at the core of Greek culture. Ancient Greeks placed a focus on a balance of mind and body. Citizens were expected to adhere to three main Greek virtues; these being respect for the body, respect for the gods, and hospitality. At times, these virtues were not upheld, usually resulting in what they believed to be punishment from the gods. Examples of this can be seen in the epic, The Odyssey, authored by Homer. Throughout the poem, a repeated disregard for the ancient Greek values teaches readers a fundamental principle of life--consequences follow poor decisions.
The Role of Women in Greek Mythology In learning about the feminist movement, we studied the three articles, discussed and reviewed the different authors perspectives on the topic, and learned how important the role of woman in Greek mythology is. In presenting the feminist theory to the class, we analyzed the three articles, Women in Ancient Greece; Women in Antiquity: New Assessments; and Women in Greek Myth, and discussed how although the three articles provided different views on Feminism in mythology, they all essentially are aiming to teach the same basic concept. In order to understand the feminist theory, we have to understand the notion that although myths are invented and that they involve fantasy, the concept of mythology does not necessarily imply that there is no truth of history in them. Some of the humans may have lived while some of the events may have taken place. Most importantly, the social customs and the way of life depicted in the myths are a valuable representation of Greek society.
“The world is full of wonders, but nothing is more wonderful than man.” This quote shows that the Greeks valued themselves, but also their intellect in which they know that the world about them is great. The Greeks valued beauty, art, intellect, honor, and truth; the list is long. Some of these values are shown through the story of the Odyssey, which tells of the adventures of Odysseus and his family. In order to understand Greek values and how they are portrayed in Greek society, one must examine how some values are portrayed in the Odyssey: hospitality, intellect, and beauty.
The culture of ancient Greece reflects the importance of the individual in society in many different ways. The Greeks used art, philosophy, and even their system of government to convey their beliefs in the importance of one single man in a society.
Each species of monster within The Odyssey represents one or more qualities that the Greeks have demonized in comparison to themselves. The one-eyed Cyclops present a monster with extremely barbaric qualities that the Greeks abhor.
Mythology was very important to the men and women of ancient Greece. They worshipped the gods and goddesses, wrote poems about them, and based a great deal of art work off of them. The people of Greece looked to the gods and goddesses for help in all aspects of their lives; including health, agriculture, and war. Reading about Greek mythology can inform people about the society of Greece because the Greek gods were created by the people of Greece. Three main goddesses who were worshipped by the Greeks were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite.
The text supports a means of judging character and extends it to cultural elements such as the gods who define the faith and belief of the people. Iliad upholds warlike deities, including Athena, for admiration among the modern civilization. In the ideal epic world, the comic is vital in creating relief as seen with the timidity of Artemis and Aphrodite. Moreover, fighting seems as a way of proving honor and integrity, while avoiding warfare is a demonstration for laziness and misaligned
Apollo recalled a moment after receiving a quest from a lesser goddess of nets, the way the lesser god treated them jogged his memory. Even though Apollo was one of the twelve olympians, the little help she offered and how she brushed off the dangers proved how little she held dear their lives, she only cared for her griffins. “I remember Hemitheo and her sister Parthenos launching themselves over a cliff, in a time where women's lives were more expendable than jars of wine.” (Riordan 90) This contrast between the goddess and Apollo’s new perspective was a great portrayal of how far Apollo has come from his narcissistic godly ways.
Hermes is also known for his many love affairs with numerous mortals, goddesses, and nymphs. In the Odyssey he serves as a messenger and is sent to Kalypso to tell her that she must let Odysseus off her island. The next person, Helios, is actually not a god, but rather a titan. He is the son of Hyperion and Thea and represents the sun, and his sisters Serena and Eos represent the night and the dawn. An easy way to remember him is that “Helios” is a root word from Greek for sun.
Imagine living in a world where there is constant death and turmoil. Husbands and sons are being killed in an act of bravery; women as well as daughters are taken to fulfill the winners’ sexual desires. At a young age myths were told to us for entertainment. Now as the same myths are read today a deeper meaning can be found in the stories once believed to be a bedtime story. Myths that are told often represent the culture at the time; Greece is constantly changing and involved with wars.
Greek Mythology has been used over time to teach people important lessons about life especially about the way life appears compared to how life really is. It takes the life lessons that have been passed down from generation to generation to teach the same things, but with a deeper meaning. An example of this is in the myth of Penelope and her suitors. While Odysseus was on his strenuous journey, Penelope was at home facing the men in her kingdom that were pursuing the greatest treasure they had ever known: her. They wanted Penelope and the power of the kingdom of Ithaca.
Prometheus was instructed by the other Gods to craft humanity out of clay. Once he did so, he became attached to his creations. Against the wishes of the other Gods, Prometheus taught mankind all of the arts, such as the use of fire, acquaintance with architecture, astronomy, mathematics, the art of writing, the treatment of domestic animals, navigation, medicine, the art of prophecy, working in metal, and all the other arts. Zeus, the leader of the Gods, tried to punish Prometheus for his teachings by taking fire away from man. Prometheus again defied Zeus by stealing back the fire and returning it to man. In another instance of Prometheus defiance, mankind was angry that they were forced to give all of the good cuts of meat to the Gods as offerings. In order to please his creation, Prometheus tricked Zeus by misleading him into choosing the least desirable parts of a cow as his offering and thus leaving the most desirable cuts to mankind for consumption. Prometheus was pleased with his deception, but it enraged Zeus. In order to punish him, Zeus ordered that Prometheus be chained to a rock in the pit of Tartarus and for an eagle to eat out his liver daily and allow Prometheus's liver to regenerate each night.
Its ornate decadence and geometric characteristics symbolize some of the ideals. For the Greek citizen, the ability to create art from complex mathematical formulas set them apart from the barbarians. In this ancient culture, intelligence and humility were the
Mythology was a device utilised by ancient societies to explain the surrounding world, embedding the beliefs into the civilisation’s culture. It is commonly accepted that Greek mythology is an independent medium. However, foreign elements derived from the east are evident throughout Greek myth. Foreign influence is consequential to the foreign relations between Greece and other Mediterranean powers. Greek mythology possesses distinct Egyptian elements within its structure, themes and personalities validating the significant influence of Egyptian mythology on Greek mythology.
In conclusion, myths reflect show us the Greeks view on the world, religion, and nature. Their understanding of the world is both similar and different compared to modern society. Myths also reflect the importance of gods in the Greek society and how each god represented something different. In addition, we can see the role of monsters in myths, what they represent and how were they important. Myths also show us the role of women in society and whether they were as important as men or not.