Interactions with the Gods

2738 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The relationship between gods and mortals in greek mythology

Interactions with the Gods Nothing can be more life changing than when a god chooses to interact with a mortal man. Much of Greek mythology describes the natures of these interactions. The Olympian Gods meddle with the mortals they rule over constantly, but what is the result for these interactions, and how do they impact the mortals? The question that this paper tries to address is what is the nature of these divine interaction, and how does each side truly perceive each other? The Gods and mortals interact in a variety of ways, but the true natures of these interactions truly describe how the ancient Greeks perceived their gods. Before one can understand the interactions between the Gods and mortals, one first has to understand the nature of the Gods. In Homer, the Olympian Gods are anthropomorphic; that is to say they have human characteristics. The Gods have both a human shape as well as human emotions and needs. It is very evident that the Gods behave much like the mortals they lord over. Another facet to the Olympians Gods is that they represent a facet of nature, such as fire, water, death, weather, love, anger, nature, and death. The duel nature of the Gods creates a paradox in which the Gods are both anthropomorphic, as well as abstract representations of nature. In Homer, the Gods alternate between each of these parts, and on occasion become one. It can be best said that while the Gods are anthropomorphic, they are also a personification of nature. There are numerous examples of this in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. In book 21 of the Iliad Achilles has to fight the river god Xanthus, but he is saved by the fire god Hephaestus. Hephaestus is portrayed both a fire God as well as the fire itself. Xanthus, who na... ... middle of paper ... ... are this middle class, respected by the Gods, but still not their equals. The gods prove this time and time and again, and with these interactions, they make the heroes what they are. Heroes are nothing more than men who strive to be as great as the gods. Sometimes they fail, but they are remembered for daring to dream of greatness. Bibliography: Bibliography Ian Ross Barnes, Hazel E. The Meddling Gods Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press 1974 Ferguson, John. Greek and Roman Religion Park Ridge, New Jersey: Noyes Press 1980 Nilsson, Martin P. A History of Greek Religion New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company 1964 Guthrie, W.K.C. The Greeks and their Gods Boston, MA : Beacon Press 1950 Caldwell, Richard S. The origin of the gods : a psychoanalytic study of Greek theogonic myth New York : Oxford University Press, 1989

Show More
Related

  • Who Is To Blame The Gods In The Odyssey

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Ancient Greeks believed strongly in their gods and goddesses, they believed that the gods often intervened in their lives. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer portrays relationship between the mortals and immortals as immortals have the ultimate power over mortals. The mortals are at the mercy of the immortals. The gods can be generous and supportive but also destructive to any human being.

    Read More

  • How the Greek Revered Their Gods

    3757 Words  | 8 Pages

    The Olympian religion lacked the presence of true sentimentality, and the gods were not seen as forgiving or "flawless" as the Christian God is often portrayed. The Greek gods were portrayed as humans, which meant that they were not perfect. That is, the gods made mistakes, felt pain (e.g. Aphrodite in love with the mortal Adonis), and succumbed to anger and their tempers (e.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Euripides The Virulent Nature Of Divine Vengeance

    1264 Words  | 3 Pages

    Euripides’ plays Hippolytus, The Bacchae and Iphigenia at Aulis all revolve around the journey of key characters that fail to show respect to various deities within the Greek Pantheon. This disrespect, in all three plays, is met out with retaliation from the gods themselves, thus effecting those that disrespected them as well as their families. To convey these tales Euripides implements many themes, one such theme being divine retaliation. Euripides’ use of the theme of divine retaliation provides a stark illustration of the Greek Pantheon striving to prove their superiority relentlessly and gives insight into their merciless use of mortals as pawns to achieve this.

    Read More

  • The Hierarchical Relationship Between The Gods And Society In Homer's Odyssey

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Odyssey, the hierarchical relationship between both gods and humans is a key aspect in the overarching unity that is the epic. These can both be in contrast with each other and it can been seen that there are similarities between the types of people we meet in The Odyssey as well as the gods we meet also. Homer uses this theme and system of hierarchy to effectively display aspects of his worlds though The Odyssey. The main features that help prove this point are: that society within The Odyssey is hierarchical, the upper class and the servants (with equivalent gods) are focussed on, (Hierarchy of Greek Gods, 2015) and finally, the gods parallel their respective opposites on earth. These features help to show Homers world of The Odyssey.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Greed In The Iliad

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first way is that they act as an external strength in events involving humans, such as when Apollo sends a plague down on the Achaean army. Secondly, the gods also act as an internal force; for example Athena, the goddess in control of wisdom, holds Achilles back from attacking Agamemnon with a sword and convinces him to cut him with words and insults instead. Both of these obstructions were the gods’ direct influence on the mortal world. While the gods provide an important function in helping determine human matters of life, death peace and violence they also provide a sense of comic relief in the Iliad. Their squabbles, double dealings and inane arguments seem incredibly petty compared to the mass slaughter that is sweeping the mortal realm. I believe that Homer used the strife between Zeus and Hera as a divine [parallel to the enraged argument of Achilles and

    Read More

  • Divine Intervention: Gods' Impact on the Trojan War

    502 Words  | 2 Pages

    Book Four of The Iliad demonstrates the importance of the gods in the events of the Trojan War, during the quarrel between Hera and Zeus and the aftermath of this argument. The importance of this scene, approximately lines 60 through 90 of Book Four, is that it clearly establishes the fact that the gods influence and meddle with the events and the course of the war. This particular passage illustrates the consequences which the plotting of the gods causes both the Greeks and the Trojans, as Hera’s plotting and hatred of the Trojans results in the violation of an oath, in order to ensure the destruction of the Trojans.

    Read More

  • Social Paradoxes In Ancient Greek Tragedies

    146 Words  | 1 Pages

    Ancient Greek tragedies, have placed the gods a scenes, hostile to each other or have them human emotions exhibited through them. Changing social structures, economic wealth and intellectual environment enriched expression in the first row were tragedies. With the human body, the feeling was on display. Gods descending from heaven to earth, was adding sovereignty conscious to the people. We see then that the next instance of the 1600-1700 year hiatus. Precisely as a comedy, as Marx said. Dante and Boccaccio's lyrical line was marked as a comedy. Human who can become a divine presence can easily come out god justifications _ could now easily pass through waves with it. Not only divine, an era of literary criticism, including social paradoxes

    Read More

  • The Role of the Gods in Homer's The Iliad

    536 Words  | 2 Pages

    "We everlasting gods....Ah what chilling blows we suffer-thanks to our own conflicting wills-whenever we show these mortal men some kindness." This exert clearly states what kind of authority Homer has bestowed on his Gods. John Porter said," their constant interference in the lives of the mortals, which seems to cast them in the role of malicious puppeteers, while reducing Homer's heroes to mere pawns in a selfish and often rather petty divine game of one-upmanship." I found it to be quite disturbing imagining these characters fighting in such a mercilous war, giving every ounce of strength they had, and in an instance, all of their efforts could be derailed by a God or Goddess. You almost have to wonder if these 'heroes' really have any control whatsoever, or if they are there for the pure amusement of others.

    Read More

  • The Metamorphoses And The IIlad

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gods are were seen interacting with mortal on numerous occasions. When Athena goes to Telemachus and to provide information about his father. Later, Telemachus thought about dismissing all suitors because Athena advised him to do so. It was kind of a friendly relationship sometimes between gods and mortals in the Odyssey. On Telemachus journey, Athena provided a lot of confidence into the prince. It gave Telemachus a sense of hope that his father was still out there. When there is hope there is always a way and that is what Athena gave to to him. Another interaction is when Odyessy made Poseidon upset. Poseidon is one of the Gods who holds a grudge against a mortal and had a negative impact during the journey. Odysseus killed Polyphemus, that is why Poseidon left Odysseus on an island before his return home. The relationship between Gods and Humans are similar between humans and humans. The only thing that is different is that Gods have the powers and ability to do

    Read More

  • Comparing Hesiod's Aphrodite: Goddess Of Love And Beauty

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    Within the body of ancient stories and teachings that we call myths lies an array of gods, goddesses, and mystical creatures. These gods and goddesses were mainly concerned with the nature of the world, and had virtue within their own ritualistic practices. The myths that were oriented around such almighty figures became a center of religion in ancient Greece. This became Greek mythology, and further became a considerable influence on culture, arts, and literature throughout time. Since then, artists and poets have derived ideas from Greek mythology, and have discovered current influence and pertinence in its subjects.

    Read More

  • Linking the Legends

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    Monday, Ralph. "Dying and Resurrected Gods: Archetypal Manifestation of Psychological Need." The Mystica. Alan G. Hefner, 2012. Web. 03 Feb. 2012.

    Read More

  • Conception and Birth of Heroes in Greek Mythology

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    Morford, Mark P.O., Robert J. Lenardon and Michael Sham. Classical Mythology 9th Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.

    Read More

  • The Relationships of Fate, the Gods, and Man in "The Iliad"

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    To view the links that are instilled between mortals, immortals, and fate in The Iliad, it is worthwhile to examine each on its own to observe how they connect. The characteristics of the three are inherently unique in relation to each other, though in some areas there is overlap. Man is defined as a mortal, someone who can die from old age and disease. Products from mortal and immortal procreation, such as the hero Achilles, fall into a sort of category all their own, but Achilles himself suggests that he would die from old age if he were to return home (9:502-505). In this weakness of the flesh they differ from the immortal gods, who cannot die from natural causes. Nevertheless, the gods share the imperfections of man: disloyalty, deceit, anger, and even lust. They see themselves as above man, and yet their actions are often as selfi...

    Read More

  • Oedipus The King: Role Of Gods

    1054 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Gods can be evil sometimes.” In the play “Oedipus the King”, Sophocles defamed the gods’ reputation, and lowered their status by making them look harmful and evil. It is known that all gods should be perfect and infallible, and should represent justice and equity, but with Oedipus, the gods decided to destroy him and his family for no reason. It might be hard to believe that gods can have humanistic traits, but in fact they do. The gods, especially Apollo, are considered evil by the reader because they destroyed an innocent man’s life and his family. They destroyed Oedipus by controlling his fate, granting people the power of prophecy, telling Oedipus about his fate through the oracle of Apollo, and finally afflicting the people of Thebes with a dreadful plague. Fundamentally, by utilizing fate, prophecies, the oracle of Apollo, and the plague, the gods played a significant role in the destruction of Oedipus and his family.

    Read More

  • Greek Mythology

    1063 Words  | 3 Pages

    Given the multiplicity of myths that circulated in Greece, it is difficult to present a single version of the genealogy (family history) of the gods. However, two accounts together provide a genealogy that most ancient Greeks would have recognized. One is the account given by Greek poet in his Theogony (Genealogy of the Gods), written in the 8th century BC. The other account, The Library, is attributed to a compiler of myths named Apollodorus, who lived during the 2nd century BC.

    Read More

More about Interactions with the Gods

Open Document