Mythology Reflective Essay
Do ancient myths have any impact on modern society?
I’ve never really understood the appeal of mythology, not even after all the hype about books like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter and the movies that followed. All myths sounded a bit like the same to me, some poor fellow having to confront his destiny while fighting off ridiculous monsters in exquisite and exotic environments.They were like fairy-tales, existing in a world that my young self couldn’t possibly connect with.
As a young person, I’ve always approached stories of any kind, fully immersed in the character and their feelings. In Greek mythology, although the human plight seemed relatable, the characters seemed static, and consequently, boring.
During my research for the photo essay, one particular example of mythology caught my eye. It was my ‘aha!’ moment, if you will, about mythology.
The Starbucks Coffee logo. A twin-tailed siren with long wavy hair.
When I had discovered this, I had to do some digging to find out the meaning behind the twin tailed temptress. In Starbucks history, they based the siren on Norse and Greek mythology, claiming “she was as seducing as their coffee..”( Examiner.com, 2012). This was exceptionally clever and intriguing, and I patted myself on the back for figuring this one out. There was an exceptional “Oh, wow!” response from my classmates, many of which hadn’t considered any mythological influences behind their favourite caffeine stores at all.
However, another piece of important Greek mythology concerning the sirens, something I had overlooked until my photo essay was finished, was glaringly obvious. Sirens, along with being beautiful and seductive, also lured sailors to their deaths. They confused the sailors by showing them what they dream of having (much like the mirror of Erised in Harry Potter) till the point of obsession and addiction, until they finally drown in the ocean after failing to obtain their “dream”.
It feels a bit extreme
I’ve never really understood the appeal of mythology, not even after all the hype about books like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter and the movies that followed. All myths sounded a bit like the same to me, some poor fellow having to confront his destiny while fighting off ridiculous monsters in exquisite and exotic environments.They were like fairy-tales, existing in a world that my young self couldn’t possibly connect with.
As a young person, I’ve always approached stories of any kind, fully immersed in the character and their feelings. In Greek mythology, although the human plight seemed relatable, the characters seemed static, and consequently, boring.
During my research for the photo essay, one particular example of mythology caught my eye. It was my ‘aha!’ moment, if you will, about mythology.
The Starbucks Coffee logo. A twin-tailed siren with long wavy hair.
When I had discovered this, I had to do some digging to find out the meaning behind the twin tailed temptress. In Starbucks history, they based the siren on Norse and Greek mythology, claiming “she was as seducing as their coffee..”( Examiner.com, 2012). This was exceptionally clever and intriguing, and I patted myself on the back for figuring this one out. There was an exceptional “Oh, wow!” response from my classmates, many of which hadn’t considered any mythological influences behind their favourite caffeine stores at all.
However, another piece of important Greek mythology concerning the sirens, something I had overlooked until my photo essay was finished, was glaringly obvious. Sirens, along with being beautiful and seductive, also lured sailors to their deaths. They confused the sailors by showing them what they dream of having (much like the mirror of Erised in Harry Potter) till the point of obsession and addiction, until they finally drown in the ocean after failing to obtain their “dream”.
It feels a bit extreme