Why Is Hera Important In Ancient Greek Mythology

In ancient Greek mythology, rather than the gods being individuals who performed no misdeeds, they were written to be powerful deities also possessing human qualities and traits. Myths inside of Edith Hamilton’s fiction novel Mythology show how the Gods were gifted with mortal characteristics ranging from love, jealousy, pity, compassion, and many others. The story of Io displays how the goddess Hera acts in envy after witnessing the infidelity of Zeus, forcing Io to undergo many life obstacles. Another tale that shows human qualities is when Aphrodite, who was touched by the deep affection towards the statue Galatea from the sculptor Pygmalion, gifted the carving life. Through the tales of Io and Pygmalion and Galatea, Hamilton portrays how
For instance, the tale of Io demonstrates Zeus’s wife Hera's profound envy when he makes the decision to have several ongoing affairs. Io, who captivated Hera’s attention after she was caught with Zeus, had been turned into a white heifer by him because “greater than Zeus’s love was his fear of Hera’s jealousy” (Hamilton 96). Following this event, she is cursed by Hera to suffer various calamities such as being given to Argus who possesses one hundred eyes, and sending a gadfly to torment her, which drives her to madness. Consumed by her envy, Hera pushes herself towards brutality. Similar to humans, rather than confronting the source of trouble, she generates her anger and forces it onto Io, whom she perceives as the cause. Hera acting cruelly towards Io highlights how divine figures are prone to human flaws such as being blind to jealousy and spite. In contrast to the negative human traits given to the gods, some also possessed positive traits such as empathy and affection. Pygmalion and Galatea is a timeless tale narrating the romance between a sculptor and his creation who is unable to reciprocate his