In Chapter 1, the author assesses the unique and eternal achievements of 5th century BCE Athenian culture. She introduces several basic dichotomies that define her understanding of the writers and events of the period in the later chapters.…
All cultures create myths to explain the origins of the earth, its people, and the places and objects in their worlds. Legends tend to glorify heroes. Take a closer look at Greek mythology. Find a myth that intrigues or interests you, summarize it in writing and explain why you found this particular myth interesting and whether it has any relevance to today’s world.…
In the ancient Mediterranean the origins of Western culture began to take shape. What is it that the Greeks knew about humanity that stands the test of time? They created classic models for politics, literature, architecture, art, music and dance, all interwoven into the emergence of Philosophy as a body of study. The way we are governed, the books we read, the plays we watch and even some of our sporting events have their origins in classical Greek civilization 2500 years ago.…
In conclusion, the Greek contribution in the arts, sciences, and government have contributed to modern culture. Because our modern practices have stemmed from and are directly linked to these Greek principles, we can call ourselves Hellenistic people. They have influenced our society and have helped us become culturally advanced like they once were. This shows that the Ancient Greeks have truly revolutionized the modern world and today’s Western…
Homer wrote one of the greatest and earliest literary works, the Odyssey around the eight-century BCE. The Odyssey provides us with a lens through which we examine Greek society around eight hundred BCE. Prevalent themes including, Greek hospitality, their attitudes towards the afterlife, and their relationship of gods and man are all present in the Odyssey, which are also contemporaneous in ancient Greek life around the eighth century. Ultimately, the Odyssey allows us to learn more about people’s customs and beliefs in archaic Greece.…
When looking throughout ancient mythology, each story has unique characteristics that make them their own. By looking deep into the myth, and analyzing its qualities, society can get a greater grasp of what the author was trying to portray through each God. One myth in particular is the journey of Odysseus as he traveled from the city of Troy, to his homeland in Ithaca. This story represents various interpretations such as gender sexuality, nature myth theory, and rationalism.…
* Myths show us that the Greeks had vivid imaginations and how the people acted like.…
Cited: Homer. Odyssey. Elements of Literature: Third Course. Daniel, Kathleen et al. Austin: Holt, Reinhart, and Winston, 2000. 888-947.…
These myths were told to people and it helped them realize the difference between right and wrong. It helped them come to terms with understanding their own humility and it also helped them gain an understanding that they should never think themselves higher than their immortal gods. These myths tell the tales of mighty heroes and how their greatness was achieved while at the same time illustrating the flaws these heroes had in their personal quest to become gods. A deeper look into the Trojan War reveals meanings, attitudes, and life lessons that the Greeks were very adamant in preserving for the betterment of their society and to the world around them. These tales seldom ended in happy endings like the ones we are accustomed to observing in our culture today and is important to remember that they weren’t written solely for entertainment—they were written with a greater purpose. In truth, these myths give people the opportunity to glimpse at the way the Greeks lived and how they thought back then. These myths were an integral part of ancient Greek culture, this was how they passed down lessons from…
As the well known heroes’ tales end, crossing barren seas and going through mountains, one begins to compare Odysseus’s epic journey to Gilgamesh’s epic journey. Both stories are enticing and present a numerous amount of themes, some similar, some different. Both characters evolve; it is clear that the characters known at the beginning of the book have changed. Although both journeys involve growth as leaders, Odysseus is at the mercy of the gods, monsters, and powerful people and realizes his place and becomes humbled, while Gilgamesh the demigod becomes arrogant and selfish.…
“The characters, stories, themes and lessons of Greek mythology have shaped art and literature for thousands of years. They appear in Renaissance paintings such as Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Raphael’s Triumph of Galatea and writings like Dante’s Inferno; Romantic poetry and libretti; and scores of more recent novels, plays and films.” I think that it is great that the ancient Greeks came up with these myths. When I first started reading and listening about the Greek myths, I thought they were totally absurd. However, I now think that some myths tell entertaining stories and teach great lessons. Through this paper I will tell you about one of the myths we share today in our culture, share what Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung had to say about mythic structures of the human psyche, and explain why myths such as these bring us together socially and culturally. (2)…
Ancient Greek society fell over 2000 years ago but despite this, its mythology still continues to influence our western society. References to Greek mythology can be found all through time and in our western culture. The influence of Greek mythology can be found in our science, arts and literature and our language. When Ancient Greece fell to the Roman Empire, Rome adapted its mythologies which still influence us today as they have through history. That is not to say that Greek mythology wasn’t influenced itself – Greek mythology has links with the bible and the early Mycenaean’s. It has also been recognised as one of the earliest forms of paganism.…
Even to this day, ancient Greece’s complex culture has shaped modern day cultures. Some of the particular values they had highlighted among most others, counting religion, faith in their gods, justice, leadership, ‘moira’ (fate), and honor, has shaped modern day society.…
“Adolescents need to live their myths. During this transitional phase, myths have a facilitate function making gods, heroes and nymphs, figures who are all-good or all-bad thus creating a spiritual and mental transitional space for growth. Mythical thinking is an integral part of adolescence.” When children start to mature, they need someone they can be, they need someone they can look up to, they need someone who can give purpose to their lives. The excerpt explains how thinking of myths and mythological characters can help adolescence grow and how they aspire to become like the character they look up to. Just like how kids look up to Superman, the same goes for adolescence. They make their own lives into living myths and comparing their own to others so that they can formulate their next step.…
Ancient Civilization flourished in the lands surrounding the Mediterranean sea. Each had it's own distinct views on the social, political, and religious aspects; however, there were many similarities each civilization shared with the others. Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt were mythopoeic societies, while Ancient Greece and Judaic society was vastly more rational in their mindset. Through this paper we will illustrate the similarities, as well as the differences of these fascinating early civilizations.…