Parallel Greek Myths Essay Research Paper Mythology

Parallel Greek Myths Essay, Research Paper

Mythology is the traditions that have been passed down orally, among a culture, for many generations. Myths can include several different elements, often varying slightly. Most include fantasy or unnatural characters, such as monsters, dragons, gods and goddesses. Myths generally tell a story which is the basis for many beliefs among a culture. Greek and Roman myths encompass the gods that the cultures worship. Myths often serve to teach a lesson or play on superstitions. The origin is unknown and because it has been handed down orally, there are variations in the story. The story often travels around to other cultures also. This leads to similar myths among cultures. Similar situations and characters appear in several myths. An example of this is the

Greek myths Io, Arachne, and Daedalus and Icarus. Although these stories are unrelated, they have similar aspects. They all use the transformations between people and animals and have a common theme of jealousy. A psychoanalysis of these myths shows deeper connections behind the stories.

In Greek mythology Io was an Argive princess and the daughter of the river god Inachus. She became the object of Zeus’ affection, who changed her into a white heifer to protect her from his jealous wife Hera. Hera still suspected that the cow was really Zeus’ mistress, so she asked for it as a gift from Zeus. She also requested that is be guarded by the 100-eyed monster Argus. This way Io would not be able to escape because the monster never slept with all of his eyes closed. Zeus then sent his son Hermes to rescue Io. Hermes managed to put all of Argus’ eyes to sleep with a series of boring stories. He then killed the monster. Hera was still angry and sent a gadfly to torment Io, who wandered the earth in misery. Io told this tale to Prometheus while he

was bound to a rock. He told her that her future would be full of hardships but she must

go to Egypt where Zeus would restore her to her original form. Io finally swam across the sea, later named the Ionian Sea after her, and reached Egypt. The was changed back into a woman and bore Zeus’ son, Eaphus, who was the ancestor of the Greek hero Hercules. Hercules later ended up freeing Prometheus from his rock.

Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalytical theories on the unconscious mind, which is where he believed myth to be derived from. His ideas can be used to incorporate a common theme in every myth. This universal idea was in male-female relationships. He believed there to be a power struggle among every relationship: male-female, male-male, and female-female. Freud’s explanation for this was that everyone had a mother and father, therefore the subconscious possessed these psychological ideas about sexuality. In applying these ideas to the myth of Io, there is the obvious sexual relationship between Io and Zeus. Zeus, as the king of the gods, is in a place of immense power and Io is inferior to him. According to Freud, Io’s submission to Zeus is unconsciously an act to replicate a father-daughter relationship. The daughter is subconsciously sexually attracted to her father and acts out on this desire. Looking at the relationship between Io and Hera, the sexual tension turns to competition. The older wife is jealous of the younger, attractive girl. The Freudian idea of anxiety, in which a person uses defense mechanisms to protect themselves from danger situations, is evident here. One of these danger situations is the fear of abandonment of a loved one. Hera’s crazed jealousy is a natural, basic instinct of survival. Although Zeus was notorious for his

infidelity, Hera, being the inferior partner, had little to compulsion to do anything about it. Hera’s anxiety about her husband caused her to use what Freud refers to as ego defense mechanisms. Hera displaced her anger of Zeus to Io. In sending the gadfly to torment Io, Hera was substituting an immediate solution for her ire towards Zeus.

The transformation of Io to a heifer is a common theme in mythology, representing the mercy of the gods. Mortals were often changed to another form to protect them from themselves and others. Greek mythology is largely based on the gods intervention in mortal life. As in the case with Io, the wrath and the mercy of the gods can be seen in the same myths. Myths often served the purpose to warn humans not to offend the gods. The myth of Arachne also incorporates conflicting ideas of the gods with a transformation between mortal and animal.

Arachne was a young Lydian women who was known to be gifted in the art of weaving. Not only were her weavings beautiful, but she watching her weave was also stunning. Her work was so remarkable that observers often commented that she must have been trained by the patron goddess of weaving, Athena, herself. Athena, resenting the implication that she was inferior to Athena, said she could out weave Athena. Athena was offended at this comment, but decided to give Arachne a chance to redeem herself. She disguised herself as a old women and gave Arachne a warning not to insult the gods. Yet Arachne only scoffed at this. She said she challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was willing to suffer any consequences if she were to lose. The goddess accepted the challenge and changed to reveal her true form. The contest began, the mortal against the goddess. Athena wove a scene depicting