Athena in Greek Mythology Essay

ii Outline Thesis genus A becau rede is regarded as a mighty pistilleat token at heart Grecian mythology but in that location argon manifest contradictions amongst the erudition of genus A soe and the humans of how the goddess is delineate inside classic Literature and these contradictions film to be examined tending(p) classical Literatures foundational use of goods and services in perimeter our perceptions of a heroine. I. com handst how wowork force were viewed in quaint Greece II. universal perception of genus Athene in Grecian Mythology a) Goddess of fight b) Powerful c) Equal to genus genus genus Zeus III. use of goods and services that genus Athene truly vie as Zeuss daughter a) Non toilsome enable the end of King ship of Heaven b) virgin daughter, purity IV. Examples supporting the re officeing of genus Athene as a determent to women at bottom Hellenic culture a) genus Athene and Poseidon clank over capital of Greece b) genus Athenes fetching o ffice in Odyssey c) genus Athenes section at heart Aeschyluss violence V.genus Athenes representation within Hellenic Mythology has proven to be a false mental image for the em military forcement of women. trey Abstract Athena is regarded as a powerful female person figure within Greek mythology however there ar obvious contradictions in the midst of the perception of Athena and the reality of how the goddess is represented within Greek Literature and these contradictions want to be examined presumption Greek Literatures foundational mathematical function in molding our perceptions of a heroine.The undercurrent of conflicting messages between Athenas iconic situate as a powerful goddess and the general oppression of Greek cleaning lady supports the imprint that there might be more(prenominal)(prenominal) to Athena then inaugural meets the eye. Common myth and both majuscule full treatment of ancient Greek literature are used to support the thesis that Athena may befuddle been a gumshoe of oppression used against the women of ancient Greece. 1 The Importance of Athena in Greek Mythology The fore well-nigh powerful female figure in Greek Mythology was Athena, the grey eye goddess.She is often hailed as world an icon for female power within Greek literature. This misperception adds to the mystic that Greek civilization was soci solelyy evolved beyond its time. By victorious a encompassing(prenominal) look at how Athena was immortalized within the Parthenon, the agency that the Goddess played in Homers Odyssey , and her role in Aeschyluss Eumenides it speedily becomes clear that we have been romanticizing Athenas power. By pulling back the mantel on the obvious and revealing what resides simply below the surface a untried pictures comes into focus.Athena is regarded as a powerful female figure within Greek mythology however there are obvious contradictions between the perception of Athena and the reality of how the goddess is represent ed within Greek Literature, and these contradictions need to be examined devoted Greek Literatures foundational role in molding our perceptions of a heroine. To initiate with it is important to come to a priming coat regarding the daily vivification of an Athenian adult female in past Greece. Based upon the interpret that I have done, there is minor dispute that the women of that time had virtu buty no rights.The Ancient Greek society in many styles mirrors todays modern conservative cultures of the middles east, as it pertains to womens rights. The Greek culture was highly patriarchal. Ancient women were considered property of their dumbfounds at the time of their endure, and then transferred to become the property of their husbands straight off after(prenominal) marriage. Young women were often forced to embrace men twice their age, whom they had never met. Women, of course, had no right to vote, no right to accept property and oddly enough were non allowed to wa tch the iconic Olympic games.However, the most mind numbing realization for me was that women were non allowed to leave the house without permission. Women were not permitted to call into question in public unless they had an explicit reason approved by their husband. It is suspicious to me that attached all of these widely accepted facts that we would so easily accept that Greek men were creating characters of power as great as Athenas comprehend power. If anything, I do give these Ancient Greek authors credit for being sly.They created a goddess whom Greek men could idealize as the perfect charr, fearing her power, while at the same time defining an all powerful goddess who was submissive to men. 2 A general definition of Athena provides us with an pillow slip to contrast against the average Athenian woman. Harris and Platzner provide a general comment of Athenas power in Classical Mythology Images & Insights. A powerful commentary is levied by the authors, Athena, a pote nt locution of her fetchs notional intelligence service (82).Athena is widely k immediatelyn as the goddess of wisdom and war. She is hailed as the protector of Athens and the make up to the omnipresent Zeus. However, and this is a boastful however, that is only when upon first glance. As we nail deeper into Athenas story a new spin swallows to present itself. First, the story of Athenas remarkable birth, which in actualization is only a admonition of Zeuss sizeableness. Athena is give tongue to to have sprung from Zeuss head. The moving picture of her birth is on the east pediment of the Parthenon, which run intos its role in the daily lives of Greek men.Zeus in an effort to deny the soothsaying that Metis would someday bore a peasant who would overthrow his power he ate Metis. By ingesting Metis he also ingests her powers and Athena his unborn daughter. In concept Zeus then gives birth, the ONLY uniquely female power that existed in Ancient Greece. Athena, at one time being directly sprung from the body of her father is forever faithful, as he is now part of her. In this one wholesale myth Zeus outwits Metis, overcomes his fate, gives birth and creates an equal perfect(a) partner whom has an undying subjection to her father. notwithstanding the focus on her virginal state, associates her with the traditional concept of bearership by a womans father until she is married. Athenas very birth contributes to increasing Zeuss broadness and defining women as submissive. The second backbone piece of important information regarding wherefore Athena was born a woman, is open and calculated. The fact that Athena is a woman ends the tradition of The Kingdom of Heaven, and ensures Zeuss dominate rule. If she were born a man, there would be threat of usurpation. Ss a woman with no husband she serves no threat.Again, a myth calculated to support the greatness of Zeus. 3 The west side of the Parthenon serves as another example of how a myth, at firs t glance, appearing to support the great wisdom of Athena but in the end this myth serves the purpose of Greek men, and serves to repress Greek women. The west pediment depicts the conflict between Athena and Poseidon for the sponsorship of Athens. Athena is give tongue to to have won the favor of the Greeks by offering an olive tree to the mint of Athens. Poseidon offered the city a salt piddle spring which was rejected, thus offending Poseidon. treble points jump from the life of this myth. First, the obvious, by choosing Athena over Poseidon the Greek men have a direct link to Zeus. She is elect because she is well connected Secondly, and more manipulatively, in order to appease Poseidons offense Greek woman are go on to be punished and not inclined the right to vote. The first advancement of a woman into a powerful position generates a backlash that will ensure that no woman is ever given any REAL form of power within Greek Culture (Harris and Platzner 9).The jeering in this is so deep that it is almost comical. We have now established that the two key myths used to define Athenas power are in actuality undermining her power. If anything, we begin to view her as Zeuss public relations consultant. nowadays by looking at the way that Greek writers have translated Athenas powers into actions, we can see that these nuances did not go unnoticed by Greeces creative thinkers. A subtle example exists within Homers depiction of Athena in The Odyssey. Athena plays a maternally role to both Odysseus and Telemachus.She never gets directly involved in any conflict, she only provides guidance and support for the men. She is fulfilling the nurturing traditional role of a mother. In the stories opening when Athena disguises herself as Mentor (a man) to gain the boldness of Telemachus her purpose is only to guide him on his path to manhood. She abets him to take a carrell on the issue of his mothers disrespectful suitors and to go on a rite of transition jour ney to find his father. The book is riddle with examples of how Athena provides a soft mate is supporting the advancement of Odysseuss cause.She organizes the ship for Telemachuss journey. She pleads with Zeus on their behalf in keep 5, she appears in a reverie to Phaeacian urging her to be at the river to suspensor Odysseus when we washes to shore. The list goes on and on, in Book 20 Athena helps Odysseus in his darn to overtake the suitors by ensuring the suitors antagonize the conceal Odysseus, which feeds his desire to win back Penelope. completely of these actions mirror that of a mother, trying to encourage the best for and from her children.This further supports the notion that women in Athens are supposed to be the house make prisoner support, and support the success of their fathers, and then their husbands. 4 The most glaring example of misuse of Athenas perceived power occurs in Aeschylus, Eumenides. A control panel is organized to judge Orestes for killing his mo ther and his fathers murder, Aegisthus. It is agreed that if the board cannot come to an agreement of Orestes guilt then Athena will make the last(a) decision. Athenas ultimate verdict reads as follows, The final judgment rests with me, and I Announce that my vote shall be given to Orestes.No mother gave me birth, and in all things Save marriage I recall with all my heart The masculine, my fathers child indeed. Therefore I cannot hold in higher esteem A woman killed because she killed her husband. If the votes are equal, Orestes wins. Let the prescribed officers proceed To empty the urns and count the votes (H & P 636). Athena says she is the servant of her father in this speech. Here is a son who has killed his own mother, and Athena explicitly states that she values the life of Orestes father greater than the life of his mother, Clytemnestra.Even when the literature explicitly gives Athena power, she only uses it to further confirm the dominance of men within Greek society. I a m positive that there are numerous other examples that support my notion of a dual sided Athena. Every example that I found of Athena within Greek literature allows for a theoretical locating of Athena as a Greek tool of female oppression. Athena is the Ancient Greeks version of the women in the girdle commercials in the 50s, Cindy Brady in the 70s, or even more accurately the 5 Britney Spears of today.At first glance one thinks its squeamish to see positive imagines of women, but when you begin to look a little closer one can clearly see the shackles. 6 Working Bibliography Graham, Casey, Ancient Athenian Women. http//www. angelfire. com/ca3/ancientchix/ Harris, Stephen L, and Platzner, Gloria. Classical Mythology Images and Insights. 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill. 2008. Role of Women in Ancient Greece. http//www. factsmonk. com/role_of_women_in_ancient_greece Stebbins, Elinor. Pallas Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. http//www. arthistory. sbc. edu/imageswomen/papers/stebbinsathena/athena 2. html