Io and Callisto

In Greek mythology, there are many stories pertaining to divine vengeance and mortals. There are many different reasons as to why the gods penalize humans, and likewise, an assortment of punishments cast down upon these offenders. Throughout the book, Powell gives many examples of the wrath of the gods and the differences in their punishment styles based on their gender. Male gods do not usually punish male offenders with a quick and easy death. They prefer to use a more prolonged and torturous style of punishment; where as female gods use a quick, more destructive punishment that affects more than just the offenders themselves.

Losing a parent is presumably an unthinkable concept for those lucky to have them alive, but sometimes the title of “parent” dies long before a body is placed in the ground. Toi Derricotte author of “Beginning Dialogues” unfortunately had to experience both the death of her mother’s title of “parent”, as well as her literal death. Derricotte’s parents had divorced when she was eighteen, and her father did not seem to play much of a role in her life; she was left to be raised by her mentally abusive mother. Her mother also had a tough road to walk growing up, having to face and deal with brutal issues like racism and bulling. Persevering through those tough times may be the underlining reason behind Derricotte’s mother’s negativity and abuse towards her daughter. Perhaps she just grew a thick skin at a very young age and had never learned how to feel, accept, or administer love. Derricotte’s had said: “She told me all my life she loved me, as if she completely forgot the hundred slights, humiliations, threats, and insinuations. Of course she loved me;

Goody Proctor, you are not summoned here for disputation. Be there no wifely 370 tenderness within you? He will die with the sunrise. Your husband. Do you understand it? (She only looks at him.) What say you? Will you contend with him? (She is silent.) Are you stone? I tell you true, woman, had I no other proof of your unnatural life, your dry eyes now would be sufficient evidence that you delivered up your soul to Hell! A very ape would weep at such calamity! Have the devil dried up any tear of pity in you? (She is silent.) Take her out. It profit nothing she should speak to him! (IV. 363- 379).

The first passage reveals the parallel suffering occurring in the lives of different members of the family, which emphasizes the echoes between the sufferings of the father and the narrator. The narrator’s father’s despair over having watched

Sylvia Plath and Gwen Harwood tell two very different stories of parental relationships, Mother Who Gave Me Life praising Harwood’s mother and speaking with love and affection, whereas Plath’s Daddy is full of hate for her father. These reflections on the poet’s parental relationships are made using imagery, symbolism and tone.

Greek society is highly stratified, one where the distinctions between Nobles, peasants, and slaves are explicit. While many people consider women oppressed in the ancient hierarchy, this notion is somewhat contradicted in the Odyssey, where many women act as powerful figures. Penelope separates herself from the suitors that plague her palace, who are relentless in their pursuit for her hand in marriage. Circe has the capability to seduce an entire unit of Odysseus’ men and turn them into pigs. Athena benevolently guides Telemachus over the many obstacles he faces on his quest to seek out his father. Helen defects from Sparta, rallying all of Troy for her cause. Clytemnestra deceitfully plans Agamemnon's death for her new love interest, Aegisthus. Women in the Odyssey show that through seduction, trickery, and wisdom, women of Ancient Greece are able to obtain significant power.

He was loved his wife dearly and placed his trust with her. I quote: “Wife, I become Bisclavaret. I enter in the forest, and live on prey and roots, within the thickest of the wood.” In this quotation, the man is telling the wife, his deepest secret. He would not share this secret if he did not care for her.

Many authors have employed the religious beliefs of their cultures in literature. The deities contained in Homer’s Odyssey and in the Biblical book of Exodus reflect the nature of the gods in their respective societies. Upon examination of these two works, there are three major areas where the gods of the Greek epic seem to directly contrast the nature of the God of the Israelites: the way problems are solved, the prestige and status that separates the divine from the masses, and the extent of power among the immortal beings.

The islands of Circe and Calypso in Homer’s Odyssey are places where Odysseus’ most challenging problems occur. In contrast to battles with men, Cyclops, or animals, sexual battles with women are sometimes much more difficult to win. These two female characters are especially enticing to Odysseus because they are goddesses. Though it is evident that Odysseus longs to return to Penelope in Ithaka, it sometimes appears that he has lost vision of what life was like with a wife, a son, and with thousands of people who regard him as King. Although his experiences on the islands of these goddesses were similar in that he was retained from Ithaka for the longest periods of his adventure, these goddesses and the

The myth of Io depicts the story of a beautiful nymph who Zeus falls in love with. He seduces her and surrounds them in a cloud, so Hera, his wife, won't see them. She gets suspicious and Zeus ends up turning Io into a cow, disguising his love for her. Hera asks for the cow as a gift, and guards it fiercely. Eventually, Io is freed, but Hera sends a vicious gadfly to sting her. Io wanders for years and makes her way to Egypt, where she is turned back to a women. She becomes the Egyptian God Isis, and gives birth to the future rulers of Egypt. Greek mythology is intertwined with Egyptian mythology because of this, as are many geographical features that are named after her passing.

Similarly, another option for escape is taken away by her husband’s refusal to return to Venice, as the character Lodovico announces they are able to do. Lodovico, continuing the running theme of uninvolved witnesses, sees Othello strike Desdemona without reason, but chooses not to insert himself into the situation. A more sarcastic reading of the unrobing scene would help to support the theory that Desdemona’s feelings have changed towards her once familiar cousin. A clear point is made on page 348 of the article, stating “Desdemona is killed not only by Othello and Iago but also by all those who see her humiliated and beaten in public, and fail to intervene” (Vanita). This is contrasted strongly by some of the male-male relationships, as it is made very public when a dual or violent event occurs between two members of the male sex.

Jupiter jumps in fright and her booming voice scares the bird off. He looks over towards Ceres and gives her a grand smile, holding his arms out wide. "Ah, Ceres! You've shocked me! And that is hard considering I'm the God of the sky!" He says letting out a hearty laugh. Jupiter's pun does not penetrate Ceres' scowl however. "Jupiter, this is no laughing matter. Your brother has taken my daughter!" She shouts, pointing her index finger at him. Jupiter's smile turns into a concerned expression, grabbing his chin between his thumb and index and looking to the side. "Hmmm.. Yes that does seem like a problem," Jupiter looks back to Ceres, and walks towards her putting a hand on her shoulder. "But don't worry! I'm sure you'll have her back in a millennia!" He says with a smile, "A millennia?!" Ceres howls, "I won't leave her with him for a millennia!" Jupiter wraps his arm around Ceres and guides her toward the entrance of the temple. "Ceres, look down there," He said motioning towards the cities, villages and land Mount Olympus overlooks. "I am more preoccupied with the problems of mortals right now, those fools need me!" Ceres looks at Jupiter with a face of disbelief and then anger. Looking towards the cities below, she holds out a hand and closes her eyes. Jupiter glances at her with confusion on his face, and all of a sudden the huge fields of delectable fruits and vegetables start to die. Jupiter gasps, "Ceres! wh-what are you doing!" He stutters, "You can't do this!" He exclaims. "Ah, but I can. If you will not help me free my daughter, I will kill the very people that 'need you so'." She utters with air quotes. Jupiter laughs "That is fine! I do not care for those weaklings! Your feeble trick has no effect on me!" Ceres chuckles, "But you do, Jupiter. Without these people, who will bring you scrolls or prepare your food and pour your wine! You

Women in ancient Greece had very few rights in comparison to male citizens. Women were unable to vote, own property, or inherit wealth. A woman’s place was in the home and her purpose in life was to rear children. Considering this limited role in society, we see a diverse cast of female characters in Greek mythology. We are presented with women that are powerful and warlike, or sexualized, submissive and emotionally unstable. In many myths, we encounter subversive behavior from women, suggesting, perhaps, the possibility of female empowerment. While produced in an ostensibly misogynistic and oppressive society, these myths consider the possibility for a collapse of male power and the patriarchal system. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey,

Ops, Jupiter’s mother, hid Jupiter away from Saturn in a place that would allow Jupiter to grow his powers without Saturn being able to find him. After he gets older, Jupiter returns home and battles Saturn, freeing his brothers and sisters in the process. The gods overthrow the titans, making Jupiter the king of the gods, Optimus Maximus.

These words, spoken from Strength to Vulcan, would seem to illustrate clearly enough the reason for Prometheus ' punishment by the Gods – he had bestowed upon mortals an honor that was not due to them; yet this is a simplification of a larger Truth, one that Prometheus saw differently, and that arose, in part, from his fraught relationship (one punctuated by perceived betrayals) with Jupiter, who was the arbiter of his punishment.