`` Strange Love By Eunice San Miguel, Zeus & Danae, And The Class Choice Of Jupiter And

He maintains his focus on Greek myths not only because of the sheer number of myths around the world, making it impossible to interpret and clarify them all, but also because European men, who would have been familiar with the myths from Greece, write most of the classics we analyze. He explains that these myths are not only a part of them but also “so much a part of the fabric of our consciousness, of our unconscious really, that we scarcely notice” (Foster, 51). Which suggests that, we can recognize Greek myths even if we do not realize it. With this simple fact presented to us, we no longer wonder why allusions to Greek myths have been used since they emerged and are still employed today. Myths are often exercised as “overt subject matter for poems and paintings and operas and novels” but more often “writers have…borrowed from and emulated” these myths (Foster, 52, 53). Instead of explaining every detail about every character, place or moment authors rely on other stories, such as myths, to expand and develop their tale. The writer will subtly hint at myths and hope you recognize their allusions to these old legends. Since we established that, we know these myths, whether consciously or not, we can take these allusions and decipher any hidden meanings the author has for us, giving each story a new level.

One of the things that is so fascinating about poetry is that it allows readers to discover and sometimes challenge and channel their emotions as well as their understanding. A poem’s words as well as its structure can reveal many things to its intended audience. In “Myth” by Natasha Trethewey, the poems form is just as important as the words she writes, becoming a map for the journey Trethewey takes, using transitions to take us from one place to another. The nature of the poem therefor becomes multifaceted, as it encourages the reader to think about the speaker’s words and use of form and structure she uses to craft this epic story. Using form as a tool, Trethewey is able to use structure as a way to guide us as readers and the speaker across the conscious and unconscious thoughts and dreams the speaker faces in this story.

Popol Vuh and The Odyssey are epic stories that are considered, “cultural touchstones; they dramatize the life of a nation and help bind it together” (Lawall, 3076). The two stories both form a connection to the culture of Mayan, Popol Vuh, and Greek, The Odyssey, partly through the monsters that preside in each epic. Because of the detailed descriptions of monsters or evil people and the known information pertaining to each story’s culture, the two can be connected. Therefore, Popol Vuh and The Odyssey are comparable by cultures through the monsters that each story depicts.

In the beginning of Perseus’ existence, he had already faced a problematic dilemma. According to the legend, Acrisius abandoned his daughter and grandson by locking them in a chest and throwing them out to sea, in regards to a prophecy he heard (Perseus). This demonstrated that the responsibility and care for Danaë was unforeseeable, and he only minded about his own. If Acrisius had to sacrifice his daughter and grandson, he would do it in order to protect himself. They eventually arrived on a faraway island. The king, Polydectes, fell in love with Danaë, but in order for him to have Danaë all to himself, he must get rid of Perseus. Polydectes hosted a banquet and invited Perseus. When each guest presented their opulent present, Perseus felt ashamed, being the only one without a gift. Then, Perseus did exactly what the king had hoped;

Myths explain our circumstances in the world and the universe. A prime example of this is the myth of Icarus and Daedalus. Pieter Brueghel painted a picture decrypting the moment of Icarus fall from the heavens. And the two poets William Carlos Williams and W. H. Auden each wrote a poem based on Brueghel's painting, both of which developed a deep meaningful message to the reader. Diction, connotation, and denotation are all used to help describe the emotions and tragedies that Brueghel's painting portrays. These poems are written based on the myth of Icarus.

In 1949, Joseph Campbell published his book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” It details his theory of the “monomyth,” a theory that illustrates how many heroic mythological stories have similar outlines and archetypes. During his discussion of the second chapter of the monomyth, Campbell says that the monomyth can “serve as a general pattern for men and women” in their everyday lives (121). In many circumstances, comparisons can be made between normal situations throughout life and the monomyth. When a challenge of task is encountered in life, it can be analyzed under the three main stages of the monomyth: the departure, the initiation, and the return.

In ancient Rome and ancient Greece, myths were an oral tradition of storytelling that served to answer two primary purposes. The first role was to create stories that responded to unanswerable questions such as “Why is there thunder?” and the second function of myths, about gods, goddesses, monsters, and heroes, was to give structure to their society and culture in psychological manifestations. In addition, the gods and prophecies served as a reminder to the characters that they don’t ultimately have any control over their lives. This epic poem by Homer is not just a simple story of an argument between Achilles and Agamemnon or the well-known story of the war but also has a psychological theme incorporating anger, especially Achilles’ as

A very common archetype that is seen in many different myths is the journey, which is seen in both “All The Pretty Horses” and “The Searchers”. In the archetype of the journey, it is common that

The archetypes reflect dreams and relate to cultures. In different cultures, the “archetypes” (2005) would be different. However, Joseph Campbell comes up with the Monomyth, which believes myth is metaphor. Joseph Campbell demonstrates that all stories are expression of the same story-pattern. The hero’s journey all follows the departure, initiation and return.

Literature is one of the most powerful and revealing aspects of a society. In ancient Greek society, Homer’s The Odyssey provides a detailed insight into the values of this intricate culture. In particular, this epic discusses the ways in which the deathless gods influence the fates of the mortals. The overall impact of the gods’ power is the mental straining that emerges from the unrelenting conflict of man versus immortal. Likewise, the actions and misfortunes of others also catalyze this extremely significant and powerful mental battle. Homer’s The Odyssey reveals the values of ancient Greece by portraying the intrapersonal struggles between a person’s self-determined honor and his/her worthiness in the eyes of the Gods. This underlying

A key to understanding his writing, says author Tom Robbins, is a knowledge of Greek myth. A particular influence on him is the life and work of Joseph Campbell, author of several books on mythology (Hoyser and Stookey 9). Campbell, in turn, owes influence to the insights of analytic psychologist Carl Jung. Jung recognized the patterns within myths --- throughout the world and across all cultures -- of characters, situations, and events, and identified these recurring images as archetypes (Harris and Platzner 40). Campbell

Countless quest narratives – ranging from modern texts all the way back to ancient texts – have all conformed to a certain archetypal structure. Christopher Vogler writes:

The traditions of storytelling have long been used as a means to impart wisdom and life lessons to others. One of the most effective ways in which this is done is through the use of archetypes. While it is possible to look at these images in a general way, one may also focus an analysis on a single tale. In this way it is possible to explore the particular images used and their significance in a given situation, (often a coming of age rite of

Myths are a valuable source of archetypes of human attitudes, themes and symbols. Myths not only deepen people’s knowledge about life and beliefs of the ancient Greeks, but also present the image of the contemporary worldview and system of values. They represent attitudes and patterns of timeless values, and raise the universal content. One of the most frequent themes of myths is the context of suffering. Suffering is not onlyt the domain of people, but suffering also affects gods and goddesses. Although Niobe and Demeter belonged to a fellowship of queens and goddesses, just like mortals they had to cope with adversity; they struggled with vices, and suffered pain. Moreover, they were subjected to fate as every human beings.

In this paper I will analyze two characters in two separate works, one from a literary text and one from a film. The focus of this paper will be on heroes that have a relationship to an element of mythology. I will use the character Odysseus from Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey” and the character Wonder Woman from the American superhero film “Wonder Woman”. In this essay I will analyze the gender, appearance, actions, and roles that these heroes have. Throughout this essay, I will also discuss the negative characteristics that both these heroes have, such as their violent actions towards others. Heroes possess numerous qualities that make them great, however, there are certain qualities of a hero that are consistent throughout Greek mythology; bravery, intelligence, and strength. These qualities are significant to these two Greek Mythologies because these heroes are known to bravely risk their lives for others, using their wisdom to guide them, all while fighting strongly for what they believe in. This paper will serve to prove that regardless of the gender of each of these personas, the characteristics that define a hero remain consistent.