Mythology Edith Hamilton Archetypes - 2717 Words

Archetypal Analysis of Myths Part One: The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes Chosen Myth: Dionysus or Bacchus Situational Archetype: Battle between Good and Evil In the myth of Dionysus there isn’t exactly a conflict between two sides of people battling for good or evil, its more as a battle between the two sides of Dionysus’ inner self. Unlike most examples of good versus evil, there isn’t a triumphant side. Just the personality switches between Dionysus being the joy-god or the heartless, savage, brutal-god. The reason for this change is due to the fact that he is the vine god; Wine is bad as well as good. He’d bring up peoples hopes and make them believe that they were capable of anything, but once they were sober again†¦show more content†¦When they were together Cupid hid himself from Psyche because he knew the repercussions that their love could have. They were two people destined to not be together with every obstacle in their way, but in the end they made it work. Part Three: The Great Heroes before the Trojan War Chosen Myth: Perseus Situational Archetype: Supernatural Intervention On Perseus’ journey for Medusa’s head it was very much expected that he would fail and die, which was Polydectes goal. But in the end he prevailed and completed the mission, due to the fact that he had the luck and support of the Gods on his side. Throughout his voyage he was aided by the support of Hermes and Athena. This can be seen in Perseus’ use of Athena’s shield and Hermes’ sword that he used to attack Medusa. Also, without the help of Hermes, Perseus wouldn’t have been able to find the nymphs of the North, whose gifts (winged sandals, magic wallet, and an invisible cap) also aided him in the defeat of Medusa. Symbolic Archetype: The Whirlpool In the beginning of the myth, Perseus’ grandfather, King Acrisius, was told by a priestess that his daughter would have a son and that her son would kill him. So Acrisius goes out of his way to rid himself of his daughter. He locks her in a castle in hopes that she won’t come across other people and become pregnant. Once he finds out that his daughter does have a son, Perseus, he locks themShow MoreRelatedTrickster-God-Creator1433 Words   |  6 PagesTricksters appear in the mythology and folklore of many cultures around the world. Although the power and relative divinity of each Trickster varies from tradition to tradition, Tricksters have important roles in the creation, development, and sometimes destruction, of each culture. The Coyote of Native North American traditions is often depicted as assisting the â€Å"Great Mystery† or â€Å"Great Spirit† in the creating and populating of the world (Leeming). In the Greek m yths Hermes is initially a sly infantRead MoreDoes Science Explain All?1599 Words   |  7 Pagesthe destroyer; and Vishnu, the preserver. Very similar to the Holy Christian Trinity of: God, the father; Christ, the son; and the Holy Spirit. In both Hinduism and Christianity the trinities are three and at the same time one entity. In the mythology of many of the Central Asian Pastoral Tribes the supreme deity of their religion is confronted by an adversary representing the powers of darkness and evil. Very much like the relationship in the Christian mythos between God and Lucifer, this figureRead MoreNumerology in The Odyssey How numbers are used throughout The Odyssey by Homer and how they all symbolize different events or characters in the book2372 Words   |  10 Pages(Lagerquist and Lenard 3-5). As in everything in our lives, there is a positive and negative side of numbers as well. Each number has a particular vibration and its own behavior; hence, the meaning of each number can be looked at in terms of an archetype. Each of the twelve numbers, which a person who studies numerology is required to recognize - numbers One through Nine, plus Eleven, Twenty-Two, and Zero, has its own individual characteristics. Although numerology is often used as a tool for discoveringRead More Mary, Eve, and Lilith in Shakespeares King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth3162 Words   |  13 Pagesit seems, is the figure of Lilith. Indeed, in the case of Shakespearean criticism, Lilith seems an appropriate model at times for such characters as Goner il, Regan, Lady Macbeth, and so forth. Accordingly, it is my intention to explore this lost archetype and relate it to three of Shakespeares tragedies: King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth.    To begin, Lilith is an enigma in many circles, with varying tales and legends ascribed to her. In certain aspects of Jewish folklore, Lilith is believedRead MoreGreek Influence on the Modern Day Theater2816 Words   |  12 Pagesgeneration after its introduction the dithyramb attracted the most famous poets of the day. By this time, however, it had ceased to concern itself exclusively with the adventures of Dionysus and begun to choose its subjects from all periods of Greek mythology. In this way, over time the dithyramb would evolve into stories in play form: drama. This continued to evolve in an ethic and proper manner leading to the modern day. Without this base, theater would not be what it is today. There are many great