希腊罗马神话英文论文

1、the analysis of the character of herahera,oneofthetwelvemaingodsinolympicmountain,isthewifeandsisterofzeuswhoownsthegreatestpoweramongallthegodsandrulethem.inchargeoftheaffairsofmarriageandfamiliesofthemansworld,heraistheguardianangleofwomenandmarriage.hera,theeldestdaughterofcronusandrhea,wasbornat

2、samos,or,accordingtosomeaccounts,atargos,andwasrearedbythesea-divinitiesoceanusandtethys,whoweremodelsofconjugalfidelity.shewastheprincipalwifeofzeus,and,asqueenofheaven,participatedinthehonourspaidtohim,butherdominiononlyextendedovertheair(theloweraerialregions).heraappearstobethesublimeembodimento

3、fstrictmatronlyvirtue,andisonthataccounttheprotectressofpurityandmarriedwomen.faultlessherselfinherfidelityasawife,sheisessentiallythetypeofthesanctityofthemarriagetie,andholdsinabhorrenceanyviolationofitsobligations.sostronglywassheimbuedwiththishatredofanyimmorality,that,findingherselfsooftencalle

4、dupontopunishthefailingsofbothgodsandmeninthisrespect,shebecamejealous,harsh,andvindictive.herexaltedpositionasthewifeofthesupremedeity,combinedwithherextremebeauty,causedhertobecomeexceedinglyvain,andsheconsequentlyresentedwithgreatseverityanyinfringementonherrightsasqueenofheaven,oranyapparentslig

5、htonherpersonalappearance.thefollowingstorywillsignallyillustratehowreadyshewastoresentanyslightofferedtoher.atthemarriageofthesea-nymphthetiswithamortalcalledpeleus,allthegodsandgoddesseswerepresent,excepteris(thegoddessofdiscord).indignantatnotbeinginvited,shedeterminedtocausedissensionintheassemb

6、ly,andforthispurposethrewintothemidstoftheguestsagoldenapplewiththeinscriptiononitforthefairest.now,asallthegoddesseswereextremelybeautiful,eachclaimedtheapple;butatlength,theresthavingrelinquishedtheirpretensions,thenumberofcandidateswasreducedtothree,hera,athene,andaphrodite,whoagreedtoappealtopar

7、isforasettlementofthisdelicatequestion,hebeingnotedforthewisdomhehaddisplayedinhisjudgmentuponseveraloccasions.pariswasthesonofpriam,kingoftroy,who,ignorantofhisnoblebirth,wasatthistimefeedinghisflocksonmountida,inphrygia.hermes,asmessengerofthegods,conductedthethreerivalbeautiestotheyoungshepherd,a

8、ndwithbreathlessanxietytheyawaitedhisdecision.eachfaircandidateendeavouredtosecurehisfavourbythemosttemptingoffers.herapromisedhimextensivedominions;athene,martialfameandglory;andaphrodite,theloveliestwomanintheworld.butwhetherhereallyconsideredaphroditethefairestofthethree,orpreferredabeautifulwife

9、tofameandpower,wecannottell;allweknowisthattoherheawardedthegoldenapple,andshebecameeverafteruniversallyacknowledgedasthegoddessofbeauty.hera,havingfullyexpectedthatpariswouldgiveherthepreference,wassoindignantthatsheneverforgavehim,andnotonlypersecutedhim,butallthefamilyofpriam,whosedreadfulsufferi

10、ngsandmisfortunesduringthetrojanwarwereattributedtoherinfluence.infact,shecarriedheranimositytosuchanextentthatitwasoftenthecauseofdomesticdisagreementsbetweenherselfandzeus,whoespousedthecauseofthetrojans.amongthemanystoriesofthesefrequentquarrelsthereisoneconnectedwithheracles,thefavouritesonofzeu

11、s,whichisasfollows:-herahavingraisedastormatseainordertodrivehimoutofhiscourse,zeusbecamesoangrythathehungherinthecloudsbyagoldenchain,andattachedheavyanvilstoherfeet.hersonhephaestustriedtoreleasehismotherfromherhumiliatingposition,forwhichzeusthrewhimoutofheaven,andhislegwasbrokenbythefall. hera h

12、as the courage to break the bondage of traditional marriage and fight for equal marriage. she has done her best to maintain the sanctity of marriage. however, her personal strength was not enough to change patriarchal society.imdeeplyimpressedbyheraandcanthelpfeelingsadforher.asawoman,owninguniquebe

13、autyandgreatpowerwhichisonlysecondarytozeuss,she,however,failtohaveaundividedhusband,whichisnearlyeverywomaniseagerfor.herstory,inmyeyes,issuchatragedy.althoughheraisagoddess,shealsohasthecharacteristics,thefeelingsandthebeliefofthemortalwomen.foronething,sheisveryloyaltoherhusbandandherfamily.aswea

14、llknow,herapossessesararebeautywithimpressiveanddignifiedfigure,anditsherbeautythatmadezeusfallinlovewithherandadheretomarryingtoher,butallherloveisfornobodybutzeus,whichneverchangesnomatterwhathappen.sheisrepresentforthewomensvirtueanddignity.foranother,likeothercommonmortalwomen,sheshowedgreatjeal

15、ousywhenshefoundherhusband,zeus,hadintimaterelationshipwithmanyotherwomen.withgreatpower,hera,didmanyterribleandmaliciousthingstothesewomenaswellastheirchildren.forexample,sheturnediol,thegoddesswhozeuslovedsomuchandtriedmanywaystogain,intoacowandletthebiggadbeesbither,resultinginthatiolescapedfromg

16、reekforshecouldntstandthesufferinganymore.anothertypicalinstanceisaboutapollo.herapersecutedhismother,leto,preventingherbearinghim.consequently,thepoormotherfailedtofindaplacetogivebirthherchildren,butfinallyshesucceedtohideherselfinasmallislandandsurvived.herasjealousyimpressmanypeople.iappreciateh

17、eraskonstataandfirmnessforlove.however,whatshedidtothosewomenwhowereattractivebyzeus,ithink,isunreasonableandunfair.itinspiresmeofmanythoughtsandfeelings.first,herasstoryremindsmeofthosepoorwomeninthechineseancienttimeswhenmenwereusedtohaveseveralwives.andthewomennotonlytriedtheirbesttosatisfytheonl

18、yhusband,butalsothoughtoutofmanywaystopersecuteotherwives,wastingallherlife.sosad!themen,inmyopinion,shouldbearmostresponsibilityforit.second,irealizethestrongstrengthofpower.ifherawereaordinarywomanwithoutgreatpower,shecouldntdosomuchandgreatharmtootherwomen;ifzeuswereacommonmanwithoutgreatpower,wash