A Comparison of Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite

2587 Words6 Pages

Mythology was very important to the men and women of ancient Greece. They worshipped the gods and goddesses, wrote poems about them, and based a great deal of art work off of them. The people of Greece looked to the gods and goddesses for help in all aspects of their lives; including health, agriculture, and war. Reading about Greek mythology can inform people about the society of Greece itself because the Greek gods were created by the people of Greece. Three main goddesses who were worshipped by the Greeks were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. These three goddesses represent three different types of women in Greek society. Sarah Pomeroy, author of Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves, believed that “the goddesses are archetypal images of human females, as envisioned by males” (8). Pomeroy understands the significance in the differences between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, and what those differences meant for the women of Greece who were required to follow three important rules. The first rule was for the women to live a life of domesticity and motherhood. This was very important to the men in the society. The women were the only ones able to bear children. Also, if they were forced to stay in the house, men could keep a greater control on their wives, and not have to worry about them having affairs. The second important trait was virginity until marriage. Its importance to the Greek culture lied in the fear of a woman’s power. The men of the society felt it best that a woman remained a virgin until she was married; however this same attribute was not required of a man. Their belief can be explained by this quote written by P. Walcot in the article “Greek Attitudes Towards Women: The Mythological Evidence”: “The Greeks believed women... ... middle of paper ... ...required to obey, can be seen in the myths of the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Whether or not the Greek goddesses obeyed or did not obey these rules; their importance to the Greek culture is ever strong. Works Cited Abbott, Elizabeth. A History of Celibacy: From Athena to Elizabeth I, Leonardo da Vinci, Florence Nightingale, Gandhi, and Cher. 1st ed. USA: Simon and Schuster, 2000. Print. Blundell, Sue. Women in Ancient Greece. China: Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data, 1995. Print. Homer. The Homeric Hymn. Trans. Susan C. Shelmerdine 2nd ed. The University of Virginia: Focus Pub, 2000. Print. Pompoy, Sarah B. Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves. New York: Schocken Books Inc, 1975. Print. Walcot, P. “Greek Attitudes towards Women: the Mythological Evidence.” Greece and Rome 31 Apr. 1984: 37-47. JSTOR. Web. 10 May 2011.

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