English 1 advanced Research Paper

791 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: compare greek and roman gods

In Greek religion and mythology, Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility is very well looked up to. According to The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, from an unknown author, Aphrodite is said to be the most kind and gentle of all the Goddesses (The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th edition 1). Aphrodite’s Roman equivalent is the Goddess Venus, who is also the Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, was very well known in the Mythological world.
There are many myths about how Aphrodite was conceived, although there are two more popular myths of how it happened. According to S.B. Harding, she was a sea-born goddess. Harding said Aphrodite was formed one evening from the foam of the sea when the waves of the ocean beat onto the rocky shore of the island, Cyprus. She was so beautiful and devine that when she stepped onto the island, flowers sprang under her feet and everyone on the island loved her (Harding 1). The less popular myth of her birth, according to The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, is that she was bore from Zeus and Dione (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia )
Aphrodite lived on Mount Olympus with all the other major gods. According to an unknown author, she was married to Hephaestus, the homely craftsman God (mythweb.com 1). It is said by S.B. Harding that Zeus made up for his cruelty to Hephaestus, by giving him this beautiful Goddess, Aphrodite, to marry (Harding 1-2). Although Aphrodite loved her husband, author deTraci Regula says Aphrodite was not faithful to him. Regula also says Aphrodite associated herself with Ares and bore a child (Regula 1).
Aphrodite plays a big role in many myths, including the very well known ...

... middle of paper ...

... Aphrodite had many strengths as well as many weaknesses. DeTraci Regula writes in one of his articles a few of her strengths and weaknesses. One of her strengths is her dazzling beauty, which caused everyone to love her; therefore she only had few enemies. A couple of her weaknesses were that she was very stuck on herself, meaning she was very conceited, but she was the most beautiful goddess, so who can blame her (Regula 1).
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, was very well known in the mythological world. She was very well looked up to as she was the most beautiful, kind, and gentle goddess of all the Greek deities. Aphrodite has influenced both the mythological world and our modern day world. Aphrodite could have made any one fall in love whether it be with her or someone else, which makes her one of the most well known goddesses.

Show More
Related

  • Women In Hesiod Theogony, And Works And Days

    1339 Words  | 3 Pages

    For example, in the illustration of Aphrodite’s birth, she is described as “modest and beautiful” (Theogony, 9). When Athena is born from Zeus’ head, she is depicted as “the fearsome rouser of the fray, leader of armies, the lady Atrytone, whose pleasure is in war and the clamour of battle” (Theogony, 30). Hesiod even includes a lengthy portrayal of Hecate, where he articulates how Zeus honored Hecate more than all others. Hecate is said to have positions of power, dominion over parts of both land and sea and prestige. Hesiod also mentions that Hecate has a role in public gatherings (“…the man of her choice shines out among the crowd” [Theogony, 16]) as well as in war (“…the goddess [Hecate] comes and stands by whichever side she chooses to grant victory…” [Theogony, 16]) While the representations of these goddesses may be positive, Hesiod is not speaking about women in general, or even mortal women. As M. L. West says, “When they are personified must clearly be classed as gods, not mortals; after all, they are invisible and imperishable, and they have the power to affect human affairs.”1 Goddesses like Athena, Aphrodite and Hecate are personifications of abstract concepts that the ancient Greeks valued. While the Greek gods often exhibited very human-like qualities, they were still deities; put on pedestals to be respected

    Read More

  • Women In Ancient Greek Society

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the Greek society women were treated very differently than they are today. Women in ancient Greece were not allowed to own property, participate in politics, and they were under control of the man in their lives. The goddess Aphrodite did not adhere to these social norms and thus the reason the earthly women must comply with the societal structure that was set before them. Aphrodite did not have a father figure according to Hesiod, and therefore did not have a man in her life to tell her what to do. She was a serial adulteress and has many children with many men other than her husband. She was not the only goddess from the ancient Greek myths to cause doubt in the minds of men. Gaia and the Titan Rhea rise up against their husbands in order to protect their children. Pandora, another woman in the Greek myths, shows that all evil comes from woman. Aphrodite, Gaia, Rhea, and Pandora cause the ancient Greek men to be suspicious of women because of her mischievous and wild behavior.

    Read More

  • Aphrodite

    2164 Words  | 5 Pages

    All of the goddesses were jealous of Aphrodite because all of the gods loved her

    Read More

  • Aspasia

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... attacked by many, for her scandalous and influential relationship with Pericles, her charm and sexual appeal, and her engagement in public and political events. However, no one can deny the fact that given the position women normally played in her time, Aspasia's position in society was astonishing.

    Read More

  • Greek Mythology

    344 Words  | 1 Pages

    Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, later rose from the sea where Uranus's body had been thrown. Now Cronus became king of the universe. Cronos married his sister, Rhea, and they had six children. At the time of Cronos's marriage to Rhea, Gaea prophesied that one of his children would overthrow Cronos, as he had overthrown Uranus. To protect himself, Cronos swallowed each of his first five children -- Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon -- immediatly after birth.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

    1585 Words  | 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, there are endless images of water and the moon. Both images lend themselves to a feeling of femininity and calm. In classical mythology, the image of water is often linked with Aphrodite, goddess of passion and love. Born of the foam of the sea, Aphrodite was revered as an unfaithful wife to her husband Hephaestus (Grant 36). This may have a direct coloration to the unfaithful nature of the four lovers, Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius, while in the woods. Perhaps more important, however, is Aphrodite’s link to the other Olympian maiden goddesses. As Aphrodite was attributed with love and beauty, Athena was the protector of war and arts, and finally, Artemis was the goddess of the woods and wild things (Hamilton 31). Artemis was brother of Apollo, god of the sun, and therefore she was the goddess of the moon. Through out literature it seems imagery of the moon and water can be used nearly interchangeably because they both imply feminine powers; water is representative of life and motion and the moon is representative of Artemis directly. Shakespeare seems to have been quite aware of the duties and powers of this ancient goddess.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite

    2587 Words  | 6 Pages

    She places in people the desire to have sexual relations and causes fear in men of the power of seduction by women. Her marriage to her husband was ignored as she had affairs with immortal and mortal men. Her infidelity in her marriage places her on the side with Greek men, rather than Greek women because only Greek men were able to cheat on their wives; not the other way around. In conclusion, the three important rules discussed in this paper that Greek women were 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.

    Read More

  • Aphrodite. Then and Now

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    When we all hear the name Aphrodite, we can all reach agreement that the first point that comes to mind is love and beauty. In the “Ancient Roman Mythology” book, she is des...

    Read More

  • Athena Essay

    583 Words  | 2 Pages

    Athena was the virgin daughter of the great god Zeus and she was also one of the great

    Read More

  • From Aphrodite Of Knidos To The Old Market Woman

    704 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Greeks found this so appealing because it looked very similar to themselves in form but because Aphrodite is naked, it showed the separation from the “mere mortals” (Berz). She seems modest with her sexuality by trying to cover her genitals, but she is very strong and secure with her head high. Women were also able to compare themselves with this sculpture because it was not ideal; Aphrodite was not blonde with blue eyes, but she was as she

    Read More

  • Athena's Impact on the Lives of Ancient Greeks

    1023 Words  | 3 Pages

    Athena was the Greek Goddess of many ideas, but she was famous mostly for her superior wisdom, her cunning skills in times of war, and her implausible talent for household tasks, such as weaving and pottery. She was celebrated more than any other God in ancient mythology, was the supposed inventor of countless innovations, and her figure gave reason for Greek woman to gain rights long before others of their time. The goddess of war, the guardian of Athens, and the defender of Heroes; Athena’s impact on the lives of Ancient Greeks is outstanding.

    Read More

  • Aphrodite and Demeter

    1488 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aphrodite was one of the nine that were known as the Great Goddesses, “an awful and lovely goddess,” according to Hesiod (Theogony), born of the foam that ensued when Kronos cut off Uranos’ genitals and they fell into the sea. She first walked ashore in Cyprus, and was welcomed by the Seasons (Hours):

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Athena And Aphrodite

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    But due to Athena’s masculinity, she was discussed almost as an exception to this belief, but only enough to be considered a step above women and below mortal men. While Aphrodite who embraced her femininity and sexuality, was seen as one of the most inferior immortals by other immortals and thus by myth writers.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Birth Of Venus By Sandro Botticelli

    842 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli depicts a moment from Venus birth when she stepping, almost floating, off the seashell that was blown ashore by Zephyors along with Chloris. Horae awaits Venus arrival to shore with a large red cloak to cover her naked body .Venus is the Roman goddess of love, sex, beauty, fertility, and prostitution. Venus is the Roman Aphrodite. Born of seafoam from a singled drop of blood in to the sea from the castration of her farther Uranus by his son Saturn.

    Read More

  • Ancient Greek Women Essay

    1513 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...es to Hera, before and after the games. Athena is the god of wisdom and reason. She sprung fully grown and armored from Zeus’s head. The city Athens is named after her. Apollo is the god of properly. Apollo is also known as the god of the sun. Apollo was known for his looks and skill for archery. Apollo was a very tough god the gods were frightened from him. But he also had a soft side to him. He played the lyre that would provide beautiful music to mount Olympus Aphrodite is the goddess of love and war.

    Read More

More about English 1 advanced Research Paper

Open Document