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Greek Mythology

Learn about the fascinating world of Greek mythology and how it shaped ancient cultures. Discover the themes, gods and goddesses, and the enduring influence of these stories on modern culture.

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Greek Mythology

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  1. Greek Mythology

  2. Mythology is a purely fictitious narrative, usually involving supernatural beings, actions or events, and embodying some popular idea concerning natural or historic origin or phenomena Huh? Myths are ridiculous stories that were taken very seriously by ancient cultures for the main reason of explanation. What is Mythology?

  3. What did myths explain? • Questions of Nature • Questions of History • Questions concerning genealogy, creation and origin • Often, myths reflected Greek culture and codes of conduct

  4. Themes in Mythology: Creation • Explains the birth of a god and the world out of nothingness • Illustrates an epoch of warfare to explain the battles between good and evil • Always a victor; order is established

  5. Themes in Mythology: The Great Search • Mythical wandering of an individual on a quest; involves monsters, enchantresses, world of the dead • Hero must prove manhood; the challenge caused maturity, change and growth in the hero

  6. Themes in Mythology: Historical Events • Some myths are based on factual events in history • To be a myth, it’s altered slightly or elements such as the supernatural are added • Iliad & Odyssey are based on the Trojan War.

  7. Myths are generally about… • Myths deal with the significant aspects of human and superhuman existence • They are about Gods, Kings, and Heroes • Creation of the world • Future destruction of the world • How man was created • The relationship between gods and man • Presentation of a moral code to live by • The ideals that heroes represent to society.

  8. What else are myths? • Stories that are handed down ORALLY and passed on by word of mouth through generations • Popular tales that embody a collective knowledge – represents learning and accumulated knowledge of a society • Belong to a primitive and pre-scientific people as their cultural heritage – helped explain the unexplainable of the time

  9. Gods: A Very Human Image Gods were like humans: • They were vain, got jealous, fell in and out of love, and could be immature or wise and benevolent • Sole purpose was to have humans serve them, however.

  10. The 411: Gods & Goddesses Where did they live? • Mount Olympus – but sometimes they mingled with humans on earth What did they eat? • Ambrosia What separated them from humans? • They were immortal and had superhuman powers

  11. The Building of Temples • Way Greeks worshipped the gods • Better temples = better favor w/gods • Gods could make life miserable for man if he disrespected them: Odysseus from The Odyssey is a perfect example

  12. Famous Temples • Acropolis – in Athens, a city within a city – a religious city w/several temples, most notably, the Parthenon • Oracle at Delphi – one of the most popular to visit in honor of Apollo

  13. Influence of Mythology • Myths account for the origins of names, symbols and ideas in our modern culture: • Science: Planets, names of species (arachnids), Biology terms (Cerebellum, Achilles heel) Apollo Mission, Titan Missiles • Education: Geographical names: earth, plutonium; English vocabulary words: chronological, lethal, cereal • Car Names/Companies: Nike, Odyssey, Eos, Saturn, Dove Soap, Ajax Cleanser • Movies/TV: Harry Potter, Star Wars, Xena, Hercules, Little Mermaid • Symbols and Holidays: FTD Florist; American Medical Association, Chicken of the Sea, Atlas Moving Company, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, Owl = Wisdom

  14. Recognize These?

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