The role and function of Zeus and Aphrodite in Sophocles’ Women of Trachis
Introduction
Sophocles’ play Women of Trachis does not directly involve the characters of Aphrodite and Zeus, but instead shows their influence over mortal decisions and lives through the stories of Heracles and Deianira. The main characters contrast with one another in various ways, but are both linked together by their inability to overcome the power of the gods’ influences over their lives, and ultimately demonstrate the strength of the gods’ will. Aphrodite plays the role of an umpire that resides over the decisions being made by each character, which in turn results in their destructive behaviour. The goddess’s function within the play is the driving force behind
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Throughout the play, Zeus is referred to as Heracles’ father, though there is no physical form of Zeus in the play. He is portrayed more in a fatherly fashion in the beginning of the play when Deianira is telling of the battle between Heracles and the river god. She says “at last, to my huge relief and joy, he arrived – Heracles, Zeus’ and Alcmena’s son.” which shows Heracles as a hero, and Zeus as the father of such a hero. She goes on to proclaim “but Zeus, the god of battles, brought about a happy ending” . This portrayal of Zeus can be contrasted with the portrayal of him towards the end of the play, where he is illustrated as a cold hearted, absent father. Heracles is heard crying for the help of his father, Zeus, and saying “what worker of spells or of healing skills will calm this torturing plague but Zeus?” . Zeus is being called on as a father to help his son, but there is no intervention made by Zeus. The characterization of Zeus as the cold, all powerful god is seen throughout the play. There are instances where characters hint towards the absence of Zeus and his apparent carelessness for the death of his own son. For example, in Hyllus’ closing speech, he mentions that “the callous gods feel nothing in these sorry events. They beget their sons and are called our fathers” which is a comment on Zeus himself being a cold god, but also an absent father. Heracles is seen seeking his father’s help throughout the play, also, but we see no intervention from Zeus: “Lightning of Zeus, now strike! ... launch it powerfully down on my head.” . Heracles is in pain, and sees no help his father, the hard-hearted
“The supreme deity of Greek mythology has his lusty, tempestuous story recast in engaging fashion by Stone”(ProQuest). Zeus was thought of as the father of gods and men. While he did not make them, he protected them, and therefore was considered a father to them. He ruled over the sky and air, and controlled everything that happened in his domains from his throne on Mount Olympus. To gain his throne, he overthrew his father, Cronos, with the help of his siblings, and then dividing up the realms between him and his two elder brothers. Zeus became lord of the sky and rain, Poseidon took the title lord of the sea, and Hades became ruler of the underworld. He then banished his father to the shadowy Tartarus in the underworld. Zeus was the most
Zeus’s role in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter has him being shown as someone who can be seen as thoughtless, but still highly regarded. While Zeus is being put in the spotlight for giving Persephone to his brother, Demeter is wreaking havoc on the mortal world trying to find Persephone with Hekate. Demeter is Persephone’s mother and Zeus has given her to Hades to be his wife. Zeus’s prominence is being displayed as he is shown to be an important figure in both Persephone’s rape and the Hymn itself, but he is also being showed in a light that allows the reader to see that even the almighty Zeus can make mistakes. Zeus is being shown as someone who does not think before acting, allowing him to give his own daughter to his brother as his wife without
Family values is a very large difference between Hercules and “Heraclês”. In the very beginning of the movie, it is shown that Hera was Zeus’ only wife and the father of Hercules. However, in the myth, Zeus has many wives, and his child Heraclês
The father of storms, has let a mortal situation and lust come between his marriage with little sensitivity. Also, not realizing the hardship that could affect the other gods. The primary issues with Zeus’ characteristics are his lack of compassion towards Hera, his aggressive spirit, and his egotistical personality.
For the majority of the epic poem, Zeus had other gods run errands for him, showing an abuse of power to satisfy his laziness. This quote will be placed near the bottom of the poster, where Zeus’ legs would be (had we drawn it), to show how he is superior to others but also to show how he needs to do nothing to accomplish something. The last quote, “Please go back the way you came. maybe/ Hera won’t
Sunsets are the most beautiful, magical, mesmerizing phenomenon that occurs every day. Sunsets never miss a beat and always put on such a wonderful show to whoever stops to appreciate it. I'm sure everyone has the same question, where do sunsets come from? who makes the vibrant colors of pink, purple, deep orange, and different shades of red?
The manner in which Hesiod presents Zeus’s thoughts regarding his interaction with Prometheus help to provide us with a better understanding of Zeus’s characteristics. Lines 530-531 of Theogony, which describe the eventual freedom of Prometheus, stipulate that this came “not without the will of Zeus,” enhancing the efficacy of Zeus’s ultimate power. Hesiod had previously mentioned Zeus’s intelligence, but he delves more deeply into this attribute in examining the conflict at Mekone between Zeus and Prometheus. “Zeus, eternally wise, recognized the fraud and began to rumble in his heart trouble for mortals, and it would be fulfilled.” (Hesiod 552-55). Here, Hesiod’s audience begins to understand Zeus as an extremely wise, but vengeful god, an image which agrees with Homer’s Iliadic Zeus, and all other accounts of the god in ancient Greek literature. Hesiod goes on, however, to extend
The mythological character and God, Zeus, is portrayed in many ways, by many different people. Hesiod describes Zeus as being relentless in his fury. When he gets mad he unleashes all of his power. If his brother Hades wasn’t in charge of the Underworld, he’d make all of Hell break loose. For example, in Hesiod’s Theogony, which is about when Zeus defeated his father, Cronus, he says, “Then Zeus did not hold back any longer, but now immediately his heart was filled with strength and he showed clearly all his force.” (Morford and Lenardon 85) He tends to treat others, mortals and immortals, very unfairly. Two mortals could do the same exact type of sacrilege towards him, and depending on how he felt that day, he would take two very different approaches to how he would treat them. He also doesn’t take any threats towards him very lightly at all. If anyone ever threatens him, he normally punishes them very severely, if he doesn’t destroy them completely. Hesiod’s approach to Zeus’ behavior is overdramatic, and makes it seem more extreme than it probably would’ve been.
This story starts of the same with Zeus and Hera being the parents of Hephaestus but there’s a difference Hera had produce an offspring Hephaestus on her own. When the labor was over Hera was presented to his son she was in shock because he was born deformed twisted in the feet. Without anyone being able to stop her she pick up Hephaestus and hurled him off Olympus strait into the sea. Hera was too much of a proud goddess she could not have a son that was less then perfect. Without Zeus unconscious and any other god ever knowing of him he was soon forgotten.
Prometheus is punished by Zeus for helping mankind; Zeus feels no remorse even though Prometheus helped Zeus and was the deciding factor in the war against the Titans. Zeus makes Hephaestus carry out the punishment on Prometheus because he was a friend of his and the closest to him. Zeus’ tyranny is seen when he does not honor the rules of friendship or understand emotions such as compassion, sympathy, or love. He rules the Gods out of fear and is not understanding. “Morally the play teaches the audience that it is not better to be feared than loved”
Even though it is easier to determine the god’s character traits through his actions and statements, there are countless examples of hidden praise in the story. Many references to the god, presenting great, well-known individuals as “children of Zeus”, lead the reader to associate power with Zeus. One of the first gods praised by the Muses is Zeus. They declare him the “most excellent among gods and supreme in power” (Hesiod quoted by Evelyn-White, Hugh G., Theogony 2004: 36-52). Although they move on to acclaim other deities, Zeus’ importance is still evident, as they “gladden the heart of Zeus” with every new
Hera, appalled by Zeus’ contemplation firmly responds, “…if you bring Sarpedon back to his home, still living,/ think how then some other one of the gods might also/ wish to carry his own son out of the strong encounter/…You will waken great resentment among them” (16. 445-449). Zeus desperately wants to spare his son from this horrific fate, but if he does so, other gods may also do the same and thus cause chaos on Mount Olympus. Neither Zeus nor Sarpedon can do anything to save Sarpedon’s life, so Zeus accepts that his son must die. Zeus “…wept tears of blood that fell to the ground, for the sake/ of his beloved son…” (16. 458-460), thus showing that even he, the most powerful of the gods, cannot intervene with fate. Zeus’ inability to interfere with fate highlights the fact that his son is a demigod and hence does not have the ability to live forever. As a result of his inability to save his son, Zeus recognizes that his only option is to give his son a proper burial and accept that he cannot interfere with Sarpedon’s fate.
Zeus’ affinity for being the main character of a myth is no different in the epic myth about his fight against Cronus and the Titans or the “Titanomachy.” In this larger-than-life battle Zeus has to overthrow his father Cronus and take his predestined place as king of the gods. In this myth however, Zeus has to grow and overcome many challenges that stand in his way to greatness. Zeus has to ask for help from his mother in order to be able to free his sibling from his father Cronus who had swallowed them whole. After Zeus frees his siblings he has to face the mighty Titans, so he asks the Cyclops and the Hecatonchires to aid him in this battle that lasts
Sophocles was a greek dramatic. Did you know that he was famous for doing one hundred and twenty three dramas, Also because he was the most celebrated writers. Sophocles suffered by people who brought on shelves. Tragedy dealt with love,loss,pride the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between man and gods. Sophocles was born in four hundred and ninety six B.C. his parent were sophilus,and jocasta.
The supreme ruler and king of gods, Zeus, is often mentioned as Jupiter and the sender of thunder, lightning, rain, and wind (Britannica.com). “Zeus was the first of the gods and a very imposing figure. Often referred to as ‘the father of gods and men,’ he is a sky god who controls lightning.” (Britannica.com) Although the god is labeled most powerful and the mightiest of all, he is not perfect. Zeus is known for his promiscuous action. Often times he fell in love with one woman after the other and attempted to disguise his infidelity from his wife. Zeus left no woman behind in his crazy love-life, the god married and had children with his sister, Hera and. Hera was not Zeus’ only siblings. He also had two brothers, Poseidon and Hades and another sister named Hestia. His parents are known as Cronus and Rhea. Zeus was not just handed the title “god of the sky,” instead him and his two brothers drew lots. The sea was given to Poseidon, the underworld to Hades, and Zeus was named lord of the sky, rain god, and cloud gatherer. The eagle is considered sacred to this god. Zeus also treasures the oak tree. It is often told that the gods will was revealed by the rustling of the oak tree. (Hamilton 27)