Lecture 6 Flashcards
1
Q
Academic theory
A
-framework for organizing aspects of human experience in order to understand it better; a way to make sense of the world and give it meaning
2
Q
Purpose of theories
A
- we can better understand and interpret classical myths by applying a variety of theories to them.
- theories derive from many different academic disciplines
3
Q
Etilogical theory
A
-myth explains the origins of something
4
Q
Jungian theory
A
- breaks characters into specific archetypes that occur over and over in all cultures. S
- see stories as a collection of archetypes
5
Q
Feminist theory
A
- focuses on myth’s reflection of cultural attitudes toward women and gender systems
- many different approaches under this umbrella
6
Q
Freudian theory
A
- similar to Jungian theory, approach concentrates on role of subconscious mind in formulation of myths
- emphasizes that myths (like dreams) can represent wish-fulfillment or deep anxieties
7
Q
Perseus: The Early Hero
A
- happy ending
- associated with women more than other heroes
- kills the Gorgon
- number of gifts from the gods allow him to do things other mortals can’t.
- good relationship with the gods and gives all the gifts back
- father is Zeus and mother is Danae (Zeus comes to Danae as a golden rain because she’s trapped in a tower)
8
Q
Perseus and Medusa
A
- someone wants Danae and do dissuade this, he tells Perseus that he’ll leave Danae alone if he brings him the head of Medusa the Gorgon
- goes to Grainae (one eye, one tooth they pass between them) steals the eye and forces them to give up information that allows him to get gifts from the gods
- goes to the Nymphs and receives a pouch, winged sandals, an invisibility cap, a shield and a sickle
9
Q
Medusa
A
- mother of pegasus
- when head gets chopped off he comes out
10
Q
Feminist theory and Perseus
A
- Perseus becomes an outsider after defeating Medusa and this theory deals with outsiders
- good comes from Medusa’s death
- encourages us to see Medusa as a reflection of powerful prehistoric nature of goddesses.
- association with earth and draws power from earth (chthonic aspect)
11
Q
Freudian theory and Perseus
A
- desire to protect mother
- male anxiety of decapitation: decapitation of Medusa is equal to castration which is a huge fear in mythology
- conquering of something evil creates something good–>Pegasus (wish-fulfillment)
- able to conquer death with gifts from the gods
12
Q
Perseus and Andromeda
A
- Cassiopeia
- Sea monster/Poseidon
- uses Medusa’s head to turn the sea monster into stone and is rewarded with Andromeda’s hand in marriage
13
Q
Heracles/Hercules
A
- son of Zeus and Alcmene
- great grandson of Andromeda and Perseus
- “Glory of Hera”
- Hera hates him because most powerful of all Zeus’ illegitimate children
- tries to kill him by releasing snakes in his cradle
14
Q
Hercules and Megara
A
- first wife
- in a fit of rage (maybe madness sent by Hera) he kills her and their children
- to cleanse himself he takes on 12 labors
- very often less than human in his nature (morally gray)
15
Q
The 12 Labors
A
- Kill Nemean Lion
- Kill Hydra
- Capture Golden Hind
- Capture Erymanthian boar
- Clean Augean stables
- Remove Stymphalian birds
- Capture Cretan bull
- Capture Thracian horses
- Bring back Girdle of Hippolyte
- Bring back cattle of Geryon
- Bring back Golden Apples of Hesperides
- Capture Cereberus
