Male-Female Relationships in Hesiod's Theogony Term Paper

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Hesiod's Theogony

Male and Female Relationships in Hesiod's Theogony

One of the most interesting and complex facets of Greek mythology is how it portrays the relationship between the sexes. At first glance, the celebration of Zeus and his relationships with multiple women, mortal and immortal, appears to celebrate the male and portray women as subjugated vessels, good for little more than bearing and raising children. Furthermore, complicating the issues of sexism and sexuality is the fact that mythology portrays relationships between humans and non-humans, adding another dimension of power and inequality. However, delving below the surface of Greek myths, one finds a reverence for the feminine, which belies the apparent sexism and misogyny that one encounters on the surface of most myths. Nowhere is this interaction between the male-female dynamic and the human-divine dynamic more fascinating than in Hesiod's Theogony.

The first substantive mention of the feminine in Theogony centers around Hesiod's description of the Muses. At first glance, as Hesiod describes how the nine Muses were created by Zeus visiting Mnemosyne's bed for nine nights, it appears that the story of the Muses is going to be about Zeus's infidelity to Hera and his use of a Mnemosyne as little more than a womb. However, the story of the Muses actually centers on their relationship to human men. It is in the depiction of how the Muses elevate men that one sees how female-centered Greek mythology actually was. For example, when the Muses choose to interact with a mortal man, the result is that "all the people look towards him while he settles causes with true judgements" (Theogony 1.82-3).

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This reverence for those supported by the Muses demonstrates that the female were considered extremely important in Greek mythology.

As important as the Muses are, they are relatively minor figures in Greek mythology. In any mythology, the creator of the world may be considered the most central figure in the mythology. Although figures such as Cronos and Zeus seem as if they are central to mythology, they would have no role without Chaos, the creator of the world. Chaos created Earth, who in turn "first bare starry Heaven, equal to herself, to cover her on every side, and to be an ever-sure abiding place for the blessed gods" (Theogony 2.124-6). Therefore, Hesiod makes it clear that without the feminine, there would be no creation and no place to live, either for humans, who live on the female Earth, or for the gods, who live in Earth's creation, Heaven.

However, Hesiod's treatment of the female is not simply reverent. In fact, Hesiod relates the story of the children of Heaven and Earth, who were horrible and who Heaven hid away inside of Earth. It is with this story that one first sees the depiction of the female as treacherous. Earth conspires with her children to punish Heaven. Of the children, only Cronos is brave enough to join with her and rise up against Heaven. After Heaven comes to Earth, "bringing on night and longing for love," Earth arranges to have Cronos hiding during their lovemaking, and Cronos attacks his father (Theogony….....

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