Western Humanities Term Paper

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Western Humanities

The Prevalence of Homosexuality in Ancient Greek Society and Mythology

In any study of Western Culture, there are certain elements which must be addressed to fully understand the development of said culture over time. Among the early cultures that have had a significant impact on this development is that of Ancient Greece. Western philosophy, science, and art are all infused with ideas and innovations which began in Greek culture. In the world of architecture, for example, the Greeks revolutionized the use of cement and arches, bringing about a new era in building design. Scientifically, the contributions of such great men as Archamedes and Pythagorus are used as the basis for much of our modern mathematics and technology. Great thinkers of the day such as Plato and Socrates are considered to be among the greatest philosophers of all time, and they are used as a reference point for many of the philosophical writers throughout the last two millennia. Political ideas presented by philosophers and rulers alike are still issues of debate and consideration among the leaders of today. Perhaps one of the most influential parts of Greek culture remains the mythology created in that era. These stories of chaos, true love, and romantic heroism are the foundations and inspirations for art throughout every era, found in the days of Antiquity and Rome, from before the Renaissance and certainly during it, through the Baroque and Romantic artists, and even in the new modern arts. Where would our concepts of heroism be without the tales of the Trojan war? How would true romance be defined without stories of Cupid's arrows, or those of Orpheus' decent into the Underworld to retrieve his lover? The people and ideas of Ancient Greece are an unending source of academic knowledge and cultural richness.

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However, certain aspect of this culture tend to be politely overlooked in the classroom and in the popular media, although these aspects may be integral to achieving any kind of true understanding of the motivation and inspiration behind the treasured works of Ancient Greece. This trend began in the early days of Christianity and has continued to prevail as the norm in most cases ever since. Greek culture has been stripped of its sexuality, the stories about the romantic relationships of both mythological and historical figures being reduces to platonic representations or being omitted completely from common discussion. Although the Greeks are known to be a deeply passionate and romantic culture, they have been almost completely desexualized in the way they have been represented academically, although artistically the sexuality has been undeniable. Moreover, there is a taboo aspect of that sexual nature that is relevant in so many ways to today's Western society. Homosexuality was extremely prevalent, if not the norm, within Greek culture, and the mythologies developed within that culture are infused with an open and "alternative" sexuality. Any number of famous Greek figures from philosophers to political leaders are well documented to have….....

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