Zeus - a Reflection of Ancient Greek Society free essay sample

Olympian gods were deliberate reflections of the notions embodied in early Greek life. However, amongst all, Zeus had the most prepotent ground. Stories featuring him usually involved fruitful sexual unions with mortals or immortals at all times, under any circumstances- as if accentuating the fact that his forcefulness and promiscuity as a god, king and a husband were superior to any possible obstacle. His positions enclosing the entire hierarchical order as well as supporting his promiscuity were justifications for pederasty, male power to procreate and ascendant male wit in particular. These concepts were central in early Greek society and examples revolving around them prove that the aristocratic males used the myths and actions of gods to advocate their own behavior. In early Greek society, young men gathered at symposiums to court teenage cupbearer boys and admire them. The courtship could lead to copulation, and the aim of this was said to be the refinement of moral qualities. We will write a custom essay sample on Zeus a Reflection of Ancient Greek Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Pederasty could continue even after a man’s marriage. Zeus too was engaged in pederasty, and he kidnapped the Trojan prince Ganymede from Mount Ida to make him his cupbearer. So as a god, he had pederastic relations after marriage- as if legitimizing the concept for the society. The idea of procreation implicated begetting as much offspring as possible, and Zeus had more than three hundred children from hundreds of consorts. Being the â€Å"king† of gods, he could have relations with any goddess he wanted to- like his sexual union with his sister Demeter. The right of a man to reproduce with whoever, then, was seen to be coming from the ultimate authority Zeus. The ascendancy of male wit was the principal idea in Greek society and Zeus’s position as a husband reflected it. Throughout his marriage with Hera, his unfaithfulness was well known and his sexual union with mortal Leda in the form of a swan was an example of his creative tricks. He used his wit and changed forms to deceive Hera, supporting a husband’s infidelity under any conditions. Consequently, the myths of Zeus with Ganymede, Demeter and Leda tell us about the ideas and activities adopted in early Greek society. While they act as examples for pederasty, male right to procreate with whoever and the excellence of male intelligence, they also develop strong grounds for justification of these central concepts and promiscuity in general through Zeus- the absolute ruler.

Race essays

Race essays A prejudice is an unjustified negative attitude toward a group, a category of people, or a cultural practice. Prejudice against a group carries a strong emotional discomfort with, dislike of, or outright hatred of its members. Often it is based on a negative stereotype that resists rational argument. Some prejudices come from experience, such as unpleasant or baffling encounter with someone from another ethnic group. Many prejudices are passed along from parents to children, in messages that say We dont associate with people like that, sometimes without either generation having ever met the object of their dislike. Some come from the images that the media convey, for instance, of men and women, blacks and whites, young and old. Once people have formed attitudes in general, and prejudices in particular, they are reluctant to change their minds for several reasons: 1) The cognitive payoff, 2) The social payoff, 3) The economic payoff, 4) The psychological payoff. People cling to some attitudes like life preservers but they are persuaded to give up others. The more payoffs there off for maintaining an attitude, the more resistant it will be to change. The different casual connections between attitudes and behavior can be seen clearly in the case of prejudice. In some cases, the attitude (prejudice) leads to behavior (discrimination). Discrimination may be subtle, as when a person refuses to associate with targets of the prejudice. It may be accepted social practice, as when members of one group refuse to hire or promote people who are different from them. In extreme cases, it can take the form of efforts to control or exterminat members of the group. In the United States, prejudice has led to the lynching of blacks, bombing of synagogues, the massacre of Native Americans, the illegal imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the harassment of homosexuals, and other violent acts against minority g...