Greek Mythology
Mythology Functions Even though many believe mythology was written just to satisfy, it actually serves as an explanation. These tales written by Ancient Greeks were not written just to entertain, but for a purpose. Mythology is an important factor which helps discover secrets of our race. Using these myths, natural phenomena is explained, morality is taught, and man’s greatest hopes and deepest fears are revealed. Still today these stories are looked at to explain everyday events. An example of mythology unlocking keys to the human race is when natural phenomena is explained. In the story of Theseus, his father, King Aegeus, kills himself and falls into a body of water which is now known as the Aegean Sea (Hamilton 152). King Aegeus shows the love he has for Theseus by committing suicide when he believes his beloved son was killed in the Labrynith. The Greeks celebrate his life by naming the Aegean Sea after him. In addition to this incidence, the explanation of seasons is given using the tale of Demeter, “Demeter did not refuse, poor comfort though it was that she must lose Persephone for four months every year and her young loveliness go down to the world of the dead,” (Hamilton 53). When Demeter is without her daughter, whom she loves dearly, for four months, she becomes very unhappy. As a result of her depression, the earth becomes cold for this time period, thus making the season of winter. Certainly mythology is a great source of justification for the unexplainable. Not only does mythology explain natural phenomena, it also teaches morality in many of the myths. For example, in the story of Daedalus, he warns his son not to fly too high because the heat of the sun will melt the glue on his wings and he will fall, but Icarus gets caught up with having the ability to fly, disregards his father’s advice, and ends up falling into the sea (Hamilton 139-140). The moral portrayed in the story is that children need to obey their elders, for they have more
Cited: Hamilton, Edith. Mythology Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York: Penguin Group, 1940.Print. 13-315.