Power structures (power relations) in Greco-Roman myth.

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03 August 2010

Power Structures in Greco-Roman Mythology : The Power and the Powerless of Women

Introduction

Greco-Roman mythology is rich in names , characters , and events . Dozens of gods , goddesses , and mortal women and men participate in a variety of activities that reflect or exemplify behaviors and power relations in Greek and Roman societies . A wealth of literature was written about the relationships between mortals and immortals in Greco-Roman mythology Much was written and said about the place humans occupy in the

complex mythical hierarchies . However , the role and place of women remain the topic of the hot literary debate . In Greco-Roman mythology , the image of woman is always accompanied by the image of slave . Slavery connotations reflect the basic norms of patriarchy that dominated Greek and Roman societies . Like slaves , women were often excluded from the public life and were destined to carry the burden of male discrimination on their shoulders . It would be fair to say , that in Greco-Roman mythology , women (both mortal and immortal ) reflect and exemplify the two radical sides of femininity - female subordination and submissiveness to male power and female rage and monstrousness as a rebel against the existing power and social order in their society

Greco-Roman mythology is an excellent source of knowledge about power relations between men and women . Greek and Roman myths provide abundant information about the place women occupied in their society and the methods they used to rebel against their social inferiority . In Greco-Roman...