Greek Myth: Heroic Myth

legends

• - well born, noble warrior (Homer - at first used to describe any noble, always alive; but then all dead)
• - marvelous figure in the distant past
• - heroes of epic: worshipped as powers dwelling beneath the earth - chthonic (KNOW THIS **chth = ground. will be on exam)

• - heroa - places of cult worship of heroes (c 800 BC)
• - focus on ancient tombs (tumuli - sacrifice and offerings that happened at the tomb) --> normally had the shape of enormous earthen mounds heaped up to protect and monumentalize the grave of the hero - usually built in conspicuous locations to give the hero long lasting renown
• - religious cult/activities reinforce belief in an earlier age of heroes.
• - encouraged by spread of heroic texts? maybe.

• - divine parentage, miraculous birth - know little of childhood
• - great strength, menace to those around him
• - faithful male companion
• - falls under enemy's power
• - compelled to perform impossible labors
• - breaks a taboo --> terrible price demanded
• - resists temptation (often a woman)
• - responsible for death of a companion
• - may have help from gods, spirits, or magical objects
• - quest, katabasis
• - return home; great rewards (at death big funeral or become a god)

* some do have true basis (Gilgamesh was a real king), but also changed (real history mixed with other stories) to enhance the reputation --> usually for a city. But also to preserve a memory of the words and deeds of a real man whose life was exceptional.

• - Mesopotamia: 1st quest for truth
• - contrast and hostility between natural world and the cultural world of humans
• - Ex: Enkidu is a "natural man" - long hair, eats grass, live with beast in field. After sex with women (become wise) - separated from natural world --> humankind. Same with Adam and Eve. When Enkidu is dying blames the world of culture for his undoing --> trapper who found him, woman who undid him. Similarly, Gilgamesh (sympathizing with Enkidu) wanders wearing animal skins through nature, but when that fails returns to the world of culture --> clean clothes, rejoyce w/in city walls --> symbolic of the divide between man and nature.

We live between nature and culture as mortals, destined to anguish in life and then death.

• Similarities
• - set in Middle Earth
• - Frodo (hero, although humble) has a faithful male companion Samwise Gamgee. receives help from the fellowship of the ring, as well as Gandalf
• - falls under the power of and enemy: the ring, seeks its master Sauron
• - goes on a quest to the land of death: Mordor, edge of world
• - Aid of magical object: ring - invisible, elven-made cloak - light and warm, elven crystal phial - light in dark places, lembas - compact high energy food from elves, Bilbo's sword Sting, made by ancient elces
• - returns home to Shire after quest.
• - finally joins Bilbo, Gandalf, and the elves leaving middle-earth for the Blessed Realms (Helen lives in the blessed isles)

• Differences
• - Frodo is humble, doubts his ability to complete task
• - not seeking glory - surprised to find himself volunteering for task
• - Frodo is a hobbit - not clear strength like Heracles, Theseus, Perseus - he avoids violence where he can
• - He fails to destroy the ring - only because gollum tried to take it and fell was it destroyed.

• - Archaic and Classical Periods: male nudity, never female
• - Bronze age: males clothed, females naked: female "idols" had magical functions to perform
• - male nudity in Greek art - "heroic nudity", but Homer's heroes always clothed, and naked dead warrior stripped of armor is pinnacle of shame.
• - heroic nudity may have come from athletics? (play nude - male physique)
• - kuorui - huge nude male statues usually as dedications in sanctuaries or markers for graves
• - Female nudity in public greek art not til end of classical period
• - korai (counterpart of kuorui)- archaic period - wear elaborately carved and painted garments
• - mortals claiming divinity adopt heroic nudity for portraits - advertise close relations to the gods and the great men of early times