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Greek Underworld Myth |
First Professional Critcism |
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Underworld Myths |
Comparison of Myths |
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Bride Who Stepped On A Snake-Underworld |
Second Professionsl Criticism |
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Girl Who Ate A Pompous Seed-Underworld |
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Achilles-Man Of The Underworld |
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The King of the Underworld was named Hades. Hades one day had heard that giants were going to take over the Underworld KIngdom, so he went up to the normal world. There, he saw a beautiful girl named Persephone . Persephone was the daughter of Demeter. Demeter and Persephone were out and Persephone was at a different place. Hades came drivng by, on his chariot, picked her up and took her away. Persephone yelled to her mother, but it was too late when she heard her. Hades took her to the magic river, there the earth opened up and he took her down to the UNderworld. But, Persephone dropped her girdle as the they rode away. Demeter looked everywhere for her daughter. But, she could not find her. Since, Demeter was soo upset, she would not let the crops grow.
As well as Demeter being upset, Hades noticed that Persephone was very sad and depressed. So, he told her that she could visit her mother up at the real world becuase he had to discuss some business. When he tool Persephone up, he saw how happy she was when she saw her mother and was up in the light. So, Hades had a meeting with Demeter. They decided that in the harvest seasons, Persephone would stay with her mother, Demeter and on the off months, she would return to the Underworld and be Hades wife. This is why we have the seasons of crops growing and off seasons.
Odysseus fought for Troy for 10 years and it was his idea for the wooden horse. On his way home, he was separated from his boats and landed at Libya. The island was called the island of Cyclpos and Polyphemus. When Odysseus got friendly with Aeolus, the guardian of winds, he gave Odysseus a bag of storm winds. Odysseus' men thought that the bag had treasures inside and opened it. A tempest was released from the bag. The men were driven onto Aeaea, the home of Circe, a witch. Hermes had given a flower to Odysseus to protect him from Circe's spells. Odysseus wanted his men released, Circe fell in love with him, released his men, and had three sons with Odysseus. She then sent Odysseus to the underworld to consult Tiresias. She told him that when he got home he would find people fighting over his goods and when he got home, it was true.
Alcestis was the beautiful one of Pelia's daughters. She was asked in marriage by many kings and princes. So, Alcestis said that whoever could yoke a boar and a lion to his chariot and drive them around the race-coarsewas the one she would marry. The Admetus King of Pherae asked Apollo and Zeus if he has respected them and they said "Yes". So, as a favor, he asked them to help him win Alcestis. They said "Yes" and lent Heracles to help him train the wild beasts and show him how to drive his chariot around the race-course. When they were married, Admetus did not find his naked bride on the couch, but a pile of serpents. Later on, Alcestis drank poison and was on her way to Tartarus. But, Persephone said that it was not right for the wife to die instead of the husband. So, she sent Alcestis back up.
Achilles has become the lord of the underworld. Rhadamanthos, a former king of Crete, would become a jusge to the place of how the dead would be punished for thier life on earth. This is just like Hades. THe gates of Hades are guarded by the monster, Cerberus. There are many visions of the underworld. Many stories or myths are about who is the king, how it works, and who is or is already down there and for what reason.
In all the myths I summorized, the one main subject they all had in common was they all to do with the Underworld or the Afterlife. Someone or someones would go down to the Underworld for some reason. There, they would visit the ling of the Underworld or anyone down there who you have read or heard about before.
In the first story, the king of the Underworld, Hades, took Persephone down there to become his wife. The second one was about many people visiting the Underworld. The third one was like that, where someone lost his wife, and went to the Underworld to find her. When Admetus wanted to win a gir;'s heart, he turned to the Gods. When she died, the night of their wedding, he went to the Underowrld, but was sent back up by Persephone in the fourth myth. The fifth myth was about what happened after Hades was gone. Rhadamanthos took over as the king of the Underworld was guarded then by, Cerberus.
All the myths had to do with the Underworld. IN each story someone who was heard of in other myths went down to the Underworld. The myths I did were about the Underworld and sometimes about how it works.
Along with there being many comparisons, there are differences between the myths, too. In the myths people go down tot he Underworld for different reasons. SOme og because they are looking for someone. Others go becuase they die or even because they are kidnapped. BUt, people would go for different reasons. Many others go down because they belong there because they are part of the kingdom or they die and then have to go down.