Myths Blog

Before I start I would like to express my distaste towrads the author and his interjections. Obviuosly a man a some century past he does nothing but comment on the myths as inferior rather thna just letting the text be. That being said lets move on.

1. Prometheus and Pandora: This is a relatively well know myth (from which comes the expression Pandora's Box). I can see it relates directly to the idea in Ishmael in which man is promised to rule earth but have a great flaw that stopd them from this. humans are created and special given fire and they are "a nobler animal" (pg 10) and they look toward the stars and creatures toward sthe ground as stated on page 10 as well. Pandora was the embodiment of all we see as good in humans (beauty, persuasion, music, hope) but she also releases all that plagues us, both in the body and in the mind. Even from the time of the Romans and Greeks we have perceived ourselves as dual, rejoicing in our duality of favored but flawed as the Gods created us especially but we cannot fully accomplish their mission. Man can choose good over evil and in this myths he is seen to exercise this, to rob and kill until we are punished and learn the hard way to be good. All of us are taught that from the cradle if in different terms (If you're a bad boy you'll go to prison etc. ). Pandora and Prometheus is one of the first texts/myths/teachings that "explain" that to men.

2. Apollo and Daphne: I'd like to note the serpent's role as evil in this myth, as it is noted as evil in others and the catholic/christian belief states that a serpent tricked Eve. Snakes have always carried around that connotation of dark wisdom, a wisdom used for evil and deceit. I believe the connotation comes from their odd appearnce the venom of some snakes that alarms humans and led them to be seem as symbols for evil and wisdom. Another point to bring up is our fascination with gold and its beauty as seen in the sharp arrow to provoke love and how ordinary we take lead to be (in the era it was often used before it was determined poisonous maybe that's what made it take that workman's quality).

3. Pyramus and Thisbe: I noted the posistive and resourceful quality attributed to love, shown by their discovery of the discovery of the wall crack followed by "What will not love discover!" pg 19. The story is also very similar to Romeo and Juliet. The boy believes the girl dead and commits suicide, and she upon seeing the boy kill herself as well. Shakespeare could've found inspiration from this text but I am unaware if it was available to him at the time.