The Sphinx

Paper Summary:

The paper describes how in Greek mythology there is only one sphinx, in Egyptian mythology there are many sphinxes, but the symbolic representation of the sphinx in both these mythologies is completely the opposite. The paper analyzes how the Greeks wanted to bring awareness to the people that women were symbols of destruction and therefore should not be given a voice, suppressing the voice of the woman. The paper further discusses how the Egyptians did not associate the sphinx with destruction and for them it was a symbol of protection, they used the image of the sun god and then there are others who say that the Great Sphinx of Egypt was just a portrait of the pharaoh. The paper concludes that hybridization of a human face with an animal's body also represents that the human intellect can control raw power and use it for its benefits.

From the Paper:

"The faces of their sphinxes were the faces of their kings and thus it showed the king as being invincible and wise. The function of the Sphinx in Egypt is a hotly debated topic. In Egypt lions were also figures of guardianship and thus some claim the sphinx to be built to guard the Giza plateau. Others hold on to the much common theory that the sphinx had the face of the pharaoh Khafre and thus was his portrait. Yet there are others who say that because the lion was a symbol of the sun therefore they relate the sphinx with some solar cult. Ra was the Egyptian sun god who had a son called Horus."

More papers on The Sphinx:

• Analytical Essay # 3582 : "The Sphinx: An Enigma"
• Analytical Essay # 26237 : "Women's Experience in the City"
• Analytical Essay # 48371 : "The Sphinx in the City"

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