Greek Myths and Monsters

Term Paper # 103957

Drama and Theater > Greek and Roman
History > Greek and Roman
Literature > Greek and Roman

A discussion of the monsters in Greek mythology.

1,641 words () | 11 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses three of the monsters of Greek mythology:the Gorgon Medusa, the Minotaur and Scylla and Charybdis. The paper also looks at the role that they play in this culture. The paper explains that among the most grotesque of the Greek monsters was the Gorgon. The paper suggests that the Gorgon is a representation of a human head undergoing decay, more common to the Greeks than to modern peoples, but still distasteful. The paper then points out that just as the Gorgon reflected something the Greeks had seen in real life, the Minotaur may have reflected their revulsion with human sacrifice as carried on by the Minoans of Crete. In conclusion, the paper shows that the Greeks tried to explain their world and to do this they created a series of myths and legends that have vastly enriched the world's lore and literature ever since. While some of their stories seem more than fantastic, on examination, most have a reasonable explanation.

From the Paper:

"Medusa was eventually killed by Perseus. He was the product of one of Zeus' many dalliances. Perseus and his mother, Danae, came eventually to the land of Seriphos, where the king fell in love with Danae. Wanting to get Perseus out of the way, the king tricked him into going on a quest for the head of Medusa. (Hard, 239)
"Perseus received help from the gods Hermes and Athena, who sent him to the Graiai, the three "old woman," sisters of the Gorgons, who knew their secrets. The Graiai gave Perseus winged sandals with which he could fly, a cap of invisibility which would let him approach Medusa unseen, and a metal satchel in which he could safely store her head."

Sample of Sources Used:

Apollodorus. The Library. James George Frazer, trans. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1921. Undated; 27 Apr. 2007: < http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgiin/ptext?lookup=Apollod%2e+E%2e7%2e21>.
Castleden, Rodney, The Knossos Labyrinth: A New View of the "Palace of Minos" at Knosos. London., England: Routledge, 1990.
Evslin, Bernard. The Minotaur. New York, New York: Chelsea house publishers, 1987.
Hamilton , Edith, Mythology. Boston, Massachusetts: Little Brown & Do. 1942.
Hard, Robin. The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology. New York, New York: Routledge, 2003