Greek Myth: The Creation Of Aphrodite

In the Greek creation story there are several goddesses created, but there is only one or two whose story is more than but a few lines. The creation of Aphrodite is different than the creation of the others. Most of the other goddesses are the result of a comingling of the primal deities, but Aphrodite is created from the castrated genitals of Ouranos. In many cultures, societies, and religions, men are generally placed as being superior to women. The story of Aphrodite’s creation may offer some deeper psychological insight into this way of thinking within the Greek culture. Child birth is a grueling and painful process that is essential to the creation of life and continuance of human species. Aphrodite is instead born from the genitals of a male as opposed to a female. Such a depiction could be perceived as lessening of a women’s role in the conception process, and perhaps even spring from envy that the woman is the

This plot highlights the relationship between mother and child. It provides female perspective of arranged marriages which were common in ancient Greece and still practiced in some parts of the world today. In her depression after learning Persephone has been kidnapped and that it was and arranged marriage decreed by Zeus, Demeter goes searching to fill the void and her need to mother. When disguised as an elderly woman she describes her elderly appearance as “A woman past her prime.” (Thury and Devinney 439). This myth presents the cycle of what female life was expected to be like for women in ancient Greek society. Young girls were raised then married off through arranged marriages, generally for a dowry, a form of gift, paid to the bride’s father. They were then expected to bear children and raise them. Then once they were elderly and could no longer bear children of her own, she would help by caring for the children of