History and background of Greek mythology
"Greek Mythology" is a document introducing ancient Greek mythology, published by the British scholar Robert Graves in 1955, this book is not only a simple combing and introduction of ancient Greek mythology, but also an important work for in-depth analysis of the status and role of Greek mythology in Western culture.
These images not only reflected the beliefs and worldview of the ancient Greeks, but also influenced the literature, art, philosophy and other fields of ancient Greece. In Western culture, Greek mythology has always been regarded as an integral part of cultural heritage, widely transmitted and interpreted.
In modern Western culture, the influence and status of Greek mythology cannot be ignored. The heroic image of Greek mythology became one of the most popular and widely spread themes in Western literature, such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, and many more.
Many of these god images are also widely used in modern art and literature, such as Baudelaire's "Pan's Afternoon", Van Gogh's "Starry Night", etc., at the same time, Greek mythology is also regarded as a kind of inheritance and development of modern Western culture, and has become an important part of Western cultural identity.
As a work that provides an in-depth analysis of the status and role of Greek mythology in Western culture, the history and background of "Greek Mythology" reflect the important position and far-reaching influence of Greek mythology in Western culture.
The inheritance and development of Western "self" culture
The concept of "self" in Western culture originated from ancient Greek culture, Greek philosophers made in-depth thinking and contributions to exploring human nature, meaning and existence, and in Greek mythology, the image of gods and heroes and their conflicts and interactions also reflected the ancient Greeks' understanding and expression of self, destiny and the world.
This concept of "self" was then inherited and developed through ancient Roman culture, and was more deeply explored in medieval Europe, and in the process of the spread of Christianity in Europe, it provided a new dimension and depth for the development of the concept of "self".
Christianity's quest for human nature, sin, redemption, and eternity constitutes an important tradition of values and ideas in European culture.
During the Renaissance, the concept of "self" in Western culture was further developed and valued, humanists emphasized the dignity and value of human beings, the Enlightenment emphasized the importance and popularization of human reason, and at the same time, the Reformation and Scientific Revolution in European history also brought new challenges and possibilities to the concept of "self" in Western culture.
The Reformation emphasized the direct connection between the individual and God, encouraging individualism and religious freedom; The scientific revolution has reshaped human cognition and control of the natural world, and promoted the further deepening of human self-understanding.
In modern Western culture, the concept of "self" has become an important cultural feature, and the research and discussion of the concept of "self" by modern philosophers and sociologists has made us understand and know ourselves more deeply.
At the same time, works with the theme of "self" continue to appear in modern art and literature, such as Tagore's "Birds", Proust's "Remembrance of the Watery Years", etc., which reflect the attention and thinking of modern people on self-knowledge and exploration.
The concept of "self" has a long history, through the inheritance and development of history and culture, has become an important cultural feature, and the concept of "self" in Western culture has also been constantly challenged and developed, becoming one of the important forces promoting Western cultural and social progress.
In contemporary times, people's needs and awareness in self-knowledge and exploration are stronger, which also further promotes the development and importance of the concept of "self".
It is important to note that the concept of "self" is not a fixed concept, it changes and evolves over time, geography and culture.
In different cultures, people perceive and express themselves, others, and the world differently. Therefore, the research and discussion of the concept of "self" needs to consider the influence of cultural background and era background.
The values in Greek mythology coincide with the core values of Western culture
The values in Greek mythology embody the thought and culture of the ancient Greeks, and many of them coincide with the core values of modern Western culture.
The story emphasizes individual heroism and self-actualization, which is consistent with the individualistic values of modern Western culture, in Greek mythology, many heroic figures become models for others with their courage, wisdom and unwavering conviction, and this heroic idea has influenced the pursuit of individual heroism in Western culture.
At the same time, it also emphasizes human self-awareness and self-knowledge, which is consistent with the values of self-awareness and self-actualization in modern Western culture.
Human beings not only have their own ability to think and judge, but also realize their dreams and goals through their own efforts, and this value has also influenced the pursuit of self-realization and self-knowledge in modern Western culture.
Many other values such as wisdom, courage, justice, respect, faith, etc. are also embodied in Greek mythology, which are also consistent to varying degrees with the core values of modern Western culture.
It should be noted that there are also some values in Greek mythology that are different or different from the values of modern Western culture, such as the emphasis on fate and the decisive role of God in Greek mythology, and the greater emphasis on free will and freedom of personal choice in modern Western culture.
Values in Greek mythology have had an important influence on the core values of modern Western culture, but there are also some differences and distinctions between the two.
Greek mythology became a symbol of Western cultural identity
Greek mythology has cultural history and profound cultural heritage, and is a cultural heritage formed by ancient Greeks in long-term social practice and cultural accumulation, containing rich human thought, culture and philosophy.
This historical and cultural heritage makes Greek mythology an indispensable part of Western culture and plays an important role in the development of Western culture.
The characters such as gods, heroes, and monsters in the book are extremely colorful, and different characters represent different human characteristics and psychological states, and this diversity and complexity provide different perspectives of thinking and understanding for Western culture, and also enrich the cultural connotation and values of Western culture.
Many of the stories and legends, such as Prometheus and humanity, the return of Odysseus, the flight of Icarus, etc., involve topics of universal concern and life philosophies of human concern, such as life and death, freedom, courage, love, etc., and this universality and profundity make Greek mythology a cultural symbol with universal value and significance in Western culture.
At the same time, it has also been widely expressed and inherited by various art forms in Western culture, such as literature, painting, sculpture, music, etc. This diversity of expressions and traditions further strengthens the status and influence of Greek mythology in Western culture.
Greek mythology is an important part of Western culture, its influence dates back to ancient Greek times, and Greek mythology has also been an important cultural heritage in modern Western culture.
Many writers have used stories and characters from Greek mythology in their works. For example, works such as Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Keats's Cherished, Joseph Pound's Odyssey, etc. all contain elements of Greek mythology.
It also occupies an important position in Western art, and many works of art use Greek mythological themes and characters, such as Michelangelo's "David", Raphael's "Academy of Athens" and other works that show characters and scenes from Greek mythology.
There are also a wide range of applications in modern film and television works, for example, Hollywood movies "Troy", "Bohemian Rhapsody" and other works have adopted stories and characters from Greek mythology.
Games and entertainment are also widely used, and video games such as God of War and Age of Mythology are based on Greek mythology, allowing players to experience the world of Greek mythology in the game.
Greek mythology has been widely inherited and developed in modern Western culture, and it is not only a part of Western culture, but also the common wealth of global culture, influencing people's way of thinking, artistic aesthetics and lifestyle.
The concept of love and family in Greek mythology reflects individualism and family values in Western culture
The love themes in the story emphasize the importance of personal freedom and independence, for example, when the god Apollo pursues Daphne, Daphne chooses freedom rather than marrying him.
In another example, Heracles' wife Meneraceo reluctantly marries him and tries to leave him in pursuit of his own freedom, stories that express individualistic values that everyone should have the right to pursue freedom and independence.
Although the values of individual freedom and independence are emphasized in Greek mythology, the importance of family and kinship is also emphasized, for example, Hera is the goddess of family and marriage, and she is jealous of the relationship between her husband Zeus and other goddesses, because she believes that marriage and the family are important social institutions.
In addition, many heroes and gods of Greek mythology had family and kinship relationships, such as Heracles and his wife and children, Zeus and his siblings, etc., these stories express the importance of family values, that family and kinship are an integral part of social and personal life.
The importance of Greek mythology for the identification of the "self" and cultural self-confidence of Westerners
Greek mythology plays an important role in Western culture, not only because of its artistic value and entertainment, but more importantly because it has an important influence on the shaping of Western people's "self" identity and cultural self-confidence.
In ancient Greek times, Greek mythology was a religious belief, but over time, it gradually evolved into a cultural symbol in Western culture, therefore, Greek mythology became one of the symbols of Western culture and was one of the core elements of Western culture.
The relationship between humans and gods is a relationship of interaction and mutual influence, and this relationship also reflects the relationship between humans and gods in Western culture, heroes and gods in Greek mythology are humanized, their fate and emotions are similar to humans, which also reflects the understanding and identification of human nature in Western culture.
Western culture has experienced many challenges and crises throughout history, but Greek mythology, as a tradition and core element of Western culture, has always existed and played an important role, and the heroes and gods of Greek mythology represent the excellent qualities of reason, courage, tenacity and creativity in Western culture, which also brings confidence and pride to Western culture.
Greek mythology reflects Western culture and Western people's ideas and values, such as reason, courage, tenacity, creativity, etc. In Greek mythology, heroes and gods had these qualities, which also reflected the excellent qualities and ideas revered by Western culture and Westerners.
Many Western literary and artistic works are influenced by Greek mythology, such as Homer's epics, Shakespeare's plays, sculpture and painting, etc., through the study of these works, we can deeply understand the development and evolution of Western art and literature, and then deepen the understanding of Western culture and Westerners.
In modern times, Greek mythology, as a cultural symbol, has become an important content in Western education and humanist thought, and through the study of Greek mythology, we can deeply understand the source and development of Western education and humanist thought.
Through the study of Greek mythology, we can gain insight into Western culture and Western people's thoughts, values, history, art and literature, education and humanist thought, and then deepen our understanding and awareness of it.
References "Mythology and Society in Ancient Greece. New York: Regional Books
The Age of Fables; Or, the Story of the Gods and Heroes
Mythology: The Eternal Story of Gods and Heroes