Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Mythology No mans land No mans land The reasoning behind this compassion of women is that the possess a fundamental religiosity and the cult of the female deity. It draws upon the idea of a earth mother that protects all humankind. The female was seen as loving and caring. The female instinct for protection is also seen in the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. The goddess Minerva intervenes in the conflict in a maternally manner to protect the younger male. Daedalus was a famous inventor from Athens who designed the labyrinth in Crete for King Minos. He and his son, Icarus, ended up in exile in the labyrinth for fear they would divulge the secrets to the maze. They were blocked by the land and water, but Daedalus realized the sky was open. He channeled his creative energy into defying the laws of nature. He created a pair of wings from feathers, twine, and wax to replicate those of a bird. As he fit the wings onto Icarus’ shoulders he instructed him to fly a middle course to avoid the water and the sun. In the excitement of flying the boy flew too close to the sun causing the wax on his wings to melt. Icarus then plummeted to his death in the dark waters of what later became known as the Icarian Sea. Despite the fate of Icarus, Daedalus’ sister sent her son, Perdix, to apprentice with the elder. Perdix was only twelve but he was very clever and inventive. He made the first saw out of iron and death. Daedalus envied the boys skill and hurled him headlong from the temple of Minerva. Daedalus lies about his murder, saying the boy fell. The protectress goddess Minerva managed to stay the boy in the air and give him wings. She changed Perdix into a partridge. The bird keeps low to the ground, fearing high places in remembrance of his uncle. Minerva’s compassion towards Perdix is a clear example of Bachofen’s thought of matrilineal duty. The female has the natural instinct to protect and nurture. The male child has a large dependence towards their mother. Minerva was exercising her power as a mother. The myth of Io shows a dominance of Zeus over the women. This patriarchal society is thought to be a response to the overcompensation of the childhood male need for his mother. Freud was deeply influenced by the transition from matriarchy to patriarchy. He used this infantile love felt by a male child to his mother to explain the sexual tension in that relationship. As the male ages he maintains this sexual attraction to the mother figure. In the child-mother stage of the relationship, the mother has the love and protection for the child. The child sees this differently and develops his ideas about sexuality from his mother. He sees the female as the kind, caring partner. Even in a matriarchal society the men were not denied ways in which to act without female supervision. Men were trusted to hunt, fish, gather foods, mind flocks and herds, and help defend against tribal invaders. These were things that are seen as masculine in a patriarchal society. By allowing men to act in these roles, women put themselves at a place of inferiority. This ended up paving the way for the male dominance in society which is evident in Freudian beliefs. Daedalus and Icarus is unlike the others because the jealousy is not involving the gods. It shows a male-male power struggle among mortals. Although the power struggle in the myths of Io and Arachne contain a deity vs. mortal battle, the Freudian belief lies in the same gender relationship. In all three myths the elder is acting out against the younger. The second generation has some element that is seen as a threat. Hera’s hatred of Io is based on the fact that she feared losing Zeus to the younger, attractive female. Athena’s jealousy of Arachne is because she worries the people will like the younger girls weaving. Her worry is intensified by the thought that a mortal could out perform a goddess. Daedalus murders Perdix because he does not want to be overshadowed by the younger boy. The reactions of the older generation in these stories are all based on their own insecurities. The fact that Io and Arachne contain struggles amongst humans and gods only strengthens the gods worry. This leads back to the Freudian idea of moral anxiety. Hera, Athena, and Daedalus fear a reality that is beyond means of their own comprehension and they act out in irrational ways. Myth alone can give a cultural belief or an explantion of an event. By further analyzing myths, it gives a deeper perspective into the lives of the people it represents. The Greek myths Io, Arachne, and Daedalus and Icarus, all possess the element of humans transforming into animals. Looking at the reasons why the transformations occurred brings up more similarities among the three myths. The prominent theme is jealousy. There is a strong same gender struggle in which jealousy and anxiety are the driving force. Each of the stories also teaches a lesson, which is the primary reason for myths. By connecting the psychological thought behind the actions in these myths it is evident that the Greek culture had transitioned between matriarichal and patriarchal societies. The influence of religion was heavy on daily life. This demonstrates the idea that myths are symbolic stories that show the inner meanings of the universe and human life. Bibliography: Word Count: 913
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