Greek and Norse mythology are two of the most famous mythologies in history. Greek mythology is well known for its association with Greek culture, art, politics, theatre, literature, religion etc. Greek mythology is so influential that Greek words form the root of all European languages today (and even many non-European ones!). The Greek pantheon includes names like Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite etc. Greek mythology has even made its way into one of the world’s leading religions today- Christianity.
Greek mythology is so influential that Greek words form the root of all European languages today (and even many non-European ones!). Greek Myths are generally stories describing events concerning the gods and heroes of Greek Mythology. Greek Myths can be found in Greek Art and Architecture and Greek Theatre- for example, the great Greek tragedies written by famous playwrights such as Sophocles and Euripides were often adapted from Greek Mythology into plays that people could perform.
Greek mythology is so influential that Greek words form the root of all European languages today (and even many non-European ones!). The Greek pantheon includes names like Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite etc. Greek mythology has even made its way into one of the world’s leading religions today- Christianity. Greek culture would not exist without Greek myths.
Greek myth did not however influence only Greek culture- it influenced a large number of cultures including Roman Culture which had a huge impact on the modern world. Greek Mythology continues to this day to influence a large number of people around the world even though Greek mythology is no longer a dominant belief system in most parts of the world today.
Greek and Norse mythologies are the two most well-known mythological traditions in European history. Greek mythology can be traced back before Greek history, as Greek culture was heavily influenced by the Minoan civilization, which came before it. Greek mythology was passed down through oral tradition until around 500 BCE when Homer wrote “The Illiad” and “The Odyssey. ” Norse mythology is different than Greek mythology in that it has no traditional written text for studying purposes. Most of what we know about Norse mythology comes from archaeological evidence on Viking culture.
However, Norse mythology contains many poems and skaldic writings that were passed down orally instead of being recorded on paper or on stone inscriptions like Greek myths were. Greek myths revolve around a pantheon of Greek gods and Greek heroes. Every Greek God has a specific domain that he or she rules over, such as war or wisdom. Greek mythology tells the stories of Greek gods taking part in great exploits such as wars with Titans and the creation of humans by Prometheus and Epimetheus. Greek heroes such as Bellerophon and Perseus were made famous due to their feats during Greek mythology.
One example of Greek divine intervention occurred when Zeus sent a toga-clad man out into battle because his beloved daughter Athena was not allowed to fight men directly (Armstrong 18). Greek myths stress the value of humility and moderation. The most well-known example is how Hercules achieved immortality through his sufferings: by doing good deeds for others without reward (J. B. 59). Greek heroes usually triumph in their quests due to their wit and intelligence, rather than brawn or sheer force of will.
Greek mythology is the source for many Greek arts, such as theater and sculpture. Greek art very often depicts Greek gods acting out familiar stories that are found in Greek legends. Greek myths are divided into two main categories: epic tales with heroic characters, which often include magical elements; and “wisdom” literature meant to edify readers by imparting knowledge about culture, society, or nature (Armstrong 18-19). Greek wisdom literature includes works like Hesiod’s “Theogony,” which tells the story of how Zeus created humans through Prometheus’ help.
Both of Greek myth were intended for a Greek audience. Greek mythology was not intended to convey a single, cohesive message, but generally stresses values such as justice and temperance (Armstrong 4). Greek myths make a clear distinction between the realm of mortals and the realm of the gods. Mortals in Greek myths are subject to all kinds of misfortunes: disease, death, war, natural disasters. The only way for mortals to escape these misfortunes is through piety towards Greek gods (Zacharias 161).
Greek heroes often get assistance from Greek gods because they are under divine protection. Greek mythology has many stories about how various things came into existence. For example, human beings were made by Prometheus and Epimetheus while Pandora was created by Zeus to punish the Greek people (Zacharias 100-101). Prometheus and Epimetheus were two Greek mortals who were given magical gifts by Greek gods. Prometheus was given fire and taught how to use it, while Epimetheus was given different qualities of animals such as swiftness, strength, fur, etc. (Armstrong 19).
Greek mythology tells the story of Pandora’s box: a box that contained all kinds of evils that would plague humanity after Zeus sent Pandora out into the world (Zacharias 101). The Greek hero Heracles captured Cerberus with help from Hermes and Athena. Greek heroes like Odysseus and Perseus perform epic quests and received magical items from Greek gods to aid them on their quests. Greek myths also contain many stories of Greek heroes falling in love with Greek gods, or Greek goddesses falling in love with Greek mortals. Greek mythology has many parallels to Norse mythology.
Greek heroes often perform their daunting feats with help from Greek gods, just as Norse heroes are assisted by Norse gods. Greek myths include stories about Zeus’ punishments towards mortals who displease him, similar to how Odin can turn his back on unworthy people. Both Greek and Norse mythology have separate pantheons of deities that represent certain aspects of the mortal world (Armstrong 4). Similarities between Greek and Norse mythologies exist because there was a common Indo-European heritage shared by both civilizations.
The people of ancient Greece drew upon this common heritage for cultural inspiration when they started forming Greek myths. Greek mythology is prominent in Greek art and Greek literature because Greek heroes were able to gain divine favor through their pious acts, like Norse heroes (Armstrong 32-33). Greek mythology contains many stories of Greek heroes who start out as young children, but transform into great Greek warriors during their adventures; Odin also transforms from godhood to fatherhood when he fathers the Norse god Thor (Chesterton 2058-2059).
Greek gods like Zeus are known for using magic or influencing events. Greek heroes often prove themselves by doing things that Greek gods do, such as throwing fireballs or creating earthquakes (J. B. 40). Greek wisdom literature uses common motifs seen throughout Greek myth–gluttony, greed, hubris, etc. –to convey Greek ideas about the proper way to live life. Greek writers used Greek myth to teach how Greek people should behave towards Greek gods, and Greek heroes are used to showing what Greek men should do in their lives (Armstrong 16).
