Winona Liu, Period 2, 10/22/20, Day A

Winona Liu
Period 2
10/22/20
Day A

Reading & Learning 

Write about your thoughts regarding the most current reading.

    The current readings were interesting because they brought out a side to the Greek characters other than their legacy. In the Odyssey, Polyphemus is known as a monster who did not adhere to Greek hospitality and killed innocent men. The current reading portrays a much softer character, one who falls in love with sea nymph Galatea but cannot end up with her. Similarly, Medea is remembered for killing her two sons. The Quest of the Golden Fleece story instead depicts her as a character that should be pitied. Jason convinced her to leave her family to be with him, but ends up betraying her. He uses Medea’s magic to get the golden fleece and then marries another woman.

    Furthermore, a new historicism reading of the Quest of the Golden Fleece reveals how the hero evolved. We can start with Jason, a Greek hero: he is the king’s son and completes all of these impossible tasks to get the golden fleece. The first shift in the definition of a hero occurred during the Medieval Times. Due to class struggles between the rich and poor, a hero could be from any social status as long as he was loyal to the kingdom. He did not have to be the king’s son or a demigod, inspiring hope but also restoring faith in the kingdom. The next change occurred with the romantic hero, who came about when there were controversies between science and religion. The lower classes did not want to live by the rules of the elite, and thus the romantic hero is dark and self-centered. The stage after is the contemporary hero. At first, he is perfect and is used as propaganda to encourage people to join World War II, just years after the first world war. Soon, however, the anti-hero emerges. Events like the Vietnam War caused a distrust in the government so the anti-hero interprets the law on his or her own. The anti-hero has an ambiguous moral compass, doing what he or she believes is right but perhaps crossing another moral line to do it. Dexter, for instance, kills other criminals but is a serial killer himself. Overall, this in-depth interpretation forced me to reflect on how context shapes heroes and why the hero is the way he or she is today. The modern-day hero does not have to overcome a physical challenge or accomplish impossible tasks like Jason. The people just need to be able to relate to the hero even if he or she is vulnerable.

Reflect on any new information you have learned in English class by considering how that learning influences your critical perception.

    Growing up with Percy Jackson, I had always viewed Greek myths as something I would read for entertainment. Our lessons emphasize that the stories were not myths to the Greeks; the plots actually demonstrate Greek values and themes. For instance, female inferiority has been a reoccurring theme. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is with many women (Ex. Calypso, Circe), yet his wife is at home fighting off suitors. After nearly 10 years, she is unable to move on. Likewise, the stories of Io and Europa indicate Zeus’s infidelity: Zeus constantly falls in love with other maidens and the maidens are punished for it. From a modern perspective, Zeus is immoral for cheating, but for the Greeks, Hera is to blame. It is her personality and constant jealousy that drives Zeus to cheat. These stories helped me better understand the origins of prejudice against women, an issue that is still relevant today. Women still continue to make less than men for the same job, and they tend to have fewer leadership positions. This is all because the Greeks and other ancient cultures wanted to assure that a father passed down land to his own child. The only way to maintain that paternal lineage was to control women: to make them the ones responsible for preserving their marriage.

How is what you’re learning applied to any other classes/the world around you?

    All of the mythology lessons have real world applications, but I find that the Greek creation stories and flower myths in particular are most relevant to society today. According to the Greek creation stories, love originated from darkness and death. This makes sense because without this balance, love would not be passionate. Likewise, in flower myths, a beautiful flower blooms after something tragic happens: hyacinths came about because Apollo killed Hyacinthus, and a crimson flower emerges when a boar kills Adonis. This concept of something positive arising from something negative is so significant in a world turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Personally, having my last year of high school spent remotely has been very disappointing. The Greek way of thinking reminds me that enduring hardship is part of life and that I should remain optimistic. Even though quarantine is frustrating at times, it has shaped my character in a positive way. It made me realize how many things I took for granted, from being able to step outside my house without a mask to seeing my friends in the hallway. My friends and I can’t physically see other, but I feel that COVID-19 has actually made our bond stronger. We know that no matter how dire a situation is, we always have each other to rely on, even if it is through iMessage or Facetime. I have grown to become so much more appreciative; I am fortunate that I am safe and healthy and I hope for the day where I can finally go out and see my friends.