Women of Legend

• Pandora prescribed source


  Hesiod, ´Works and Days´
• 1. What was so great about this beginning of time where only men existed?

  2. Why was the first woman created?

  1. they did not grow old or die, and there was nodiseaseorhardship

  2. topunishmankind for receiving a stolen gift of fire from Prometheus
• What did the Greeks believe about the variety of genders in the world at the beginning of time?

  there were only men
• What was

  prometheus´trick on the gods?- he presentedZeuswith2 offerings:1. disguised the finest cuts of beef inside stomach of a cow2. disguised the cow's bones in a layer of fat- Zeus chose the seemingly more appealing second offering- so humans would only offer the inedible bones and attractive fat to the Gods
• How did Prometheus´ trick lead to the creation of Pandora?

  -Zeus was furious with Prometheus and mankind so punished them by hiding fire

  -Prometheus re-stole a spark of fire and gave it to mankind

  -Zeus became even angrier>> Pandora
• What did the creation of the first women mark?

  The end ofeaseandplenty
• How did Pandora's story begin?

  -ZeusaskedHephaestus(god of craftsmen) to shape a woman out of earth and water.- This was topunish mankind for using fire.- Zeus' wanted to punish mankind by giving them something they would welcome, which would then lead to their destruction.- The Gods made herappealingto men, and called herPANDORA(all gifts)
• The Gifts To Pandora

  -Athena-Aphrodite-Hermes-The Graces and Lady Persuasion-ZeusAthena;´crafts and weaving´> appealing to men as a wifeAphrodite;´sprinkle charm about her face as well as desire that would cause trouble´> to attract men and cause troubleHermes;´a bitch´s mind and a thievish nature´> be manipulative, cause harmThe Graces and Lady Persuasion;´put golden trinkets upon her skin´> to adorn her and attract meZeus;voice> make her desirable and seductive, able to manipulate with her words
• What does Hesiod's emphasis on Pandoras appearance suggest about a Greek Woman?

  charm, physical appearance -´Graces and Lady Persuasion put golden trinkets upon her skin´

  femininity and self-sufficiency -´He ordered Athena to teach her crafts, and the weaving of the richly wrought loom´- valued by men to have aself-sufficienthousehold
• Who was Pandora given to as a bride?


  Epimetheus- he found Pandora so beautiful and attractive that he forgot not to accept her >weakness of man
• What did Pandora bring with her to earth?

  What was its purpose?

  What was the one thing that remained in the jar when she opened it?

  - she brought apithos(jar)- inside it was all theevilsthat plague mankind- onlyhoperemained in the jar, as that wasZeus' will
• What are the 2 ways the Greeks saw Pandora?

  How did this present woman?

  1. she was adouble agent, working for the gods against humanity2. she was anuncontrollable slave to her own curiosity>>-presents women asuntrustworthy-an excuse for men to control women
• Explain what

  Hesiodpresents about thedutiesof women and theprioritiesof men in his poem, theTheogony- Zeus´made women to be an evil to mortal men, with a nature to do evil´>> presents women as a source ofevilandmanipulationfor men- describes a´second evil´>> men need tomarrywomen and endure their sorrows to produceheirsand to look after them in old age>> so women are aburdenon men either way>>inherentevil of women
• How does the story of Pandora mirror Prometheus´ first trick?

  -Pandora symbolisescow´s bones disguised in a layer of fat>appealing on the outside but undesirable and evil on the inside-both Zeus and Epimetheus focus onappearance>> shallow, superficial-long-lasting impactsfor both gods and men
• What is the similarity of all versions of Pandora's story?

  It shows women to be acurseto the world, and that all women inherently follow by Pandora's example
• Why was hope the one thing left in Pandora´s jar once all the other evils had escaped?

  An act ofcompassionfrom zeus not to give them hope in something that won´t happen
• Describe what can be seen in the vase painting

  -gods (Athena, Hermes, Hera) granting Pandora (middle) theirgifts- pandora holding wreaths from Athena-below, shows pandora causingevil and sufferingto mankind and shows thehappiness of men before women-Pandora standing in middle, surrounded by gods >> controlled>> centre of attention amongst men and gods

  
• Who was Helen of Sparta a daughter of?

  Zeus and the mortal woman Leda (wife of the King of Sparta)
• Helen prescribed source:

  ´Iliad´Homer´Helen´Euripides
• Iliad


  What do the Trojan elders admire about Helen?they say she is´like an immortal goddess´>> they are not surprised that 2 nations have gone to war over her
• Iliad:

  Why do the elders not wish for Helen to stay in Troy?- becoming a burden

  - might cause issues to Troy in the future >> blame her beauty for the war
• Iliad:

  How does Priam´s speech to Helen differ from the words of the elders?-´dear child´>> paternal, gentle-´surely the gods are to blame´>> sympathetic
• Iliad:

  How does Homer convey the depth of Helen´s sorrow and guilt?´i wish i had chosen death rather than following your son´>> filled with self-loathing + guilt´on the day of my birth...the water would have drowned me and none of this would have happened´>> ashamed, wishes she had not been born
• Iliad:

  Describe how Helen is presented as victimised and self-pitying in the iliad.´the god´s ordained this fate´>> does not blame herself
• Helen:

  Helen recounts the story of the rape of her mother Leda by Zeus. What can you tell about Greek attitudes towards non-consensual sex based on the way she speaks?´Zeus flew to my mother Leda and brought about a deceitful marriage´-if a woman is raped a woman has to marry her rapist.-women have to live with the consequences of men´s actions
• Helen:

  What is Helen´s primary concern and how do we know?What does this imply about feminine virtue?-wishes to keep her bed´undefiled for menelaus´>> importance ofchastity´appear to have betrayed my husband´>> worried that it looks like she has committedadultery
• 1. Describe Euripides´ version of Helen in ´Helen´

  2. How is Helen presented in this interpretation?

  1. Hera, angry with Paris, made aphantomof Helen for him to take back to Troy-the real Helen was taken toEgyptwhere she stayed during the war

  2. Euripidesremoves the possibility of Helen's guilt altogether:she is neither victim nor villain, simply apawnin the game of the Gods
• Differences between Homer´s and Euripides´ Helen?

  H: actually went to TroyE: went to Egypt and only a likeness created by Hera went to Troy

  H: had an affair with ParisE: main priority was to remain chaste´so i might keep my bed undefiled for menelaus´
• Similarities between Homer´s and Euripides´ Helen?

  -both helen´s started the trojan war with theirbeauty-both were meant as aspear prize-both arehomesick
• How do the sources on Helen convey her beauty?

  Homer, IliadEurpidesHomer:´white armed helen´>> repeated epithet of helen>> pale, beauty standard´so like an immortal goddess´>> emphasizes her beauty

  Euripides:´aphrodite promised my beauty´>> so beautiful that a god acknowledged her beauty´was set out as a spear prize for the greeks´>> so beautiful that a war was waged for her
• How do the sources on Helen convey her beauty?

  visual sourcesvase paintings:-holding a mirror>> portraying her as vein>> presents her famed beauty-has pale skin, the same colour as the gods in the painting>> seen as extremely beautiful>> implies her beauty is like the gods>> links with homer´s epithet-paris and menelaus look at her with desire, menaleus even seems to stop in his tracks, overwhelmed with lust
• Similarities between Helen and Pandora?

  -both women blamed for the trouble they caused-both present evil of women-vase painting shows Helen opening a box >> association with pandora-both of their beauty attracted men and caused trouble: paris, epimetheus-vase painting of Pandora surrounded by Gods,Helen being taken by force/a likeness>>both controlled by Gods
• What was Helen renowned for?

  being the most beautiful woman in the world
• What did Helens father (Tyndareus) do to ensure that no disappointed suitors of Helen caught revenge against her?

  made all suitors swear an oath that they would go to war against anyone who threatened Helens marriage
• Who did Helen choose to be her husband?

  -Menelaus(prince of Mycenae, and after his marriage, King of Sparta)
• What caused problems in Helens marriage?

  A Trojan prince namedParis