Role of Women in Ancient Greek Society
The relationship between Greek goddesses and women in
ancient Greek society; the historical underpinnings of
Greek mythology; the archetypal meanings of the goddesses.
a. Matriarchal mythologies as predecessors.
Replacement of matriarchal mythologies with
c. Fragmented power of the Greek goddesses.
b. Archetypal profiles and characteristics.
a. Social position of women mirrored patriarchal mythology.
b. Acceptable/unacceptable roles for women.
Cultural Evaluations of Goddesses and Their Influence Women's Roles.
Role of Women in Ancient Greek Society
Mythology represents the psychic reality of the human species (Campbell, 1949). Throughout all ages and civilizations, myths have flourished. All disciplines, including religion, philosophy, art, science, technology and the social sciences contain elements of mythology (Campbell, 1949). Mythos shape the individual, as well as the universal unconsciousness (Campbell, 1949), and the fact that myths reflect, and are reflected by the social structure comes as no surprise (Campbell, 1949; Bolen, 1984; Miller, 1974). Goddesses, like gods, are archetypes, and as such, provide latent, internalized models for women and men.
This inquiry will examine the Greek goddesses and the
relationship between these mythological figures and the social role of women in ancient Greece. In undertaking an inquiry of this nature we shall look at the archetypal meanings attached to the goddesses, as these archetypes provide clues as to the role of women in society. We shall also consider the historical
predecessors of the Greek goddesses as a means of examining the
social and historical context of mythology and the role of
The ancient Greek historian Hesiod (who lived about 700
B.C.) was the first to describe the hierarchy of Greek gods and goddesses. Hesiod delineated a number of generations of mythological figures. Th...