Greek Myths and the Modern World

As someone who grew up reading Greek myths for fun, I find it a bit sad that so few people actually know any myths, and frustrated when I see Greek figures like Hades misrepresented in movies. I understand that this happens because the ancient Greek myths are often perceived as having no value or relevance to our modern society, however, I think that this line of thinking is incorrect because the themes of many myths are still relevant and many of the stories and figures can be recontextualized in such a way that they become relevant to our current struggles. 

To begin, let’s talk about Icarus and his wax wings. For the uninitiated, the myth of Icarus tells the story of how the young, Icarus, and his father, Daedalus, used wings made of bird feathers held together by wax to escape their prison. As they flew, Daedalus warned his son not to fly too close to the water because it would make the wings soggy and unable to fly. He then warned his son not to fly too close to the sun for it would melt the wax that held the wings together, but Icarus did not listen to the warning. In his excitement, he flew higher and higher until his wings melted and he plummeted into the sea to his death. The myth traditionally explains the dangers of both complacency and overconfidence, which are still issues people struggle with today. If you don’t try hard enough and become complacent, then you will not grow or accomplish anything, and if you are overconfident, your judgment will be clouded and you’ll eventually make a fatal mistake. This lesson remains eternal and can be applied to daily life. 

The myth of Icarus can also be applied to the development and implementation of modern technology. As technology continues to advance, we must decide whether or not a given advancement will benefit humanity in the long run instead of just providing temporary relief. An example of this is the development of computer algorithms that can accurately predict our likes and dislikes based on the information they gather. They unarguably make day to day life easier as we do not have to put in a lot of effort to find what we want online, but we must consider the ramifications of this technology and develop laws about how it can be used. If we aren’t careful with it, we can end up in situations where we are constantly monitored for malicious purposes like in the novel 1984. At the same time, we should not fly too low to the water and allow technology to stagnate or regress. 

The Greek figure that can be most effectively recontextualized within our current society is Medusa. In the traditional myth, Medusa is cursed to appear hideous and turn all men to stone by Athena after having an affair with or being raped (the specifics depend on the interpretation) by the god Poseidon in her temple and is eventually slain by Perseus, a son of Zeus. For a long time, I simply saw this story as an epic adventure where the hero overcomes obstacles and defeats a powerful monster, but I began to see the story in a different light after seeing digital art by Matt Rhodes where Medusa was treated as a tragic figure rather than a villain. Within this context, Medusa and her story can serve as a symbol for feminism. Instead of being about how a maiden was punished for disgracing her goddess, the myth can now represent how victims are blamed and vilified. Instead of warning women about being promiscuous, it can instead point out the double standard women face when it comes to sexuality. 

In summary, everyone should read the ancient Greek myths. They are amazing stories and remain ever eternal in their relevance. 

Luis

Teen Content Creator