Hesiod’s Theogony was a poem based on Greek gods' lives and how they came about. It focused on their traditions, who they married, how they birthed their off-springs and what kind of rituals they followed as gods to survive and appease the world they lived in. It begins with the invocation to the muses and ends with Zeus in power, in this essay I am going to interpret one section of Hesiod’s Theogony by applying a modern interpretive approach
The birth of Aphrodite through a feminist approach
Aphrodite’s birth was seen as a symbol of love, the discovery of sexuality and beauty in the Greek world and she was the anchor between the love of mortal humans and gods. Genitals of Uranus were cut off and thrown into the sea which led to the creation of Aphrodite born as a full-grown woman in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus.
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A feminist approach to the birth of Aphrodite will conclude that she was a goddess used to elucidate how a woman can use emotions and their physical features to get what they want from men. They approach myths to get a better understanding of the relation of the goddesses to men, and women and the traditions people around them develop in response to worshipping them. Aphrodite’s love for the organ of sex, from which she made her epiphany would have been seen as the sole reason women of this age participate in sexual activities, she embodied sexuality and femininity by embracing her given nature by being nude in front of people but mostly men which is part of her essence as she was born nude after she was made.
Her birth amongst the Greek gods and humans conjures a newfound revelation of a woman emerging having qualities that men and women desire and that she as a goddess was full of deception, smiles and sexual pleasure because of being born from strife. These qualities are channelled through her because of her father’s action of suppressing and denying Gaea from giving birth, in a way he was destroying the feminine principle but his action led to his daughter embodying femininity and embracing it.
Aphrodite’s nature of sexuality and beauty give her utmost power as a woman, she is able to lure men to do what she pleases but even though her honoured functions of virginal sweet talk, lovers’ smiles deceits she still longs to be courted and loved just like an ordinary woman of this century desires. Physical attributes and manners might give a woman a higher up status just like Aphrodite but tender love and being cared for is what women long for.
Aphrodite’s presence in the Greek kingdom was of profound significance as women found their true nature through her. She represented everything women were not allowed to be and to do during those times and that is why she held such a high status in the eyes of the young and old. The goddess was an important figure as statures of her naked body were enacted by her worshippers to show her and the representation of the feminine side and beauty of a woman. Since women’s lives were dictated in ancient Greek times Aphrodite’s emergence brought newfound freedom to women and their status in the kingdom.
Hesiod depicts Aphrodite as a vile woman, a woman created out of the misery of a man, his theogony makes women seem inferior to men and always having ulterior motives against men and out to do no good as females which is seen on one section called ‘Pandora’. That is why on this section he makes Aphrodite seem like a woman out to destroy men with her honoured functions as he calls them and more destructive that the Titans. He fails to understand the true nature of Aphrodite stands on as a woman and her femininity and empowerment to women in the kingdom, he saw Aphrodite’s seductive nature as a crime bestowed upon men at that time to lead them into temptation and for her to gain more power
The goddess broke patriarchy rules that women had been subjected to during those times which is why many followed and did rituals for her, she was not the obedient and subject to your man type of woman this gave many hope that the position of women in their society was about to change. She was able to go wherever she desired, be involved with whoever she wanted and express whatever she felt like expressing at that time. She enjoys life as it is presented to her while fulfilling her desires as a woman.
Aphrodite’s nature had given women of that generation and this generation the courage throughout the years to embrace their femininity and to be able to stand up for themselves as females. The virginal sweet talks, lover’s smiles and deceits have worked well in their favours as their able to achieve many of the things they weren’t able to do before her. She cut up binary male and female roles that existed during that time, females could finally relate to a woman who represented power and equality.
It is said that she was involved with warfare and politics and helped may sea travellers to travel safely to their destination. Her involvement in such matters that were only connected to men might have raised eyebrows but her dedication as a woman was greatly appreciated by her followers through rituals and statues. Hesiod’s interpretation of Aphrodite stems from his misogynistic mind that a woman's role in life was to create havoc among society he does not provide anything good that comes out of the birth of Aphrodite or any goddess compared to the male gods.
While male god were awarded the luxuries of life, and allowed to bed and wed females they wanted, females were not allowed the pleasure of discovering their sexual preferences or making choices in fear of being disowned by their fathers or sold as slaves. Male gods were praised and worshipped more than women while the woman had to kneel before their feet. Aphrodite’s emergence brought about a whole new cycle of women's power and embracing your desires
In conclusion, the birth of Aphrodite played a significant role in ancient Greek times by allowing and giving women a chance to play a bigger role in society. She gave women a chance to discover themselves as sexual beautiful beings and for them to stand up as females. She defied patriarchy rules set before women and became a goddess many looked up to despite what her flaws were.
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