The month of March recognizes women in history and it is appropriate to know where women’s impact became the most recognized which was in Greek culture.
Greek goddesses had a very large influence on the opinion of the origin of beauty and power of the world in that time and has continued its influence throughout history. Many compare the characteristics and personalities of these goddesses to modern day women.
Hera, the wife of Zeus, was known as the goddess of love and marriage. She was known to rule over all heaven and earth and is also responsible for every aspect of existence, according to goddessgift.com.
Although she is known to have a 300 year long honeymoon with Zeus, he cheated on her many times with other goddesses and also mortals.
According to greek-gods-and-goddesses.com, Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, was daughter of Zeus, the lord of Mount Olympus, and was very beautiful.
She was also cocky. She did not think that other gods deserved her because of her beauty. However, her father did not agree with her attitude and punished her by forcing her into marriage with the ugly god, Hephaestus. Though she was married, she was unfaithful and her most well-known affair was with the god Ares.
Another daughter of Zeus was Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Athena’s strongest personality traits were rationality, intelligence and defense in war. However, she was a goddess that played favorites. She is most well-known for her compassion towards Odysseus, a well-known Greek who was lost for 12 years, although she is not usually emotional or compassionate to others.
There are currently many shrines that worship Athena throughout the world, according to gogreece.com.
The most generous Greek goddess was Demeter, the goddess of the bountiful harvest and the nurturing spirit and is also the sister of Zeus. She is said to be credited for teaching humans how to treat grain. She is also credited for human life because she represents fertility.
Most people remember Demeter because her daughter, Persephone and her abduction, according to goddessgift.com.
According to about.com, Demeter’s reaction to the abduction was to not let plants grow. Her brother Zeus allowed Hades, the lord of the underworld, to marry Persephone.
Though these are just a few of the Greek goddesses known to us, it is extremely important to personalize these characteristics to modern day life. Many people know what it is like to love, to lose, to be compassionate, to be selfish and to be rational. It is fascinating to see how even though the times change, personalities do not. More people should recognize the Greek goddesses, for they are the ones that should be thanked for appreciation of women.
