Jessica Yan Yim , Period 6, 12/20/23

Jessica Yan Yim

Period 6

12/20/23

Modern Mythology 2024

The book “Circe” by Madeline Miller, revolves around Circe, a powerful sorceress, on a journey encountering many themes of power, identity, and relationships between characters. Through Circe, and other characters, gender roles and power dynamics are shown. “Circe” can be analyzed through the feminist theory because the author rewrites the story from a feminist perspective, challenging the original perspective of the story and empowering the voices of women.

The story shows the power dynamics and gender roles associated with different characters. For example, “I heard the news from a naiad cousin: he had been taken to a great jagged peak in the Caucasus and chained to the rock.” (Chapter 3) The power dynamic is revealed between genders, showing male vulnerability. Prometheus suffers a brutal punishment, while the messenger, a female Naiad cousin is the messenger, playing an important role in the story. In addition to gender roles, the story states, “The bench would scrape, and he would stand. The men watched with bright eyes. They wanted the freeze, the flinch, the begging that would come. It was my favorite moment, seeing them frown and try to understand why I wasn’t afraid. In their bodies I could feel my herbs like strings waiting to be plucked. I savored their confusion, their dawning fear. Then I plucked them.” (Chapter 15) Circe uses her powers as vengeance and to take control, she refuted everyone that called her weak, judged her, and thought they could take advantage of her. Miller wanted to show the harsh reality of women being vulnerable, but show how Circe was able to reclaim her own power and take control.

It can also be seen that Circe’s status only went up because she gained powers, defeating the message of women empowerment. She was only able to acquire power by getting magical powers, so she didn’t do it on her own, she needed special help in getting that. Her use of powers can be argued that it is not a direct act of empowerment, but a manifestation of trying to gain control of a world controlled by gods. It reflects her own struggles and insecurities, which may come off as being weak. Her actions are an attempt to shape her own destiny.

So, looking at the story “Circe” through the feminist theory shows the challenges in power and gender roles that women face in the mythical world. Miller was able to use Circe to show her transformation in how she reclaimed her own power and destiny.

Jacqueline Yu, Period 1, 2/2/24

Jacqueline Yu
Period 1
2/2/24
Modern Mythology 2024

Literature Circle - Reactionary Playbook of Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (Chapter 21 - Chapter 40 & Epilogue)

Chapter 21 (Ariadne)
Dionysus and Theseus seem to contrast each other, where Dionysus is a humanized god while Theseus is a detached hero who only seeks to act for himself and his fame. The description of the cowardness of Theseus was interesting–Heracles would have to save Theseus where his actions would grant Dionysus the opportunity to sneak Semele out of the Underworld. The retellings of many Greek myths in Ariadne are exceptional, and it is especially fascinating to read about Dionysus’s perspective on these myths. Rather than simply detailing how Dionysus wanted his mother Semele to be able to experience life outside of the Underworld, Dionysus was able to connect with mortals on the basis of love and grief. Yet, I am curious on what interactions Dionysus and Semele have after Semele was brought to Olympus and was ultimately turned into a god.


Chapter 22
Dionysus is indeed vulnerable, and acts like a mortal man. Yet, during his wedding with Ariadne, Dionysus exercised the luxuries that come from being a god, where he gave Ariadne a crown, only to throw it off her head and transform it into a constellation. I was really at a loss for words when reading about this, which does not help that it is 2 in the morning on a cold night. Instead of giving Ariadne an accessory that can lose its value, Dionysus chose to give Ariadne an entire constellation. That really is only something that a god would do…
The wedding and the succeeding births seemed too peaceful without divine intervention. The arrival of the ship with the white sails of Athens seems ominous rather than celebratory as it may disrupt the given tranquility on Naxos. Ariadne and Phaedra set aside their pasts in Crete and adjusted to their new lives, where the ship may drastically change the current course of events.

Part III
Chapters 23 - 24 (Phaedra)
The announcement of the news of the relationship between Dionysus and Ariadne was very accidental; I’m surprised that Dionysus did not put any restrictions regarding this. Further, Theseus did not restrain Phaedra after the news was revealed, where there may be a sense of trust. The stark contrast between the behaviors of Ariadne and Phaedra towards their children is appalling, but expected in a way. The affection towards their children seems to be related to the love they have towards their husbands and their previous histories. Ariadne was known for her attempts to humanize Minotaur while Phaedra disassociated herself with him. Ariadne put care into naming her children, as she did not want them to be tainted with their divine relations. Ariadne had called her brother Asterion rather than Minotaur whereas Phaedra distanced herself. When naming her children, Phaedra simply accepted the names that Theseus offered without considering potential names herself.

Chapter 25 (Ariadne)
The reunion of Ariadne and Phaedra somehow felt both grand and lackluster. The emergence of a large ship from Athens certainly glorified the reunion in a way. The tradition of hospitality in Naxos came as a surprise to me, but it really should not have been unexpected–Naxos was built on the foundation of Dionysus providing hospitality to Ariadne. It was strange how Phaedra cares more about her newfound relation to Dionysus than that to her sister. The disconnect between the two sisters was anticipated even though there were references to past memories, but Phaedra should at least show more affection towards Ariadne. I do not have siblings, but family is still family, even when you try to disconnect yourself from it when it has negatively impacted you.

Chapter 26 (Phaedra)
The introduction of Hippolytus was a change of pace that was both confusing and insightful. Theseus was quick to rape Hippolyta even though he already has Phaedra and his children. Theseus was passionate to ensure that he had an heir to the kingdom, but did not want to associate himself with Hippolytus. Hippolytus seems the complete opposite of Theseus, in a good way; Hippolytus cares more about what he has in the given moment rather than materialistic goods and fame. I hope that Theseus spends more time with Hippolytus in order to learn more about how to accept what he already has, but that is not likely even though Theseus and Hippolytus have somewhat bonded already.
What will become of Theseus if his wrongs are revealed? Will Ariadne help Phaedra challenge Theseus’s tyranny? Yet, Phaedra’s interactions with Hippolytus instigated Phaedra to venture to find her sister. Is it possible that the woman Hippolytus hypothetically cannot love is Phaedra?

Chapter 27 (Ariadne)
Phaedra’s love towards her step-son Hippolytus seems strange to me. How could someone romantically love their own family so passionately? Both Ariadne and Phaedra were not wrong in their dispute, and I hope that the argument will be eye opening for the two in later chapters. Yet, in a way, Phaedra feels selfish as she only wished to stay on Naxos for herself and Hippolytus rather than reuniting with Ariadne. I am unsure whether Dionysus would have accepted Phaedra’s request, but he may follow suit with Ariadne’s judgment.

Chapter 28 (Phaedra)
This is yet another three paged chapter with not much to commentate on. There is indeed miscommunication between Ariadne and Phaedra and I wish that the two could reconcile.

Chapters 29 - 30 (Ariadne)
The way Phaedra planted the seeds of mistrust in Ariadne is fascinating. Phaedra even told Ariadne that her words do not have to be taken seriously, but Ariadne had transformed them into an entire journey to seek the truth behind the bloody robes of the maenads. I doubt that Ariadne will forget what she had witnessed but she may try to change her beliefs to accept the fact that Dionysus asked for sacrifices in exchange for the maenads’ safety on Naxos.

Chapters 31-32
I am glad that Ariadne is able to connect with the maenads on the basis of motherhood. The dispute between Dionysus and Ariadne feels somewhat familiar, but I cannot seem to relate to it. Ariadne wants freedom after realizing that her world is not simply bound to the limits of Naxos. Still, Ariadne should have taken more precautions, as it is unclear whether Athenians still feel ill towards her.

Chapter 33 (Phaedra)
I don’t know what Phaedra had expected from Ariadne after Phaedra instigated mistrust in Ariadne. Phaedra wanted to seize the moment, and possibly even escape on Ariadne’s ship, but it feels like the fact that Phaedra is blinded by love will put her in a similar situation that Ariande was in.

Chapter 34 (Ariadne)
I’m frankly confused but surprised that Theseus did not try to kill Ariadne. Perhaps Theseus isn’t a complete jerk..?

Chapter 35 (Phaedra)
Phaedra really should have kept her feelings to herself and preserve her current reality instead of trying to fiddle with her dreams. Phaedra’s panic for her wellbeing is warranted, but I worry for Ariadne and Tauropolis. Ariadne wanted to seek the comfort of her family after witnessing the sacrifice of a baby goat back in Naxos, only for her to be at risk of being subject to the rage of Theseus. But, how was Phaedra so certain that Hippolytus would expose her? Phaedra’s letter further cemented her fate, even though there was a possibility that Hippolytus would silently return home to the Amazon.

Chapter 36 (Ariadne)
I wish that there was a self-harm warning for this chapter–I was caught off guard in the middle of the night–but why did Phaedra choose this specific fate? Would have the devastation been prevented if Ariadne had never ventured to Athens? Then again, with the Greeks’ love for destiny on the behalf of the Fates, Phaedra’s downfall might just have been inevitable. I don’t know what I can even say regarding this whirlwind of a chapter. Even though I am not Ariadne, I feel appreciative that Dionysus was willing to stay by Ariadne’s side and wait for her to open up without Dionysus pushing for a response.

Part IV
Chapters 37-38
I never considered the similarities between Perseus flaunting Medusa’s head and Minos boasting about Minotaur. Perseus seems to be glorified as a Gorgon slaughterer while Dionysus is seen as a source of intoxication. The commentary in Ariadne and Stone Blind make efforts to challenge the notion that Medusa is the inherent villain. I somehow pity both Medusa and Perseus as the two were not given a choice. Yet, the suffering of the Gorgons brought upon the glorification of Perseus as he uses his shield with Medusa’s head to punish criminals.
Perseus is the favored half-brother while Dionysus is not seen for what he truly is; Dionysus is often compared to Zeus and Hera for their rage, even though Dionysus had an entirely different upbringing. Dionysus is often compared to a mortal man, and is even described as “boy-god”, but Dionysus is not able to understand how mortals truly perceive the gods–Perseus would rather support Hera if it means that he can escape her wrath. Dionysus’s misunderstanding is not entirely wrong, but I do hope that it can be resolved even though I am reaching the end of the book.
At this point, the ideals of Dionysus and Ariadne seem to contradict each other–Dionysus cares more about the future while Ariadne wants to focus on the present. I am more similar to Ariadne, as I want to focus on the present rather than think about life after death.

Chapters 39-40; Epilogue
I don’t know what I can even say now that I’ve finished the book. The ending feels rushed in a way–there was buildup to this grand war of Dionysus on Naxos versus Perseus, Hera, and Argives. Dionysus’s rash actions to bring upon madness in order to acquire more supporters only for him to lose Ariadne. I expected that Dionysus would fight to save Ariadne rather than simply accept her fate and turn her into a constellation, but I was wrong.
In other versions of Ariadne’s story, Dionysus went to the Underworld to recover Ariadne and bring her to Olympus. It is surprising and intriguing that Saint chose to have Ariadne carefully watch her loved ones as a constellation rather than be transformed into a goddess. It is strange how Dionysus simply left Naxos to go back to Olympus even though Dionysus loved Ariadne so much.
Additionally, Saint had an interesting take on Ariadne’s fate. In one of the early chapters, Ariadne claimed that she will not let herself have the same fate as Medusa and instead challenge it. It is ironic how Ariadne constantly made remarks on how she does not want to end up being punished for her family’s sins, only to be turned into stone during the war that Dionysus’s actions caused. I do find it somewhat strange that Ariadne crossed Perseus directly even though she was at risk of having her sons lose their mother.
Originally, I was going to commentate on how I thought Dionysus was a good man–he still is–but I am not entirely fond of how quickly he was willing to move on. Dionysus had stated that he does not want to toy with the Fates when it comes to mortals, but he had recovered his mother that he never met from the Underworld. I somewhat understand where he is coming from, but Saint depicted him as very selective.
I want to read more, but I feel like I could have been warned that the story focused more on Ariadne rather than the implications of being related to the Minotaur that I expected. Even though my expectations were not entirely met, I enjoyed reading Ariadne and was fascinated by how Saint inserted different Greek myths while at the same time, enrichening Dionysus’s character as he shares stories of his adventures.

Additional Resource:
“Ariadne.” Theoi Greek Mythology, www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Ariadne.html. Accessed 26 Nov. 2023.

Jacqueline Yu, Period 1, 1/4/24

Jacqueline Yu
Period 1
1/4/24
Modern Mythology 2024

Literature Circle - Reactionary Playbook of Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (Prologue & Chapter 1 - Chapter 20)

Even before purchasing Ariadne, I was fascinated by the book description and reviews. This one line from the Amazon listing stuck out to me: “Every year its captive, the Minotaur - Ariadne's brother - demands blood.” Frankly, I do not know much about the story of Minotaur, but I suppose that I still wanted to know the implications of being related to such an infamous character. I somewhat impulsively purchased the book, which was surprising to me as the books I usually impulsively purchase are thrillers and true crime novels. The initial reading of the first twenty chapters left me with many questions but longing to read more. I have a tendency to hyper analyze things when given the opportunity to do so which may make this post somewhat lengthy.

Prologue
When I first read the prologue, I was slightly confused, and had to reread it a few times (probably because it was late in the evening). Yet, I was not surprised to see the pattern of a war being provoked in the name of vengeance. King Minos starting an entire war against Athens after not knowing the true cause of his son’s death felt somewhat irrational to me, but I assumed that it was done out of an impulse and in the moment of rage. King Nisus’s daughter, Scylla, fell madly in love with King Minos, which felt eerily familiar to the instances of mortals being cursed by gods. Minos took the opportunity as he saw it, which to me seems like the proper course of action when it comes to winning a war. Scylla would betray her kingdom in order for King Minos to claim victory, only for her to be punished for “her lack of proper daughterly devotion” (2). In a way, I feel like Scylla’s sacrifices could be celebrated rather than shunned. Minos reported to Ariadne on how proud he was to have won the war through toying with Scylla, but I was left thinking why was Minos so proud to have manipulated Scylla? Why have women been toyed with throughout Greek mythology and literature as a whole?

Part I
Chapter 1
During the initial read, I questioned why only Ariadne has the key to the labyrinth her brother is kept in, and not Minos. It felt strange to me how Minos prided himself on the power he has with the labyrinth and Minotaur, only to not have access with the key.

Slightly later in the chapter, like Ariadne, I was curious on why Daedalus specifically gifted a bee pendant with honey. It felt strange since I normally have a negative interpretation of bees, but Daedalus claimed that the pendant could be used to soften people’s will, which felt like a premonition for later events in the story. The same Daedalus had shown infant Icarus the wonders of the world, but the mentions of the interactions alluded to the infamous story of Icarus and Daedalus. So, why did Icarus seek greater heights?

The anecdotes on the interactions between Pasiphae and Ariadne felt heartwarming in a way. It was nice to see how dance was used as a medium for the two to bond. However, the dynamic between Artemis and Orion felt the opposite. Artemis favored Orion, but chose to just watch him die when he was faced with the colossal scorpion. Artemis grieved after his death, which confused me when Artemis had the power to intervene. Yes, Orion’s defeat helped him become a constellation and leave a legacy but I feel like there could have been a different method of doing so that did not require such measures to be taken.

Ariadne described her father to be a righteous man in the prologue, only for her father to make an attempt to deceive Poseidon and keep the bull for himself. Minos was given the opportunity to secure his kingship of Crete and bring honor to Poseidon, but why did Minos choose to be selfish? Minos’s actions would make Poseidon punish Pasiphae for the sins of her husband and make Ariadne fear for her own safety. Why were women always the target of the punishments that are not even entirely directed to them? One blaring thought came to mind–Minos is selfish.

I had read this next bit several hours after reading the first third of part 3 of Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes. Ariadne’s handmaiden, Eirene, told Ariadne the story of Perseus and Medusa for a change of pace. I was initially angry at the fact that the story was used as entertainment rather than letting Medusa be portrayed as her own individual. Yet, it was a necessary depiction that allowed Ariadne and I to realize the blatant similarities between Medusa and Pasiphae, who both were forced to pay for sins that were beyond their control. However, the last paragraph of the chapter did easen my previous anger–I found myself celebrating for the fact that Ariadne was going to stand up against the world if she were to be punished instead of cowering away where I even made a little note saying “you go Ariadne!”

Chapter 2
Is one sin really worth punishing an entire family? The chapter opens with Ariadne describing how she was ten when her Minotaur brother, Asterion, was born. The simple fact that she was ten and was already fearing for her safety felt outrageous to me. Though, it felt nice to read how Pasiphae did not treat Asterion any differently than her other children. Pasiphae and Ariadne treated Asterion as family even though Phaedra and Minos did not. The fact that Phaedra and Minos refused to associate themselves with Asterion was not a surprise, but was still somewhat angering. Even though Asterion was the result of a punishment, Asterion should still be regarded as family. Although, it is still more perplexing how Ariadne sought to nurture her brother; Pasiphae was driven by maternal instinct but what was motivating Ariadne?

Pity seemed to be the answer to this question and the description of the situation as a whole. Pasiphae and Ariadne were left to care for Asterion, where I cannot seem to fathom how Pasiphae’s love for the Cretan bull was truly a punishment for Minos. Ariadne was rightfully angry at Asterion but still managed to care for him. The birth of Asterion seemed to benefit Minos rather than punish him, where the rest of his family suffered the consequences. Did Minos not feel any guilt for his actions? All of Crete despised the rest of his family, all while Minos assumed more power for himself. Asterion would be known as the Minotaur and the work that Pasiphae and Ariadne put into raising him would be disregarded. Once again, I found myself angry when reading how the Cretans called Pasiphae and Ariadne wicked, even though the two tried their best to bring out the human in Asterion as much as possible. It was nice how Ariadne danced to relieve her worries, but should have found another way to handle the situation, as I fear that not thinking about the chaos around her would come back to bite her.

Chapter 3
Once again, women were described as objects used to bear sons, and one (Amaltheia) was even compared to a donkey. Minos was willing to marry his daughters off to kings for the sole reason of acquiring riches for himself. It was slightly strange how Phaedra was eager to escape the eyes of Cretans while Ariadne was content with her life in Crete, amidst the controversies that chastised her. Ariadne’s desire to stay at Crete made me angry at Minos for his disregard towards his family. It became apparent that the voices of Ariadne and the rest of her family would be ignored if it meant that Minos would profit. Ariadne would be sent off to marry King Cinyras but observe the Athenian sacrifices for the first time. The description of the Athenian ship reminded me of the infamous slave ship, where people would be chained as they walk towards their grim fate. However, the Athenian sacrifices were still humanized, which provides a possible sense of hope and hatred towards Minos for toiling with innocent lives.

Chapter 4
As Ariadne watched Minotaur wait for the sacrifices, I was perplexed by the usage of “it”. Minotaur was still Ariadne’s brother and it felt strange for Ariadne to refer to him using “it”. It had only been the third year that Athenians were sacrificed, but Ariadne already disassociated herself with the occurrence and her brother. As an only child, I’ve constantly longed to have a sibling which made me confused on why Ariadne was quick to call her brother a beast that she thought she could tame. I was then appalled by Theseus’s actions as he was given the opportunity to return home, only to volunteer to be sacrificed to Minotaur once again. He felt eerily similar to the other heroes in Greek mythology who were all noble. The description of Daedalus being an unofficial captive made me pity him in a way, where his talents were used as a poison against him.

Chapter 5
I frankly do not have much to say regarding this chapter, even though it seems like a turning point in the story. I do have two questions though–What will happen to Daedalus if Minos finds out? Will Minos chase his own daughter down if she is successful in ruining his source of power? It seems like Minos was meticulous in ensuring that Daedalus would not find a way to ruin the Labyrinth and had trusted his own daughter. In the previous chapter, Minos made Ariadne award Theseus (still against her will) and appeared to think that Ariadne shared the same beliefs. Given the fact that Minos reacted so passionately to the betrayal of Scylla to her father and kingdom, I thought Minos would be more skeptical about his own children, but he seems to care more about his power than his family.


Chapters 6 - 7
Ariadne only sought to challenge the system after falling madly in love with Theseus, which feels like a similar depiction to women in other stories. Theseus was described as a hero who sought to prove himself as the rightful son of the King of Athens, which stood out to me where I often found myself trying to prove myself to others. However, the description of Medea felt different in a way compared to that in Jason’s story. Medea was described as a witch who was the wife of the King of Athens and the cousin of Ariadne. Her crimes were emphasized and her name was stained with blood. When I read the story of Jason and the golden fleece, I pitied Medea in a way as she was the reason for Jason’s success only for her to reap nothing in return. I thought she fled and hid, but apparently Medea sought power for herself. Medea told the King of Athens that Theseus was a criminal, and even tried to kill Theseus so her own son could be the only heir to the throne. So, does Medusa refuse to trust “heroes” after being betrayed by one?

Chapter 8
It felt like Ariadne was put in a difficult situation where she hated her own father’s actions but was expected to provide unwavering support to Crete and her family. She had to choose between doing what is right or for her family, even though Minos is the complete opposite of what a king should be. Theseus and other kings sought to act for the best interests of the people while Minos only acted for himself. It felt strange to see how Minos was so willing to disregard everything if it meant that he would gain more power. Theseus had avenged Androgeus but Minos did not stop Theseus from sacrificing himself. In addition to Theseus as a sacrifice, why were the young sent as tributes? The loss of many Athenians does not entirely equate to the loss of one son, even if it may seem harsh to Minos. The parents of the young would have to pay for sins that they did not even commit and could not seek retribution as they lacked the power to do so. They could only watch as those in power seek revenge. Theseus still did not want to bring war himself but is willing to kill the Minotaur and have Minos bring war upon Athens himself. Yet, it was strange to me how Ariadne and Theseus were so quick to make love, even though it feels like the two are using each other for their own gain. Their plan does not seem entirely feasible to me where it feels inherently flawed.

Chapters 9-10
It seemed bittersweet to read how Ariadne wanted to say her final goodbye to her mother even though she was constantly being watched.

The execution of the plan felt too easy, which was not aided by the fact that Phaedra was delayed. The time Theseus spent in the Labyrinth could have been described more where the build up somewhat fell flat. There was greater emphasis on Ariadne’s struggle to place the club in the Labyrinth which is significant but I feel like the killing of Minotaur could have been elaborated upon, as the Minotaur is Ariadne’s own brother. Ariadne made references to the Minotaur’s original name at times which humanized him in some regard. However, Ariadne was quick to refer to her brother as Minotaur when he was moments away from discovering her.

The killing of Minotaur is a significant event in Ariadne’s life but it was only briefly described; it was accomplished within the first quarter of the book which makes me slightly confused on what the ~300 additional pages have to offer.

Chapters 11-12
Ariadne simply seems gullible–she let love overcome her at the cost of her family, and now possibly her life. I can’t help but to pity her as almost everything in her life was taken away from her; all she has left is the dress that her mother wore. The plan in fact was too easy where Ariadne had to suffer the consequences of her actions and susceptibility. Yet, why is Theseus deemed a hero when he is deceitful? The story felt oddly similar to the story of Jason and the golden fleece, where both “heroes” used their lovers for their own gain and glory. With Medusa becoming a harbinger of chaos, I am curious on what route Ariadne will take, that is if she manages to survive.

Part II
Chapter 13 - Phaedra
Phaedra’s description of Icarus and Daedalus seemed to contrast the other tellings that I had studied in class–Cretans were aware and Phaedra seemed to care. Daedalus’s “genius” made it seem that the plan did not have any risks as he was willing to execute the plan with his son, but Icarus was oblivious. I assume that Icarus was too caught up in the burst of freedom he felt after being held captive, but he should not have acted so boldly and rashly when his only goal should have been to successfully escape.

It was interesting how Phaedra would stay in Crete, while thinking of escaping the island by marrying, even though the original plan was for her to join Theseus and Ariadne on the ship. Phaedra chose to keep watch in order to divert attention from Theseus and Ariadne. Yet, Theseus seemed to be deceptive once again, where he directed Phaedra to the east of the harbor while he would scatter the remains of Minotaur on the west. Pasiphae seemed pleased with the turn of events where Minos’s power took no shape, and her family could have more freedom. However, I feel like the disconnection of the family should not have been the reason behind the checking of Minos’s power and tyranny.

Chapter 14 - Ariadne
There is not much to say, as the chapter is only three pages long. Yet, I’m glad that Ariadne is starting to have some hope, even though she fears that she will turn into a beast herself if she is left on the island any longer.

Chapter 15 - Phaedra
Theseus’s deception is still very appalling–he made up a story to justify Ariadne’s whereabouts, claiming that she was killed by a snake as a result of her betrayal. However, it was interesting to read about Phaedra’s love for her family amidst the claims made by others. Theseus’s story does seem plausible but it is ridiculous when you’re aware of the true context. It is also somewhat ridiculous how King Aegeus killed himself from the thought that Theseus had died in the Labyrinth when he had the power to stop Theseus from volunteering to be a sacrifice in the beginning. The fact that Theseus wanted peace with Crete by marrying Phaedra appears as if Theseus had planned this from the very beginning. Theseus became the King of Athens by forgetting to change the color of his sail and left Ariadne alone on the island of Naxos. He directed Phaedra in the wrong direction, only to request for her hand in marriage.

Chapter 16 - Ariadne
Dionysus’s pursuit to become acquainted with Ariadne on Naxos definitely feels intentional. Dionysus granted Ariadne water, grapes, and wine on the island in preparation for his arrival with the ship. Something did perplex me though–why was Ariande drinking when she was a minor? This does seem like something as a result of the difference in times and cultures though. Yet, why did Dionysus choose to arrive on a ship rather than spontaneously appear on his island? Dionysus claimed to have almost been sold into a life of slavery by the crew on the ship, of which 11 out of the 12 men were transformed into dolphins in front of Ariadne. Dionysus’s language makes it seem that everything was premeditated. Perhaps Dionysus was monitoring Naxos as it is his territory, but his true intentions are unclear to me. Prior to reading part II, I did some research and spoiled the rest of the story for me when I read how Dionysus would marry Ariadne. Why is Dionysus willing to go out of his way to do all of this though?

Chapter 17
Dionysus is strangely kind to Ariadne and I am unsure of what will become of their relationship in the future. Ariadne’s mistrust in Dionysus is warranted, as Ariadne’s life was plagued with it in the past. Dionysus spontaneously appeared this time rather than arriving on a ship, after corresponding with an oracle. I assume that rather than making a “grand entrance”, Dionysus wanted to reassure Ariadne that he would come to her side at any moment of doubt. I do wonder what the Fates have in store for Phaedra. Yet, while reading this chapter, I questioned whether there is a chance that Daedalus had flown over Naxos during his escape. It does seem possible and Daedalus appears to be able to use his intelligence in his foresight but where is Daedalus now?

Chapter 18 - Phaedra
Once again, the story of Theseus feels similar to the story of Jason–both heroes claimed that their legends were the result of their work alone, and women did not aid them in any way. The brief telling of Theseus killing Minotaur in an earlier chapter in contrast with the extensive descriptions of the work of Ariadne and Phaedra aids in the similarity. The legend of Theseus should be considered the legend of the daughters of Crete, but Theseus chose to assume all of the glory to prevent the princesses from being accused of betrayal. Theseus’s stories glorified him but are they really the products of the work of other people?

Still, it was nice to witness Phaedra’s growth as she tries to claim more power for herself while Theseus ventures on other quests. I do wonder when Phaedra will realize that Ariadne is in fact alive, and if this realization will lead to the shattering of Theseus’s rule. Perhaps Phaedra’s marriage will allow Phaedra to have some voice, rather than have Theseus’s advisers only see her for her body.

Chapter 19 - Ariadne
Dionysus seems very humanized in this chapter as he tells Ariadne stories from his perspective, starting with the story of King Midas. It feels like Dionysus is willing to sympathize with others as he had a different upbringing compared to the other Olympian gods. When Ariadne talked about how it is possible for any mortal, including her, to die unexpectedly, I understand how Dionysus was angry but he shouldn’t have disappeared so quickly. But, it does show that he deeply cares about Ariadne, whether it be platonically or romantically.

The parallels to weaving from both Phaedra and Ariadne were interesting as the two sisters missed one another but continued to weave in memory of the other during times where they felt isolated. At the end of the chapter, Ariadne’s dream did feel like an eerie premonition where Hera may punish either Dionysus or Ariadne.

Chapter 20 - Phaedra
I am unsure how I feel about Theseus at this point. He does not seem to care about his people–he only cares about his glory and being able to embark on quests without handling his day-to-day responsibilities. Yet, Theseus is the reason why Phaedra is able to have a higher quality of life even if her power is not entirely tangible. But, how did Theseus already impregnate Phaedra already? Theseus does not stay at Athens for very long–will Phaedra gain more power with the birth of her child? Phaedra has managed to survive in Athens by choosing to forget about Ariadne. With the change in Phaedra’s attitude towards remembering her past and family from Crete, how will the oracle of Phaedra arriving at Naxos on a ship be true?

Maggie Yang, Period 1, 12/20/23

Maggie Yang, Period 1, 12/20/23
Modern Mythology 2024

Literature Circle - Modern Myths

Although he is not the main character in The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec, my strongest feelings about this novel stemmed from how Loki was characterized. His notorious moniker as “God of Mischief” and “the trickster god” meant that I initially eyed him warily, but seeing him through the eyes of Angrboda, who seemed to fall for him immediately, I found myself split between two opinions.

Similarly to Skadi, who chastised both Angrboda’s absent husband and the trickster in Asgard (who, unbeknownst to her, were the same person), I couldn’t fully forgive him for his actions when he killed Skadi’s father, or when he left Angrboda alone for far longer than she should have been. But, Skadi did not see the same side of Loki that Angrboda could see. As a lover, as a husband, or as a father. Especially during Hel’s childhood, he showed so much love to his wife and his daughter that I could hardly believe that he would have been able to stomach having another wife and two other children in Asgard. With all of these different faces he put up, it was impossible to tell who was the “true” Loki, or if there even was one at all. Even now, after finishing the novel, I can’t tell if he loved Angrboda, Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungand, who he could be free with, more than Sigyn, Narfi, and Vali, who he depended on to maintain his status in Asgard. Ultimately, he betrayed both sides in the end.

Loki’s major decisions only add more to the mystery. When a threat to his position in Asgard appears, he reveals Angrboda’s location to the gods and destroys the safe haven she had built for their children. Their children who he himself had called monstrous were taken and sealed away. If not for Angrboda’s ancient and powerful magic, she would have died as well. Despite doing this to seemingly secure his status, he still plans Baldur’s death and causes the deaths of Narfi and Vali. He dooms Sigyn to eternal pain. At the very end, he sides against the Asgardians he worked so hard to gain favor with. He fights along his sons–the great wolf, Fenrir, and the World Serpent, Jormungand–who he had previously betrayed, and brings safety to the ruler of the underworld, Hel. His actions are questionable at best, and I can’t see the line of reason that he follows. Maybe it was another joke that went too far, or a punishment that he didn’t realize was too much to handle. A thought that crossed my mind was that perhaps he didn’t love either of his families and was always acting with his own self interest in mind. Or, keeping with the theme of fate present in Norse mythology, it could have been forced upon him by the prophecy of Ragnarok.

Gornichec has managed to write a character that I both love and despise, yet, even if Loki’s true allegiance could be uncovered, this is only one version of Loki that we see. In reality, Loki was a figure created several millennia ago, and we may never know of his true nature. Now, at least I can begin to understand more about about the legends of the gods and monsters of Norse mythology, and the apocalypse which is clouded in so much uncertainty that no one knows if it has happened, will happen, or will never happen at all.

Chris Muller, 12/18/23, Period 7

 Chris Muller

Pd 7

12/18/23

Modern Mythology 2024

Socio-Political Awareness/Literacy & Learning

When reading Stone Blind, I couldn't help but be reminded of the current trend of reimagining ancient/older tales or customs through a modern lens, particularly through a feminist lens. Examples of this empowerment of women besides Stone Blind can be seen in everything from superhero blockbusters to advertising to military recruiting. Stone Blind is just one example of this new, more woman-focused media ethos through its analysis of ancient Greek women and goddesses and showing the true colors that were misinterpreted through time. 

One example of this new feminine lens is the recent development of strong female superheroes such as the MCU’s reimagining of Captain Marvel. In the original comics, Captain Marvel was a male. However, the MCU decided to remake the character as female. This was a relatively bold move at the time, as Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful characters in the setting, and a cornerstone of the comics. However, the move paid off as Captain Marvel became one of the highest grossing MCU movies and set the standard for female roles in the MCU moving forward. It moved Marvel away from women as a showpiece or “eye candy” shown previously in characters such as Black Widow and toward more self-sufficient stand-alone female characters, which is now being realized through new characters such as Ms. Marvel and Iron Heart. 

A second example of this lens is in advertising, where products are usually no longer marketed specifically based on gender lines. Many new advertisements for traditionally gendered products, especially toys such as Barbie dolls or Hot Wheels cars now feature both boys and girls using the products in advertisements. Other products such as makeup feature men in advertisements as well. Trends such as this would've been unthinkable even 30 years ago, when products, unless very general in usage, were marketed very specifically toward men or women. Certain stereotypes also are no longer perpetuated through advertising, such as the outdated notion of women as housewives and thus kitchen products or cleaning supplies would be marketed toward them.  

A third example is the recent drive for women to join the military. Before 1948, women were not allowed to join the military in a permanent capacity, and thus had to serve in temporary positions such as nurses and secretaries. As recently as 2013, women were not allowed to serve in combat roles. However, this trend has reversed in the last decade, with there being a major recruitment drive for women to join. This is likely due to declining male recruitment rates, so recruiters turn to women to fill the gap. Also, technology makes physical strength much less important in many roles, as it functions as a strength multiplier. Many positions in the military are moving away from physical combat/duties and toward remote warfare through drones and remote weapon systems. This leads to an increased ability for women to participate in the military, further spurred by the aforementioned recruitment effort.

In short,  Stone Blind is just one example of a new, modern media climate that is shown in a myriad of different ways.

Sofia Mykytenko, 12/19/23, Period 7

 Sofia Mykytenko

Period 7

12/21/23

Modern Mythology 2023

Socio-Political Consciousness 

The 1983 film Yentl tells the story of a woman who disguised herself as a man to receive an education. Surprisingly, the movie has found its way into medical lore as Yentl Syndrome, which describes the misdiagnosis and mistreatment of women’s heart disease, stemming from treating women just like men despite biological differences. This phenomenon can be applied not only to heart disease but also to drug prescriptions and more. 

For decades, scientific studies, experiments, and clinical research trials have only utilized male test subjects. Studies on males were preferred since researchers didn’t have to consider changing hormonal cycles, the effects of different types of birth control, and anatomical differences between males and females. Accounting for these differences takes more time and money, which are the most significant limits to research. In addition, in 1977, the FDA even excluded “women of all childbearing potential” from clinical studies after witnessing the tragic deformities that a new medicine (thalidomide) caused in recently born children. The lack of representation of women in medical studies led to a lack of understanding of women’s health and the effectiveness of medicine on women.  

An important example of this is heart disease in women. For decades, women were believed to exhibit the same typical symptoms of men when having heart attacks: chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain in the shoulder, jaw, or arm. Therefore, doctors would look for similar symptoms, perform the same diagnostic tests, and give the same treatment. However, women experience heart attacks differently – more frequently in smaller arteries rather than larger ones, so they experience different symptoms, sometimes not experiencing chest pain at all. This makes typical “male” methods for detecting and treating heart disease ineffective. Women have been mistreated for heart disease for decades, resulting in tens of thousands of preventable deaths. 

Not only do women suffer consequences from misrepresentation in medicine when it comes to heart disease, but also when taking prescribed drugs. Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer side effects from drug prescriptions compared to men, and oftentimes, the side effects are more severe. Many of the drugs in current circulation were produced from male-only clinical trials, effectively not studying the impact of the drugs on women and using dosage amounts that are male-specific. Women have different body weight and composition than men and also metabolize drugs differently due to differing hormone levels that affect metabolism. Overall, women are often overmedicated, leading to a reduction in the therapeutic effect of the medication and an increase in adverse side effects. 

Only in 1993 did Congress require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to solely grant funding to studies that include females and minorities, analyze potential ways controlled variables could affect them differently, and prohibit cost as an excuse not to include them in research. Still, this did not stop research from only utilizing male animals and cells. More recently, studies have discovered physiological differences in animals and cells of different sexes. Only twenty years later, in 2014, did the NIH declare that studies must also use equal amounts of male and female cells and animals.

 These are important steps in the right direction to prevent further misrepresentation and revise past studies that did not take biological differences between females and males into consideration. However, many of the drugs that are currently approved and in use did not consider differences in dosage or effectiveness between males and females and must also be reevaluated. About a third of current drugs have no research available on this matter. Women are also still twice as likely to die from heart attacks as men due to the failure of women and doctors to recognize the warning signs of cardiovascular issues and heart attacks. Public awareness campaigns have been an integral part of decreasing the gap in the survival rate between men and women. However, there is still much work to be done. 

 Although the healthcare system should be designed for everybody’s individual needs, it evidently is not. This is just an example of why diversity and representation is important in all aspects of life. People’s voices should always be sincerely listened to, unlike the thousands of women with cardiovascular problems whose symptoms would get dismissed by their doctors since heart attacks were a “man’s disease” and their symptoms didn’t align with the typical male symptoms. An important lesson to learn here is also to take into consideration how something affects everybody. Not just medical prescriptions but new developments, inventions, policies, and even what people say or share on social media. 

I chose this topic because of my interest in biology, medicine, and feminism. I developed these interests from observations of my life experiences, and I’d like to share one of them. Just last year, my father and I were both experiencing knee pain. He recommended I take this over-the-counter medicine that helps with joint inflammation and pain. So, I did. I took the recommended dosage, “1 tablet every 8-12 hours for adults and children over the age of 12”. After taking two a day for about three days, I experienced some truly terrible stomach irritation. Thankfully, it was just that and nothing worse, but I asked him how he takes the medicine and copes with the same side effects because I was not enjoying these side effects at all, and I would rather not have taken the medication. He told me he didn’t experience any side effects. I wondered why and started searching for a possible answer. It turns out the answer was right in front of me – my father is 6 feet tall and over 200 pounds, and the same medicine doesn’t have the same effect on him as it does on me. This experience has simply been on my mind ever since. 

Bibliography

Bailey, Sarah. “Science Experiments Traditionally Only Used Male Mice – Here’s Why That’s a Problem for Women’s Health.” The Conversation, 4 Dec. 2023, theconversation.com/science-experiments-traditionally-only-used-male-mice-heres-why-thats-a-problem-for-womens-health-205963. 

Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Heart Disease: 7 Differences between Men and Women.” Brigham and Women’s Hospital Giving, 5 Oct. 2023, give.brighamandwomens.org/7-differences-between-men-and-women/. 

Zucker, Irving, and Brian J. Prendergast. “Sex Differences in Pharmacokinetics Predict Adverse Drug Reactions in Women - Biology of Sex Differences.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 5 June 2020, bsd.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13293-020-00308-5. 

Lamon, Severine, and Olivia Knowles. “Why Are Males Still the Default Subjects in Medical Research?” The Conversation, 4 Dec. 2023, theconversation.com/why-are-males-still-the-default-subjects-in-medical-research-167545#:~:text=Even%20when%20research%20with%20females,limited%20by%20time%20and%20money.

O’connor, Anahad. “Why Heart Disease in Women Is so Often Missed or Dismissed.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 May 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/05/09/well/live/heart-disease-symptoms-women.html. 

C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD. “The Yentl Syndrome and Gender Inequality in Ischemic HD.” Healio, 1 Aug. 2011, www.healio.com/news/cardiology/20120225/the-yentl-syndrome-and-gender-inequality-in-ischemic-hd. 

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Jonathan Yan, Period 6, 12/19/23

Blog #2: Socio Political Consciousness

The dominance of humanity is because of the fact that we are social. We depend on each other, for companionship, for survival, for reproduction, and for growth. “The Loneliness Epidemic”, as some may dub, is often cited as a recent phenomenon. From the 1970s and beyond, the rates of loneliness seem to trend linearly upwards. 1 in 3 Americans experience loneliness on a regular basis, and this percentage only increases the younger we observe, being at the pinnacle at around 16 to 24 years of age - around 61%. I believe that everyone has experienced what it felt like to feel truly alone. This slow poisoning force is something I have obsessed over: Why do we feel this way in such an interconnected world?

How social is social media? This question sounds ironic, social media is social: you can talk to your friends, call your mother, look at celebrities, compare yourself to people you do not know, and indulge ugly gossip. It is increasingly easier to live behind an avatar and username and feed vicariously on events through a computer screen. It is increasingly easier to feel left out in social circles online. It is increasingly easier to ridicule others online and make their lives hell. It is increasingly easier to believe that your presence and reputation online dictates who you are. Various studies have found strong links between heavy social media usage and increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm and suicide. The overindulgence recent generation teens and young adults accrue online causes an internal monologue and mindset of instant gratification and jealousy. The mistake we often make is comparing ourselves to other people on social media, but what many fail to remember is that what we see other people doing on social media is the culmination of the person’s highs, not their lows. When these highs do well online it feeds into your sense of sense of worth, a social currency. Lives become commodified, marketed as commerce, and compete for your attention. This so-called transaction is given value because of the exchange of attention and interaction. Whether you receive more or less attention can attribute to whether or not you feel valuable, and you literally become a product. With every interaction releases dopamine, with every phone check heightens your anxiety, drawing more and more parallels to substance abuse. After all this, it is no question why social media has been affecting teens and young adults. These people, who rely on social interaction - whether that be in school, for their job, or for career opportunities -, can succumb greatly to the pressures of social media, using it obsessively because they either feel like they need to, or because the instant dopamine keeps them online. When we are deprived of this instant gratification, or left out from interaction we can legitimately feel symptoms of withdrawal. It feels like you need to be on social media, overindulging, and interacting. Everyone else is doing it. Why aren’t you? This pressure has led many to feel so connected yet alone, or with the desire to just completely withdraw from social media and interaction as a whole.

I have spent my life pursuing the path of efficiency and happiness. In this pursuit I realized the greatest facilitator for these is balance. Balance is the force that destroys or facilitates life. Being at one extreme or the other is foolish as life is not black and white. I was previously under this misconception that to live efficiently was to live on an end of an extreme. If I did something, I was to either exhaust myself doing it or not do it at all. But everything is nuanced, and I have come to recognize that balancing your actions, hobbies, interests and life is the best way to achieve a better living. I have taken this lesson to social media usage. Where I previously used to obsess over it, I now practice restraint. I suffered from the symptoms of excessive social media usage: my self confidence deteriorated from comparing myself, I developed high levels of anxiety from fear of missing out, and I began to value superficial material things as the end all be all to happiness. This cynicism leaked into my actual life, where I by default perceived others as having ill intent for me, seeing everyone as competition because of my skewed perspective. Now, of course I still use social media, I want it to stay connected with my band, my club, and the people I cannot see often. Social media is not inherently harmful, the way in which we use it dictates whether it is or not. Everything can be harmful, it is moderation that separates water from being a progenitor of life or a deadly substance. I still value being online, the world is modernizing and being connected internationally is not a bad thing; we can see injustices in the middle east, conflicts in warring countries and use our voices online to call for action. We can research pressing issues, spread information and cast light on topics that deserve it. The towering expanse of all human knowledge is online so completely withdrawing from it is unrealistic, and unnecessary. My exploration into the causes of loneliness has led me down introspection on my usage of social media, and the realization of the power of moderation.

Sources:
Robinson, Lawrence. “Social Media and Mental Health.” HelpGuide.Org, 29 Mar. 2023, www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm.

Zsila, Ágnes, and Marc Eric S. Reyes. “Pros & Cons: Impacts of Social Media on Mental Health - BMC Psychology.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 6 July 2023, bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x. “Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health? | Bailey Parnell | Tedxryersonu.” YouTube, YouTube, 22 June 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czg_9C7gw0o&t=724s.

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Mohammad Shaheer, Period 1, 12/15/23

Research Paper

Medusa

As we delved deeper into the true persona of Medusa, we realize just how much disparity is present between the actual Greek lore compared to the modern beliefs. For starters, in Greek lore Medusa is portrayed as a caring and loving character. Moreover, she is actually the victim of the gods such as when Poseidon seduced her against her will. Even when she was turned into a Gorgon, Medusa had still never harmed or murdered anyone, unlike other Gods and Gorgons. Her life simply ended at Perseus' hand due to the sole fact that she was a mortal unlike her sisters. On the other hand, modern beliefs on Medusa are the polar opposite of the truth. Medusa is always viewed as this cruel, cold villain who is just simply known for her snake hair and turning people to stone. Medusa is considered to be one of the most hideous creatures who is pure evil and a killer. However, after actually going in depth into the lore of Medusa and Greek culture, it’s rather confusing where this misconception of Medusa originated from as this is simply nowhere to be found in actual mythology

Jerry Su, Period 1, 12/19/23

Jerry Su
Pd 1
12/19/23
Modern Mythology 2024

Social-Political Awareness
Article

Child labor has been a problem since the earliest times of humanity, seemingly impossible to correct due to a variety of factors beyond our governmental control. Children made up missing workers that companies needed doing dangerous work for low income. Child labor unions and laws were set in force in the early 1900s, and supposedly they wiped out all illegal activity involving underage children in hazardous workplaces.

However, coming back to modern day 2023, it has come to the public’s attention that food-processing industries had been employing children. Children as young as 13 and 14 have been working at slaughter-houses all over rural and town areas of middle America. As of recently, one such child has died working a night shift at one of the slaughterhouses in Mississippi.

Duvan Perez was hired to clean up at Mar-Jac Poultry in Hattiesburg, and was said to have been shoved into a machine that happened to be turned on. This happened on July 14, 2023, during a late night shift. Mar-Jac Poultry had “strict” rules against workers under the age of 18, but how did Perez get hired? Apparently, Mar-Jac has a third-party company file in and employ workers for them, and they somehow got Perez hired. The company dug in to research and found out that Perez had been using a fake ID, one of someone who was the age of 32.

The US department of labor investigated the slaughterhouse and came to realize that there were more children there under the age of 18, all using fake IDs. In their investigation of Packers Sanitation Service Inc. (company involving cleaning of slaughterhouses), it has come to a conclusion that about 102 children have been illegally working across 13 locations in 8 states in the US.

As much as the companies that hire children are to blame for the rising numbers of underage employment in meat-packing industries, they aren’t the only factors that affect the graph. One of the biggest factors is poverty in underdeveloped countries, such as Guatemala. In many villages of Guatemala, poverty is such a problem that they have to split an egg to five to feed multiple people. Education is also a huge problem, because of the decline of Education offered in Guatemala, children start migrating out in hopes of finding educational opportunities elsewhere.

Both children and adults end up being smuggled into America, however, due to their poor economic status, they can only be smuggled a few at a time, and have to pay a hefty fee for it. The migrants usually end up in secluded towns, most of them coincidentally being towns whose economy runs on slaughterhouses. There, they get paid above minimum wage, and could slowly afford to bring in their family from Guatemala. This becomes a never ending cycle, poverty leads to migration, migration leads to working dangerous jobs for cash, and cash leads to bringing more people.

As a note, even though the companies that had been “unknowingly” employing underage children into the dangerous labor force are mostly to blame for the spike in child labor and deaths, they cannot take the full blame for the situations that are happening currently. The entire ordeal is beyond our own control, as the Government cannot support correcting every single fault that is happening all over the world.

This is comparable to the Gods and mythology, since the natures of both realities are that mankind cannot control everything. To control something efficiently, one must sacrifice something else. Whether it would be time, human casualties, or just outright destruction, to stabilize one situation causes a disruption in another situation. Just like God’s punishment in the bible, it reveals crucial insight that no matter what we do, we cannot prevent the unpreventable, problems are born endlessly from what we solve.

So to conclude, yes, children working illegally in slaughterhouses is bad. It would be very much preferable if such situations were eliminated. However, just eliminating children working in such environments would not fix the big problem of poverty and migration. The overall big picture has way more to it than we think, with these situations as mere puzzle pieces. We must take this one step at a time, and slowly progress to combat economical situations, and to do so we must work together as a country/world united. Which, realistically speaking, will never work out due to the nature of each country around the world.

Source:

“Minor Who Died in Poultry Plant Accident Got the Job with the Identity of a 32-Year-Old.” NBC News, 18 Dec. 2023, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/slaughterhouse-children-documentary-rcna129405. Accessed 19 Dec. 2023.

Winnie Wu, Period 6, 12/19/2023

Literature Circle: A Thousand Ship by Natalie Haynes


“Victims of men, survivors of men, slaves of men”

My prediction from my last blog has indeed come true. Following the war, the rest of the Trojan women were divided among the Greek “heroes” as spoils. While Cassandra and Polyxena chose to die rather than become the slaves of the Greeks, Andromache, on the other hand, continues to endure. Andromache faced many tragedies: her family was killed by the Greeks, her husband was killed by the Greek hero Achilles, and her son was killed by the son of the man who killed her husband and enslaved her, Neoptolemus. Yet Andromache still found the will to survive, and she found joy and love in her new son, Molossos. After Neoptolemus was murdered, she became free. She married Helenus, Hector’s brother, rebuilt her fallen city, Troy, and watched her son, Molossus, grow up. Andromache is able to rebuild her life despite the violence she faced, serving as the embodiment of the quote above: “Victims of men, survivors of men, slaves of men.”

The suffering caused by the war extended beyond the Trojan women to also afflict the Greek women left behind. Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, has to manage Ithaca in Odysseus’s absence and deal with the numerous suitors who raided her home. Her initially worried letter to Odysseus became angrier with each passing year, marked by Odysseus's prolonged absence and failure to return. When I read the Odyssey in my freshman year, Odysseus was portrayed as a brave, clever, and strategic leader. However, seen through Penelope’s perspective, Odysseus seems like a foolish, arrogant man, too focused on chasing his own glory and fame to remember his family patiently waiting for him at home. His pride and arrogance caused his and his men's downfall; had he not taunted the cyclops and revealed his name when departing, he might have reached home much sooner.

A prevalent pattern in all of these stories is the relentless cycle of violence. Clytemnestra killed her husband, Agammenon, in revenge for sacrificing their daughter, Iphigenia. Later, their other children, Electra and Orestes, killed Clytemnestra to avenge their father. Another example is when Neoptomeles killed Polyxena as a sacrifice for his father, Achilles. The Greeks, aware of this cycle of violence, try to prevent it by eliminating all members of the victim’s family, preventing any chance of vengeance. For example, Neoptmeles killed Hector’s son, Astyanax, so he wouldn’t grow to avenge the death of his father, who was killed by Achilles. Another example is Hecabe killing Polymestor and his two sons to avenge the death of her last son. This cycle of violence is reflected in our modern world today, as evident in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The revelation that Zues, Gaia, and Themis orchestrated this war to control the human population left me shocked but not surprised. This twist deviates from the original Greek myths, but given the characteristics of the Greek god, it is not unexpected. The gods are indifferent to the suffering and pain of humans as long as it serves their purpose. Instead, they see the conflict as a game, picking sides and choosing favorites. This highlights a disturbing reality where those in power initiate wars without regard for the individuals affected.

A recurring theme I found in Natalie Haynes’s book is that there’s no happy ending. In both “Stone Blind” and “A Thousand Ships," the perpetrator continues on to live their lives while the victims endure suffering or meet a tragic ending. In “Stone Blind," Athena turned to stone, and Medusa was killed, yet Hephaestus and Perseus continued to live their lives without a thought about the pain they caused. In “A Thousand Ships," the women experience rape, murder, and violence without any retribution, and their perpetrator never faces consequences for their crime. This is not a tale of justice or vengeance; it is just a reflection of harsh reality.

Elizabeth Superfin, Period 6, 12/8/23

 Elizabeth Superfin

Period 6, 12/8/23

Modern Mythology 2024

Research Paper: It’ll Be the End of the World as Modern Science Knows It, And We Feel Fine.

We have spent many weeks discussing beginnings. Be it through the Greek tale of an Earth birthed from Chaos and Darkness or the Cherokee story of an island created by Water Beetle and shaped by Buzzard, we have learned all about the ways that cultures around the world describe an origin that they were not there to witness. Likewise, we have also learned about the Big Bang from Dr.Davis, who visited our classroom on November 2nd to teach about modern science and its take on the start of the universe. It was interesting to compare his lesson to the myths that we learned about, and to see the ways that the people of old were (possibly) both right and wrong about the start of it all. Of course, most beginnings lead to endings– our discussions of origins then gave way to Mr.Misciagna’s seminar on the Biblical version of the end of our universe, and the belief that this conclusion will then lead to a new beginning. However, we did not parallel our own beginnings by discussing modern science’s take on the end– and so, here are four current theories by scientists as to how the universe will die.

1. Heat Death

One of the most well known theories as to how our world will end is that it will conclude via “heat death.” Interestingly, this name implies the opposite of what the theory in question suggests may occur (the “Big Freeze '' is another, arguably more descriptive name, though less commonly used).  This theory states that due to its continued expansion, the universe will eventually become too cold to sustain both life and creation itself. This is because as the universe expands, entropy (the “randomness of the universe,” necessary for energy and heat) is distributed across a larger and larger area. Eventually, entropy may be so thinly distributed that heat will never be created– and life, at least as we know it, will be unable to exist. Additionally, as the galaxies spread further and further, new stars will stop being created because there will be no interactions and no new gasses from which they can form. The last stars will decay to black holes, which will themselves decay to disordered energy. In trillions of years, once everything is disordered energy, maximum entropy (thermodynamic equilibrium) will be reached and no more disorder will be able to happen, which will end creation itself. Depressing!

2. The “Big Rip”

You may have heard of dark energy– the mysterious force propelling the universe’s continued expansion, and, in fact, propelling it to expand faster than it did at the universe’s beginning. This force, assuming it remains constant, is a major contributing factor to the heat death theory. However, if it isn’t constant, if this mysterious dark energy is actually growing stronger (as some scientists theorize) then there is another end that may reach us far earlier. This is because the force of dark energy can be thought of as contributing to the universe’s stretchiness. If “phantom” dark energy (that increasingly powerful dark energy) exists, it may eventually stretch the universe so far that rather than continue to stretch, it tears itself apart. Scary! Fortunately, this theory is considered less likely than the previous one, as the idea of ever-strengthening dark energy breaks what we (currently) know about how energy moves through the cosmos.

3. Vacuum Decay

The “Higgs field” is what currently separates the electromagnetic force (intertwined force of electricity & magnetism) from the weak force (responsible for the interactions between protons, neutrons, and electrons) in our universe. Early on in the universe’s beginning, these forces used to be one, and the Higgs is what now prevents them from merging once more. Its existence was confirmed with the discovery of the Higgs boson (the particle associated with this field) at CERN in 2012. However, this separation may eventually cause our doom. According to quantum physics, more massive = more unstable. When measuring the Higgs field, physicists have discovered that its mass puts it somewhere between stable and a little unstable. This means that there is a slim, but possible chance that something may just… go wrong with this barrier between forces, and cause it to change. This change may be inconsequential– or it can be as damning as the change that led to the force separation in the first place. If that change in the Higgs field leads to a change in the vacuum that our current universe exists in, then our current vacuum will then become a “false vacuum.” A chain reaction may occur where a bubble of the new, “true” vacuum expands outwards at the speed of light from the point where the disturbance first occurred. If you touch this new vacuum, you might be incinerated, or you might turn into a black hole. The very laws of physics in this new vacuum may even be different. Maybe this bubble will begin in a part of the universe so far away from us that it will take billions of years to reach us– or it could begin right next to our solar system, and we may blink out of existence before we know it. Either way, the universe as we know it may end, all due to an unlucky disturbance in the Higgs field. Fortunately, according to our current standard particle model, this is very unlikely to happen, at least within the next 10100- 10500 years. Still– frightening!

4. The “Big Bounce”

Some people question the Big Bang for one reason: how could something come from nothing? What existed before the beginning that created the conditions for the beginning? Others question it for another reason– how is it possible that the Big Bang, such an explosive, random, turbulent event, created a universe that is so… orderly? Mass and energy are pretty evenly distributed in our universe, after all. One way to combat this doubt is to blame multiverse theory, saying that this original, random event just so happened to happen and then create an orderly universe. But, what are the chances of that? All of these doubts are linked to this last theory, known as the “Big Bounce.” Cyclical cosmologists (proponents of this theory) argue that perhaps, before our universe, there was another– and that after our universe ends, yet another will follow. They (generally) say that instead of the Big Bang model, where our universe began and then will inflate until oblivion, perhaps the universe is instead continuously expanding and contracting. Maybe it began from a singularity, and will expand until the universe becomes disorderly (remember the “disordered energy” from the heat death theory?) and then will contract again, restoring order. It may contract back into a singularity, which will then create a new universe and the cycle will continue. Interestingly enough, this is most similar to the Biblical end of the universe that Mr.Misciagna discussed in class– a universe formed from the ashes of another. The question is– does this prove the Biblical tale, or was this theory inspired by it instead? As of right now, it is hard to know. Still– it’s fascinating to think about!

We still don’t know exactly how the universe will end. As theories get discredited– such as the “Big Crunch” theory of the universe collapsing in on itself, which was disproved by the discovery that the universe is expanding at an increasing rate– other theories are created. And as other theories are created, new questions and discoveries arise, and fuel the cycle once more. No matter how the universe ends, though, we will likely not be around to witness it. As ancient cultures once did, we speculate on events that we will not witness, all for the sake of understanding the world around us– to me, that doesn’t just reveal something about theoretical physics, but about humanity itself. Its curiosity. Its perseverance. Its continuity through time. Personally, I’m not worried. Maybe the end of the universe will be cold, depressing, and dark. Maybe the world will rip into pieces because of phantom dark energy, or be snapped into oblivion due to an unlucky disturbance. Possibly, it won’t end at all, and will just bounce back and begin anew. But, as the pancake-thieving, emperor-befriending, unintentionally wise Lift from Brandon Sanderson’s Edgedancer once said– “The world ends tomorrow, but the day after that, people are going to ask what’s for breakfast.” 

Sources:

“The Big Bounce: Why Our Universe Might Be Eternal.” Big Think, 19 Apr. 2022, bigthink.com/hard-science/big-bounce-theory/.

Cain, Fraser. “What Is the Big Rip?” Universe Today, 14 Mar. 2017, www.universetoday.com/107316/what-is-the-big-rip/.

CERN. “The Higgs Boson.” CERN, home.cern/science/physics/higgs-boson. Accessed 16 Dec. 2023.

“Forces.” NASA, NASA, 26 Oct. 2022, universe.nasa.gov/universe/forces/.

Lavender, Gemma. “What Is Heat Death?: Space Facts – Astronomy, the Solar System & Outer Space: All about Space Magazine.” Space Facts Astronomy the Solar System Outer Space All About Space Magazine, 11 Oct. 2018, www.spaceanswers.com/deep-space/what-is-heat-death/.

Strogatz, Steven. “How Will the Universe End?” Quanta Magazine, 22 Feb. 2023, www.quantamagazine.org/how-will-the-universe-end-20230222/.

Sutter, Paul. “Here’s How the Universe Could End in a ‘False Vacuum Decay.’” Space.Com, Space, 8 Dec. 2021, www.space.com/universe-end-false-vacuum-decay.

Villanueva, John Carl. “The Big Crunch: The End of Our Universe?” Universe Today, 2 Mar. 2020, www.universetoday.com/37018/big-crunch/.