Greek Mythology and Cyclops Essay

5619750-819150Ludovice, AndreiTerry, RyanPeriod 5
00Ludovice, AndreiTerry, RyanPeriod 5
The Cyclops
Q) In what ways does Polyphemus reflect his father?
A) Polyphemus, like his father, is one with a higher rank than others. He is considered “the chief representative” of the Cyclops. His father, Poseidon, is part of the big three. This may affect their judgment when a being that seems lower challenges them. This leads into the next quality that they both share. They both can become ruthless at times, especially when challenged by others. For example, when Polyphemus is attracted to a nymph, but is rejected for a youth named Acis, Polyphemus crushes him with a boulder. One time, Poseidon had a competition with Athena and when he lost he flooded the place they were competing for.
Q) Why do you think a mythical creature would live their lives as workers instead of something more powerful?
A) The Cyclops differ from any of the other mythical creature because they had a job given to them, when they were saved from the dark pits of Tartarus. They took it because they probably felt they were in debt and they were good at metalworking. The next generation were a primitive tribe that were shepherds. This generation had the mentality that they were normal and didn’t differ much from mortals. The Cyclops were just one-eyed creatures that got angered easily. They had no intention of conquering the world or become powerful.
Q) What did Homer want his people to learn when he told the story where Odysseus blinds Polyphemus and Poseidon punishes him?
A) Homer probably wanted his people to learn that everything you do in life will affect you, if it’s in a big way or in a little way. When Polyphemus starts eating Odysseus’s men, Odysseus has to do something about it. So when Polyphemus gets blinded by Odysseus’s spear, Poseidon gets irritated and tries to buffet him from return home. For every action, there is a reaction.
Q) How does Cronus’s banishing of the Cyclops to Tartarus show how powerful they are?
A) Cronus’s punishment to the first generation of Cyclops was way over the top. They were put there because of Cronus feared being overthrown by his own brothers. He threw them in to the darkest, deepest pits of the Earth, where it is nearly impossible to escape. Tartarus is one of the most relentless places in Greek mythology, but even so the Cyclops were able to escape, twice. The Cyclops are very powerful creatures, but are workers of the gods.
Q) How do Homer’s Cyclops differ to those of Hesiod?
A) You may not have known but there are two generations or species of Cyclops in Greek mythology. The first generation were told by Hesiod. The first generation consisted of Argos, Steropes, and Brontes. They were banished to Tartarus twice by their family. At first, their father Ouranos, and then their brother Cronus. Once they were freed, Zeus made them the metalworkers of Olympus. They were the ones who gave Zeus his lightning bolt, Poseidon his trident, and Hades his helmet. The second generation of Cyclops were told through Homer’s writings. The second generation of Cyclops were

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