Greek Mythology: The Tale Of Narcissus

Words: 469
Pages: 2
Open Document
My favorite myth is the tale of Narcissus. In this myth, a young man named Narcissus upsets the goddess of retribution, Nemesis, with his pride. Nemesis brings Narcissus to a pool of water where Narcissus encounters his own reflection and becomes infatuated with his beauty. He falls in love with the image in the water, but soon discovers that it is only a reflection and that it will never be able to love him back. Disconcerted, Narcissus falls into the water and drowns to death. I was initially drawn to this myth because it so clearly establishes egotism as a fatal flaw in a hero. While most Greek myths castigate hubris specifically when prideful talents upset the gods into retaliation, the tale of Narcissus communicates that simply being full of …show more content…
The myth offered me reassurance by stating that if I could just keep in touch with reality, my conceit would not bring me down. This track of thinking was also present in the Greek culture that produced this myth. In Greek mythology, hubris, a condition of limitless pride, was the ultimate wrongdoing. Many characters in Greek mythology, from Arachne to Icarus, were punished or even killed because their extreme pride upset the gods. Despite this theme, pride to a certain extent was still considered a positive attribute. Achilles’ pride and confidence in his abilities was one factor which made him so successful in the tale of the Trojan War. This represents a pattern in the way that humans think and write about sin — people want to indulge themselves, so long as it is in moderation. Pride is acceptable as long as it does not escalate to the level of hubris. Egotism is acceptable as long as it does not escalate to the level of insanity. People recognize that some behaviors can be harmful, but at the same time do not want to cut them out completely. The myth of Narcissus is one of my favorites because it sets guidelines for one of my greatest personal concerns while still enabling me to be
Show More

Related Documents: Greek Mythology: The Tale Of Narcissus

Edith Nick Case

Analysis #2 Introduction The youth Narcissus, hunter and son of a nymph and minor river god, was known for his extreme beauty and the carelessness with which he treated his would-be companions. He broke the hearts of even the loveliest of maidens without care wherever he traveled. Indeed, the most beautiful of all nymphs, Echo, fell immediately in love with him (just as had all the others) and pursued him in her own shy way. Sensing her presence, Narcissus called about, asking “Who is there?”…

Words 1356 - Pages 6

timeline of ancient greece Essay examples

world that surrounds him. What makes the sun rise and set? Why are there seasons? Where do things go when they die? To the ancient Greeks, there were simple explanations to all these questions – it was the gods! Things that seemed unexplainable could suddenly make sense when there were gods and goddesses involved. And these stories of the gods that the Greeks created to help make sense of the universe have survived the years to become a treasured and integral part of the history of the Western…

Words 3784 - Pages 16