hera and Zeus :: essays research papers

Throughout the Greek mythology, Zeus has been involved with many women and has faced many resistances from them. Zeus has faced many hurdles not only on his way to become the "king of olympians" but also after that with his consanguinitys with women. Hera, Zeuss last wife , has been directly or indirectly involved in placing most of these hurdles. Of Zeuss septette wives, Hera, also known as Judo, has been the most quarrelsome and mistrustful of her hurband. She was frequently angry and jealous of Zeuss other relationships. In many instances , she has been the source of hurdles in Zeuss relationships with other women.Although described as a sacred marriage, one which was intended to symbolize and promote fertility of crops on earth, since the sky, represented as male, must fertilize the earth through rain in order for life to begin there, thier marriage has never been a smooth one and they have had some bitterly fights. In one instance, Zeus hung her out of Olympus with two great weights attached to her feet,and her arms bound by golden chains,as punishment for her having plotted against Hercules.Homer, the author has potrayed the relationship of Zeus and Hera very much like that between a man and a woman. Homer shows how like men and women, even Gods lie and decieve and are gullable. In one instance, he shows how , in order to borrow sexual allure from Aphrodite, Hera lies to Aphrodite about going to visit Oceanus and mother Tethys, not telling her original conception of seducing Zeus and making him fall asleep during the war. Then Hera goes to Sleep and asks her for his help and in return of her daughter Pasithea. Since Sleep has always been in love with Pesithea, the cupidity makes him give in to Heras request. In this episode, Homer has shown that like humans, greed makes the immortals do things they would not have otherwise done. When Hera finally reaches Olympos, she lies to Zeus too and Zeus gets duped and locomote into the trap of her se duction, this episode shows how the king of olympians gets decieved and is not able to foresee Heras plan.In one potrait which shows Zeuss paranoia towards Hera, Zeus is worried about the quarrel with his wife Hera and tries to resist Thetiss apology to help son Archillis and aid Trojans in the war against the greeks.