As a adult male. it is about impossible for me to truly cognize what a adult female would want in a positive function theoretical account. Bing a adult male in a “mans’ world” I can merely see and seek to understand the battles that many adult female go through today. To me an ideal function theoretical account for modern adult females would be. person who can get the better of the obstructions of a patriarchal society while non compromising their personal moralss and ethical motives. Role theoretical accounts need to hold both strength and sensitiveness while covering with hardship. The Grecian goddess Athena is a powerful function theoretical account for the adult females of today by incarnating all of these virtuousnesss.
The goddess Athena was the Daughter of Zeus and Metis. When Metis became pregnant. Zeus devoured her. He did this because of a prognostication. which said that Metis would hold a boy who would turn to dethrone him. Subsequently. Zeus developed a terrible concern. which was relieved by dividing his caput unfastened with an axe. From this unfastened lesion sprang Athena. Being born unwanted and motherless was really traumatic. but Athena left Zeus’ organic structure prepared. She was born to the full dressesed in armour and armed with a lance and shield. Womans today are born into a universe where genders are non treated every bit. Athenas craft to support herself is something that adult female today can look up to.
Athena or Minerva ( Roman ) was the goddess of wisdom. military tactics. weaving and trades. In these countries she dominated male orientated things. such as engineering the autumn of Troy by constructing the Trojan Equus caballus. The innovation of the chariot is besides credited to her. In fact she was more adept at war than work forces were. She was besides the goddess of military triumph and winning schemes. where Ares or Mars ( Roman ) was merely the God of war. Athena is known as the defender of heroes and metropoliss. She is portrayed by creative persons of ancient Greece as tall with unagitated characteristics. olympian. and described as the goddess with grey eyes. She makes a good illustration that adult females don’t demand to be confined from stand outing at things that are controlled by work forces.
Athena was besides really complete in more feminine and originative countries such as weaving and embellishment. It is said that she invented the clayware wheel and created the first vases. Harmonizing to Stephen Harris and Gloria Platzer. “Athena combines the strength and aggression of the male original with the committedness to household and the domestic bonds of the female. ” ( 107 ) . It is really of import for a leader or function theoretical account to hold a balance of assertiveness and compassion. Athena displays both of these traits.
It can be argued that Athena is excessively militaristic and “manly” to be a proper function theoretical account for adult females. In fact the label of a successful adult female being an “Athenian woman” is non ever a compliment. Nancy Hathaway says that. “The typical ‘Athenian adult female ‘ is described as imbalanced. out of touch with her organic structure. intellectually alive but emotionally clueless. logical instead than intuitive. populating entirely for work. ” ( 219 ) It is possible to state that Athenas’ character can be perceived as being excessively masculine and that she avoids being adumbrate with work forces in order to absorb into the male dominated universe of the Gods. This statement is baseless sing the broad scope of achievements. which are attributed to her. Although Athena was a virgin. she was a compassionate female parent. She protected her boy Erichthonius and kept him closely guarded inside her temple or within her auspices ( goat tegument cloak or shield ) . It is besides said that she is responsible for the creative activity of the first flute and that she invented the cornet. These are instruments that are used for diversion and enjoyment.
Athenas’ character besides gives off a sense of power. This power aides her in get the better ofing the boundaries of the submissive “traditional woman” of the clip. She doesn’t let herself to be confined to a life of domestic undertakings. She boldly ventures into things that have been dominated by male Gods. Her abilities are in no manner suppressed in order to be self-satisfied to anyone. Independence and autonomy are melded together with wisdom. which earn her a particular topographic point within the Hierarchy of the Gods. Woman today can construe her narratives to state that they can happen a topographic point within the universe while being true to their feelings and non keeping themselves back.
The Greek goddess Athena embodies traits that can be utile to adult female of today such as independency. autonomy. and assertiveness. Her public presentation in undertakings that were traditionally performed by both sexes is testimony to her reluctance to be meek in a patriarchal society. She besides has a good balance of masculine and feminine values. She managed to finish “male” oriented undertakings while staying originative and compassionate. After carefully looking at Athena’s achievements modern adult female can reason that she is a great function theoretical account.
Plants Cited
Harris. Stephen L. and Platzner. Gloria. Classical Mythology: Images and Penetrations.
Mountain View: Mayfield 2001
Hathaway. Nancy. The Friendly Guide to Mythology. Harmondsworth: Penguin 2001
