Analyzing pg. 33 (A bit of foreshadowing)

The page I picked was not at all random. I came across it while reading, not looking for a page to analyze.  Perhaps it was the fates leading me to that page, knowing of the trials yet to come. As we move from the beginning of all things to the initiation, a common theme begins to form. What we find when we look at the trials and tribulations that mark an ‘initiation,’ we see that the trails are not the end goal in and of themselves. The reason behind the trial is the reward and comradely that follows after completing the trial.

We see this on pg. 33 of “The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony.” Dionysus has just drugged and raped Aura, a mighty huntress, and left her impregnated with twins. Aura is furious with Dionysus and tries to have the children killed when they are born. Dionysus then calls upon the help of Nikaia.

Nikaia is a former victim of Dionysus; she too was drugged and raped by Dionysus and left with a child. Like Aura, Nikaia was a great huntress and killed any man who dared to try to seduce her. Dionysus now comes to her and asks for her help to save the child of his evil deeds. While many would never help the person who committed such boundless evils against us, Nikaia doesn’t. Calasso gives a slight glimpse as to why, “…now Nikaia would be able to see that another huntress had come to the same sorry end. Now she could take comfort, Dionysus said, in the thought that she formed part of a divine order.” We see in Nikaia the same thing we see in all groups that have a rite of passage, a form of comradely.  It may seem sick or sadistic when we think of this, Nikaia is getting joy out of watching another go through the same horror that she endured, but it is how we all feel and what we expect to become ‘one of us.’ When we watch underclassmen of the same major struggle through the classes we went through (PHSX 261) we experience the same thing, we see their struggles as a rite of passage, as a coming of age, earning their stripes. While in the middle of the trial we may see things as pointless and dismal, once we’re clear we can see how the tribulation was shaping us and making us better. After the darkness we know that we could never have accomplished all that we’ve done if it had avoided the challenge.

This is even clearer when we look at the name of Nikaia’s child; “Teleté which means ‘initiation,’ ‘ultimate achievement.’” The child is proof of her initiation into the ‘divine order.’ Nikaia has overcome the immense obstacle before her and arrived on the other side stronger because of it, so much so that she names her child ‘ultimate achievement.’

Same Story Different Myth

As we listen to the different myths from cultures all around the world, we can’t help but notice a pattern. Similar ideas repeated again and again, ideas that go beyond culture or geological boundaries. In light of these similarities we can’t help but wonder why are these myths so similar? What caused them to have so many parallel themes? I would like to share with you one theory that I have found somewhat plausible.

John Hick is a well-received philosopher of religion and in his book ‘An Interpretation of Religion: Human Responses to the Transcendent’ he tries to give an explanation of why we have so many different religions (myths). Hick argues that there is a ‘divine’ being, but Hick insists that this divine being is not separate from the world nor is it one with the world; it is neither monotheistic nor polytheistic. This divine thing is something completely different from all of our understandings of divinity. Hick proposes that humanity has come into contact with this divine thing throughout history, the differences in religion (myth) arise because of the peoples different cultural past. 

To Hick if this divine thing makes contact with a group of people, the way they understand or interoperate this contact is largely depended on their culture. Even though all the people are coming into contact with the same thing, because they have different cultural pasts, they understand or explain the divine differently. According to Hick, every myth is equally right, and equally wrong. This is why so many myths have comparable elements; they are similar because they stem from the same divine thing, the discrepancies arise from the different cultural encounters with the divine thing. 

While I personally think that this theory does have some crucial flaws, it still does seem to be a reasonable explanation of the facts. What do you think? What best explains why myths are so similar?

Creation

The Mandé creation myth; a summery.

Creator god, Mangala makes an egg. The egg explodes. Mangala tries again, with two sets of twins, one male and one female. One of the male twins, Pemba, escapes and grabs part of the placenta and that became the earth, but it’s completely baron. Pemba tries to return to the egg, but the egg became the sun. Pemba steals some seeds from Mangala and tries to make the earth less baron. It doesn’t work. Pemba’s twin brother, Faro, sacrifices himself and is cut into sixty pieces and scattered over the earth. Faro is then resurrected and put in human form and sent in an ark to earth with eight other people. The people do a rain dance and a great flood comes and cleans the earth.

The End

2 for 1 Special !!!

Today's blog comes to you in two parts! Part one last week’s blog, musees, or muses, or musi, I don't know. Part two, this week’s blog "Tree Hugging 101."

Part 1:
We're supposed to invoke the graces of the muses, to inspire us to write masterful blogs that rival the works of Homer, or Ovid. But...to what muse do I sacrifice my fattened calf? Calliope? While I do strive to make my works rival Homan and Ovid, a series of blog posts hardly seem like an epic poem. Clio? History doesn’t appear to be the right category either. Urania? The lack of stars put this outside of her jurisdiction. Perhaps Thalia? While this meager blog could be considered by many a laughing stalk, a comedy has the intent to make people laugh. Terpsichore? Trust me it’s better for everyone if I don’t dance. Erato? I have yet to woo a woman by my rhyme and verse; I believe it is safe to say that Erato has abandoned me. What about the beautiful Polyhymnia? If she heard me sing this blog would end rather abruptly. Last but not least would Melpomene come to my aid? Out of all the fair muses it looks as if Melpomene is the best suited muse to aid me. Tragedies star young promising heroes who reach for the stars and fall into the deep abyss of Hates. If any fate is most probably for our young hero, this seems the most likely.

Part 2: Tree Hugging 101
Here I provide with step by step instructions of how to hug a tree.

1)      Find a friendly tree, try to avoid Evergreens.

2)      Introduce yourself, but avoid being too friendly. (You don’t want to scare them away)

3)      Once the tree lowers its guard, go in for the hug!

4)      If the tree tries to push away don’t let go!

5)      If the tree now tries to kill you, odds are you hugged a whomping willow.  (Your fault not mine)

If you’re still alive you’ve just passed Tree Hugging 101! Now you only need one more hippy credit to graduate with your liberal arts degree.