The Parallels Between Goddess Characteristics and the Societies That Worshipped Them

Abstract

Throughout the history of religious beliefs there has been at least one major theme: human beings create deities in the image of themselves. In Greek mythology Zeus was portrayed as an unfaithful husband with a jealous and vengeful wife, Hera, who was also the powerful queen of the gods. In Egyptian mythology Isis was portrayed as the almighty mother goddess that was so devoted to her husband Osiris, that she dedicated herself to finding his deceased body twice in order to bear him a son. In both mythologies the goddess is seen having immense power, yet she is devoted to her husband even when that devotion does not serve her. Since human beings create deities with human characteristics, there must be a correlation between these goddesses and how the culture of that time viewed women. The next step is to see why these characteristics were chosen to be exemplified in the goddesses that were worshipped. This research will attempt to demonstrate the parallels between the belief of mythical deities and the culture during which these gods and goddesses were believed in. More specifically, how women were viewed in society during that cultural time period, and that view being mirrored into their goddesses’ character