Memo To My Future Self

MEMORANDUM

To:	46-year old Katlin
From:	36-year-old Katlin
CC:	Professor
Date:	December 4, 2019
Re:	Nonverbal Communication

As my first semester at (University) winds down, I find myself reflecting on the many concepts covered in my Nonverbal Communications class as they apply to my marriage.  It is my expectation that, in a decade, (Husband) and I will still be married.  I know that nothing happens in a vacuum, though, so I want to remind you of key concepts that will strengthen your marriage. 

I want to first mention how our bodies move through space.  It is important to be aware of posture, eye behavior, and facial expressions when having a serious discussion with (Husband).  As you have already seen, how you hold your body has a definite impact on the conversation.  Arms folded across your chest can signal aggression, though it can also mean that you are hurting.  Uncrossing your arms and relaxing your stance goes a long way to alleviate tension in the room.  Defensive postures can inhibit effective communication and add tension to the discussion.  Wildly gesticulating during a tense conversation can also be inappropriate.  You don’t want to look nervous or defensive when you’re trying to talk to him, so keeping an eye on your emotional displays as they relate to the moment can only improve the conversation.  

Touch is another very important aspect to remember.  You know that (Husband)’s love language is physical touch. Don’t be stingy with hugs and kisses, as affection will have a positive effect on his emotional well-being.  In a marriage, touch is essential to the maintaining the intimate relationship.  It is important to clasp his hand when he reaches for you and to initiate.  Holding hands in public identifies that you are together and speaks his love language. In private, initiate touch and linger.  Touch tells him nonverbally that you love him, whether that be through a quick back massage, holding his hand, kisses, or even just hugs.  You don’t want him to become starved for touch as that could lead to marital problems. If he seeks “touch for hire,” it is possible that he will start to become resentful.  

As you reflect on this class from 10 years in the future, I hope that you will remember these keys to marital success through nonverbal communication.  Self-awareness is a challenge but an important one as you move through the world. Who you are and what you stand for is largely communicated nonverbally. It is important to be mindful of these concepts when relating to your spouse because they can make the difference between a happy marriage and a strained one. You want to be purposeful as you emote. Keeping this memo in mind will change your interactions for the better.  I guarantee it!

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Grade: 30/30
Professor Comments:Best wishes for a long and loving life with (Husband).

Sassy at Any Plus Size: How Weight Affects Perception Nonverbally

In 1977, a researcher named Lambros Kerris conducted a study where he sent two groups of men to 11 apartments that were for rent.  One of the men was obese, but the remaining five were average build. Out of the 11 apartments visited, 5 landlords refused to rent to the obese man, three increased the rent, and two said the apartment had already been rented (Moore, Hickson, & Stacks, 2010, pp. 142-143). This is not a unique story.  In her book, “Fat Shame: Stigma and the Fat Body in American Culture,” Amy Farrell (2011) discusses how a sorority at DePauw University was struggling for membership and was visited by their leadership to attempt to correct the problem.  Several members of the sorority were removed from active membership, placed on alumnae status, many claiming it was because they were fat, ethnic, or looked different from the stereotypical sorority girl (long blonde hair, thin, attractive, etc.).  After successfully protesting, the university removed the sorority chapter from campus for being discriminatory (Farrell, 2011, p. 6). 

Fat people move through a world that tells them, both verbally and nonverbally, that being fat is bad and somehow shameful.  In her TEDTalk on thin privilege, Madison Krall (2017) noted that 50% of adults surveyed would rather give up a year of their life than be obese.  Moore, Hickson, and Stacks (2010) note, “Because people can control their body weight and physical fitness, it is a popular assumption that body type is a message about individuals’ personalities and their interests” (p. 141). As a society, we have stigmatized our waistlines and, as a result, we have stigmatized fat people.  We have created a world where it is socially acceptable to stigmatize and demean fat people.  Fat is bad, therefore fat people are bad.  Being fat has become a stigma, with Moore, Hickson, and Stacks (2010) noting, “Stigmatization can have dramatic negative effects on an individual.” (p. 153) So, not only do we fat shame verbally and nonverbally, but often, this fat shaming is concealed as a concern for health and is completely counter productive. 

Fat shaming is nothing new.  Since the dawn of the nation, fat people have been mocked and derided in advertisements, postcards, and cartoons.  Fat people were portrayed as dumb, weak-willed, lazy, gluttonous, immoral, and even primitive.  They are less likely to be hired or get promotions, with a whopping 93% of Human Resource professionals admitting that they were less likely to hire a fat candidate even if the fat and “normal” candidate had the exact same qualifications (Krall, 2017).  Brewis, Hruschka, and Wutich (2011) note that being fat “often takes the form of a master status in that it appears to trump other aspects of self in the creation of social identities and hence the experience of stigma” (p. 491).

Until the late 19^th century, “only the privileged – in terms of wealth and health – could become fat.” (Farrell, 2011, p. 18) That all changed as food production increased and occupations became more sedentary in the early 20^th century.  Historians put the beginning of the diet industry in the 1920’s, but Farrell (2011) believes that fat shaming began much earlier, noting that it had been associated with slavery and racism, in addition to extreme wealth, as early as the American Civil War, and that diet ads have surfaced in magazines dating back to the late 19^th century.  Indeed, fat women were used in anti-suffragist material pre-dating the diet industry by more than 20 years, portraying the suffragette as a greedy, fat woman who wants it all, and, in some documents, blurred the lines between size and race, giving black features to white skinned cartoons of fat women to portray them as less civilized (pp. 17-23).

Over time, these cartoonish depictions of the fat body as a source of moral deficiency became an unstoppable stigma that has far-reaching consequences, both for the fat person and for the person stigmatizing the fat body.  In a 2011 study done by Lewis, Thomas, Blood, Castle, Hyde, and Komesaroff, overweight women were surveyed for their experiences with fat stigmas.  Women consistently reported that many of the judgements about their personality were based on stigmas surrounding their weight.  One woman in that study reported that her family advised her to lose weight so she would be taken seriously as a medical professional.  Another was told by her boss that her weight was affecting her work as a web developer.  Several told of encounters with judgmental sales staff while clothing shopping who made it clear that they were not welcome in that space (pp. 1349-1356).

While the most studied group of fat people is women, they are not the only victims of fat shaming.  In a study on weight stigma of men, Pearl and Wadden (2018) noted that “approximately 40% or more of men across three samples reported having experienced weight-based stigmatization” (p. 949)  Another study on weight stigma of men by Himmelstein, Puhl, and Quinn (2018) noted that, while both genders feel weight stigma as their BMI increases, men are unique in that they perceive stigma at both ends of the weight spectrum, being underweight as well as being overweight. The study concluded that the men experience weight stigma as often as women do, according to national statistics, even if women get the lion’s share of the attention (p. 974).  There is strong evidence to suggest that fat shaming of men is also systemic and has a strong nonverbal message as well, especially since the authors of the study noted unfair treatment and discrimination as secondary and tertiary examples of weight-based discrimination in men. 

Brewis, Hruschka, & Wutich (2011) found no link between perceived judgements and actual judgements, noting:

For individuals with a BMI of 25, the judgements of non-close (relationships) have no detectable influence on target’s perceptions, and they are perceived on average as providing a rating of 0.61 (where 4 = most judgmental). Close (relationships) who actually provide a rating of 0.0 (no judgement) are also judged as providing a rating of approximately 0.61 (some judgement).

This research into perception of fat shaming is further discussed in Himmelstein, et. al. (2018), who stated, “The most common sources of weight stigma across developmental periods were peers (61%), family members (41.7%), and strangers (35.7%).”  So even if there is no judgement being made, as Brewis stated was the more likely case, the fat people in the study still felt like they were being fat shamed by those that love them. 

Fat shaming is so accepted in our culture that even among medical professionals, a whopping 40% of doctors polled had some kind of weight bias, admitting to using terms like “weak willed,” “ugly,” or “awkward” to describe their obese patients (Krall, 2017).  Fat people are less likely to feel that their concerns were addressed by medical professionals than their more average sized peers.  Frequently, doctors will advise overweight or obese patients to lose weight without investigating further.  A full 24% of nurses polled stated that they were “repulsed” by the idea of an obese patient (Krall, 2017).  More than half of the 620 primary care doctors surveyed described obese patients as “awkward, unattractive, ugly, and unlikely to comply with treatment” (Brown, 2010), which is important to note because doctors who don’t believe a patient will comply with treatment will treat them differently than patients they believe WILL comply.  “The cultural stigma surrounding fatness inhibits our ability to think clearly about health issues… headlines that scream ‘obesity epidemic,’ can quickly become justification for discrimination against fat people” (Farrell, 2011, p. 11)

Fat shaming goes beyond what is said and bleeds into what isn’t said.  Frequently, fat shaming is disguised as a “health concern” and well-meaning people tell fat people that they need to pursue the old standard of exercise regularly and restrictive eating to lose weight, which is supposed to make the fat person healthier.  However, the science states that this method of fat shaming has the exact opposite effect. 

Little evidence exists, however, that stigmatizing obesity promotes weight loss.  In fact, among overweight individuals, experiencing weight-based stigmatization is associated with greater reports of maladaptive eating habits, increased motivation to avoid exercise, and poorer weight loss outcomes among adults in a weight loss program.  Furthermore, experimentally activating weight stereotypes decreased overweight women’s self-efficacy for exercise and dietary control. (Major, Hunger, Bunyan, & Miller, 2013, p. 74) 

Linda Bacon and Amee Severson (2019) agree, saying, “Even a quick glance at the weight research shows that, despite decades of trying, there is no evidence that efforts to prevent or reverse ‘obesity’ are successful. In fact, there’s much evidence to suggest that the prescription for weight loss is more likely to result in physical harm and weight gain” (p. 3). Bacon and Severson argued that fat shaming doesn’t decrease obesity because it focuses on the individual as having moral deficits that keep them fat, rather than focus on the systemic inequalities that keep them fat, like food security, access to healthcare, and social support. 

Farrell expanded on this by discussing a study performed at U.C. Davis, in which two groups of fat women (described as having a BMI over 25) were divided into two groups: The first group would receive traditional diet-and-exercise advice, while the second group would receive coaching in exercising for fun, eating a healthy diet, listening to their bodies, and support from a fat positive group.  Over the course of the two-year study, half of the women in the first group dropped out, and the self-esteem of the remaining women fell through the floor.  They all managed to lose weight initially, but most gained it back by the end of the study.  Their metabolic numbers also did not change much, indicating that the gold standard of health was not achieved.  The group of women that received the fat acceptance model largely stayed with the study for the full two years.  Although they didn’t lose any weight, their metabolic numbers dramatically improved, and they were happier, defying the notion that one needs to be thin to be healthy.  (Farrell, 2011, pp. 11-12)

Fat shaming is so common that people are told, both verbally and nonverbally, by family, friends, and even medical professionals, that they are lesser because they are overweight. Despite the overwhelming evidence that traditional fat shaming produces the opposite results as intended, and that fat people can actually be healthier than their “mesomorphic” counterparts, our society continues to pass judgement on fat people, as if their waistline is in any way indicative of their worth as a person.  In the last few decades, the “Fat Acceptance” movement has started gaining hold, and research is starting to indicate that one doesn’t need to be a size two to be healthy.  We are still a long way from ending fat shaming in the Western world on a systemic level.  As Moore, Hickson, and Stacks (2010) concluded: “Stigmas are often difficult to overcome through physical change. (…) Physical appearance communicates ‘meaning,’ and many stereotypes are based on our first impressions of others’ body shape and body image (pp. 155-156).”

Until we are prepared to accept that physical appearance isn’t an indication of health, and being fat isn’t a personality defect, we will continue stigmatizing fat bodies and the people who inhabit them.

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grade: 20/20
Professor comments: What a pleasant read, Ms. (Katlin). With some dusting and tweaks, this would be student paper conference worthy. Let me know if you want to present that. :)

Com 317 - Paper Proposal

  Sassy at Any Size:

How Weight Affects Perception Nonverbally.

            America is obsessed with weight.  There seems to be an endless supply of new diets, new apps to help track eating habits, watches that tell if you have exercised or not, and new subscriptions to at home workout videos.  We are inundated with images of flat stomachs, delicate hip curves, and told that our value is determined by the size of our waist.  We are told that we need to be thin to be beautiful and sexy.  When someone enjoys their body without limits, it is seen as subversive, against the grain, and even shameful.  Americans shun and put down the people struggling with their weight, often openly, leading to an uptick in depression and poor body image among overweight individuals.  As stated on page 143 of the fifth edition of our text, “obese people are among the few against whom it remains socially acceptable to hold prejudices” (Moore, Hickson, & Stacks, 2010, p. 143). 

I’ve been naturally skinny for most of my life, a combination of good genes, a bad thyroid, and a previously undiagnosed case of Bipolar Disorder.  My husband has not had the same experience, as he has been overweight and chubby for most of his life.  My husband (and many of my amazing friends) call it “fat.”  The book calls it “Endomorphic” (2010, p. 140).  Either way, I have always been curious about the experience of an overweight person from a social science perspective.  What are some of our judgements about size as it relates to our experience moving through life?  How is judgement about body size, and indeed body shaming, to a large extent, transmitted nonverbally?  Until I read the text on this, I was completely unaware of the subtleties of how people communicate disapproval of body size nonverbally. 

Obese people are frequently seen as lazy, with lower IQs, than people with a more “mesomorphic” body size (2010, p.140).  They are frequently denied apartments, jobs, and, a study by C. S. Crandall in our text, indicated that heavier students received less financial support from their families than average sized students (Crandall, 1991).  Medical professionals are more likely to recommend weight loss for symptoms of an illness when the patient is overweight, causing a disconnect between patient and doctor when the patient’s BMI isn’t within “normal” range.  Clothing manufacturers don’t typically support larger sizes outside of specialty stores.  Overweight people are routinely treated to backhanded compliments about how attractive they would be if only they lost a few pounds. 

Being heavy (or fat, as my overweight friends call themselves) is viewed as a choice in our society.  “If only they had chosen NOT to eat dessert, they wouldn’t be fat… If they went to the gym… If they only cared about their health more.”  Health has become the standard narrative for criticism.  But what about what people say with their nonverbal communication?  What about sideways glances at overweight people eating out? Or whispers, laughing, and pointing?  “Body Shaming” happens even when a fat person attempts to take control of their weight.  When a fat person goes to the gym, they’re shamed for not being in shape, as if they’re supposed to lose the weight before joining the gym, rather than after joining, like everyone else.  It is more socially acceptable to publicly shame and degrade fat people as they walk through the world than it is to be humble and recognize that perhaps there is a medical reason for their weight.  While there is also a stigma on people seen as too thin, I am choosing to focus on overweight people and the way we react to them nonverbally.  

Efforts to combat body shaming and include larger people into the national discussion on health are slow going.  Inclusivity, regardless of size, is still considered a radical opinion.  Gone are the days when only peasants were thin.  Now, an average build is seen as a status symbol, one that indicates worthiness in the world, just by existing at a certain weight.  I plan to expand on the idea that much of society views fat as bad, including our own family and friends, and how that message is transmitted.  I plan to focus on the nonverbal ways that we tell fat people to be ashamed of themselves.  I have a lot of thin privilege and I’m ready to break down those stereotypes to help understand my loved ones and their experience in the world better. 

Works Cited

Crandall, C. (1991). Do heavy-weight students have more difficulty paying for college? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17, 606-611.

Moore, N.-J., Hickson, M., & Stacks, D. W. (2010). Nonverbal Communication: Studies and Applications (Fifth ed.). New York, New York, United States: Oxford University Press, Inc.

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Grade: 8.9/10

Professor Comments: Wow - Keen topic and approach. Very strong writing skills overall.  Citation and style requires a review to follow them.  I look forward to your next paper and what I can learn!

"My Dear Aunt Sally" paper - ROUGH DRAFT

Math 151
Summer 2019

Dear Aunt Sally –

               

          I am glad to hear that your garden is growing so well and that the dog hasn’t given you any trouble.  As you know, I am taking a College Algebra course this summer.  I am learning all kinds of interesting things about mathematical relationships. We are specifically focused on learning different types of functions.  A function is a kind of relationship, where one thing equals only one other value. 

It’s like when you go shopping sales.  Let’s say you found Cheerios on sale for $3.99 per box, the relationship between the box’s individual cost, how many boxes you would buy, and your total cost would be a function.  See, the number of boxes you would buy is known as an independent variable, which we can represent as just the letter x.  It is also an independent variable, or just an input.  We know that every box is $3.99, which is a constant, because the price stays the same no matter how many boxes of Cheerios you buy.  The final cost is your dependent variable, or output, (which can be written as f(x) or “f of x” as we call it in class) because it depends on how many boxes you buy. 

This can be represented by the equation f(x)=3.99x, where 3.99 is the cost per box, x is the number of boxes, and f(x) or Y is the total cost.  In my Algebra class, we would have called this kind of a function a “one-to-one” function, which means that each x value, or the number of boxes you buy, is equal to only one cost. If you buy one box, it is $3.99.  If you buy 2 boxes, it is $7.98 and so on.  You will not pay $7.98 for only one box or for three or more boxes.  You will only ever pay $7.98 for two boxes.  No more, no less. 

We’re also learning how to graph various functions on a graph, and what that means.  There are many ways that we can graph a function, but the most common way to graph a line is by x- and y-intercept.  This is the point where the line passes the x-axis (or y-axis) on a graph. Another way to say this is that it is the value of x when y is zero, or vice versa.  If you bought zero boxes of cheerios, you would spend $0, so the line would include a point where zero equals zero or the point (0,0) where the first 0 is the number of boxes (or x) and the second value (the y value) is how much it cost total, which is also 0.  Another point on the graph would be (2, $7.98) and (3, $11.97) and so on.  The total x values, the values {0, 1, 2, 3…}, represent the “domain” of the function.  The domain is the set of all of the input variables as a list.  The range is the set of all outputs, so {3.99, 7.98, 11.97…).  With the cereal relationship, the graph starts at 0 boxes for $0, then one box for $3.99, two for $7.98, three for $11.97 and so on.  This creates a straight line up the graph at a 90-degree angle from the point of origin.  We would call this a linear function because it makes a straight line!

There are many kinds of relationships in math, and especially as they relate to functions, but I fear that I have already bored you to tears.  I look forward to your next correspondence!

Love,

Katlin <3

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Score: 10/10
Professor Comments: Hi (Katlin), great job on this rough draft. This is really a very good submission even for a final draft. There are a couple of things you could do to improve your letter. Maybe provide a picture of the cereal box graph that you describe. Or possibly, provide a second real-life example or even a non-example to contrast something that is not a function. Either of these I think would help to solidify the concept for aunt Sally.

Your writing mechanics are great and you clearly understand what is a function. You do make a reference to a one-to-one function which is not correct so revisit that statement. Overall, you have a really solid letter already.

I hope this helps you focus your final draft. I have added full credit for the rough draft (quiz grade). Good job!

Misunderstood Medusa - An HMC 210 PowerPoint Project

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Grade: 75/75

Professor Comments: Good!

No More Term Papers for Spring 2019

:: CONTENT NOTE ::

There won't be any additional term papers for Spring 2019.  I have a PowerPoint that I am waiting for a grade before I post (nothing here is posted without a grade), but there won't be any more term papers.

Per my Mythology Professor:

HMC210 Week 15
Posted on: Thursday, April 25, 2019 1:54:26 PM MST

Dear Humanities Students: 
Thank you to all of the students who have completed the Course Evaluation!  The evaluations are still available for those of you who haven’t had a chance to complete one.  You can earn 15 extra credit points for submitting the evaluation.  
The Testing Centers are especially busy the end of the semester, so please remember to make an appointment for your Final Exam (Unit 16).  
Please note that the class ends on Thursday, May 9^th.  You will not be able to take the final or turn in any assignments after the 9^th.  If you cannot take your final exam on a weekday and would like to take it on a Saturday, then you will need to schedule an appointment for Saturday, May 4th.      Please note that the Final Essay Exam (Unit 15) is an optional assignment.  You are not required to complete it as I will drop your lowest essay exam score.
-If you received an “A” or a “B” on your Midterm Essay Exam, then you do not need to complete the Final Essay Exam.  You have mastered the outcomes as listed in your syllabus so you do not need to write a second essay.  (The Final Exam Essay will be marked as “exempt” and no score will appear in your grade book.)
-If you received a “C” or less on the Midterm Essay Exam, then you have the option of turning in a Final Essay Exam as it may raise your final grade.  (In the unlikely event that your score is lower on your Final Essay, I will count the higher score.)
-If you were unable to turn in your Midterm Essay Exam and received a “zero,” then I strong recommend you complete the Final Essay Exam.
-The Final Essay Exam may not replace the Classical Mythology Project as these assignments are very different.
Here’s a list of upcoming due dates:

• Unit 14 (Reading and Videos) – due Sunday 4/28

• Unit 15 (Final Exam – Essay questions) – optional assignment due Sunday 5/5

• Finals, Unit 16 (Final Exam – Testing Center) – available 4/29 – 5/9/19   

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.   Professor (name redacted)

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I am not sure when I will have a course with term papers again, but I will keep this blog open just in case anything comes around.

Course Schedule

Summer 2019:

• College Algebra (Math 151)

Fall 2019:

• Brief Calculus (Math 210) 
• Introduction to Computer Science (ACO 101)
• Nonverbal Communication (Com 317) 

HMC 210 - Midterm Essays

Question 1 -  Discuss the major similarities and differences between Minoans on Crete and the Mycenaeans on the Greek mainland.  Use specific examples and descriptions of myths, art, and architecture to support your answers. Also, what contributions were made by Heinrich Schliemann and Sir Arthur Evans?

               The Minoans settled Crete in the Early Bronze Age (about 3000-2000 B.C.E.) but the society reached their heyday around 1600-1400 B.C.E. with the construction of the Palace of Minos at Cnossus, first excavated first by Sir Arthur Evans in the late 19^th century/early 20^th century.  The artifacts from Crete show that the Minoans had “a highly developed sense of religion” (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 41) with heavy importance placed on the use of bulls in ritual, the presence of a serpent goddess, and the significance of a double axe, called a labrys.  The palace had no walls, indicating that the inhabitants probably relied on their abilities as seafarers for their military strength, but it’s intricate, winding paths potentially gave rise to the myth of the labyrinth.  Indeed, the artifact “Snake Goddess” (Snake Goddess from the Palace at Cnossos) depicts a bare-breasted woman holding a snake in each hand.  This figure is wearing an elaborate skirt and headdress.  Discovered by Sir Arthur Evans in 1903, it is largely believed that this figure represents an earth-based, mother-goddess worship.  There are similar figurines also recovered that have snakes curling up around the mother-goddess figure, lending itself to the idea that snakes were somehow important to the culture.  However, scientists haven’t thus far been able to decipher the meaning of the iconography.

               Around the same time as the height of Minoan civilization, Indo-Europeans arrived in mainland Greece and became the first Greek civilization, called the Mycenaeans.  The Myceneans were a soldier city state, discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in the late 19^th century.  “I have looked on the face of Agamemnon,” said Schliemann when he first uncovered the gold treasures in the shaft graves of the main complex at Mycenae (Classical Mythology: Its Origins and Impact), including a gold death mask.  Heavily fortified walls dominate the landscape of the citadel, said to have been so “huge and monumental” that legend stated they were built by the Cyclopes of mythology (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 44).

               What Schliemann discovered when he excavated the site at Mycenae was that the mainland inhabitants of Mycenae had learned a lot from the Minoans on Crete.  The art, palaces, and pottery are strikingly similar, indicating that the two cultures were influencing each other.  Despite their similarities, there are striking differences between the two cultures.  As described above, the Myceneans were a soldier culture with heavily fortified city walls, while the Minoans relied more on their Naval abilities to protect themselves.  The Myceneans also worshipped a singular sky god (believed to be Zeus), while the Minoans are thought to be a female goddess-based culture.  Clay tablets with cuneiform writing have been discovered in great quantity at various Mycenean sites, with translations indicating that this culture was the first to worship the classical Greek gods as we know them.   

Archaeologists have conducted excavations on the nearby island of Thera (presently Santorini) proving that there was a massive earthquake in the region and subsequent volcanic eruption that potentially explains the downfall of the Minoan civilization.  This is only one of many possible reasons for the end to their society, including war with Mycenaean people. 

Question 2 - Contrast the character, activities, and influence of Poseidon and Athena.  Refer to at least one myth and at least one work of art/architecture for each god/goddess, for a total of four or more specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Poseidon and Athena, at first glance, have very little in common.  Poseidon was amorous; Athena chaste. Poseidon ruled the sea; Athena was the goddess of weaving and crafts.  Poseidon a god of fertility; Athena the goddess of virginity.  However, both were the deities of war, and both vied for control of Attica.

Poseidon is detailed in our text as being “a majestic, bearded figure… generally more severe and rough (than brother Zeus) to illustrate his tempestuous nature” (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 168). In the Mosaic “Neptune in his Chariot” (Neptune in His Chariot), we see that Poseidon is presented as an older man, with wild hair and a long beard.  He is athletically fit and bearing his trident, a symbol of his sea-bearing nature, given to him (in one myth) by the Cyclopes, in his left hand, and what appears to be a fish in his right hand.  Driving his chariot through the waves are four horses, leaping out of the sea.  To his left is a naked sea nymph, who is holding one of the reigns, and to his right is a Triton.

Poseidon was said to be able to control the waves of the ocean, and Greek seafarers prayed to him for safe passage (Poseidon: Master of the Seas). According to mythology, Poseidon was the result of the union between Rhea and Cronus.  Cronus had been given a prophecy that said the son of this union would rise to overthrow the father.  As a result, Cronus ate any child that Rhea presented to him.  Fearing the lives of her children, Rhea presented her husband with a foal instead of her son, Poseidon. 

Athena, according to Homer, was born from Zeus’ head, completely grown, wearing full battle dress complete with spear, shield, and helmet (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 176).  “Athena (possessed) the prudence and wisdom of her mother, Metis, but also the intelligence of her father, Zeus” (Athena, Armed Wisdom).  She is considered to be wiser and more rational that her male counterparts.  Our text describes her as “beautiful, with a severe and aloof kind of loveliness that is masculine and striking” (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 187). In the painting “Pallas Athena” by Gustav Klimt (Klimt), we see a figure that is both masculine in features and feminine in details.  The gold war helmet and battle dress are indicative of her status as a goddess of war, while holding a Nike, the symbol of victory, in her right hand.  Her expression is void, and she seems to be staring beyond the viewer. 

In the video “Athena, Armed Wisdom,” it is told that Zeus decided that the gods all needed a city that was “exclusively dedicated to them” (Athena, Armed Wisdom) Athena and Poseidon both laid claim to Attica.  Their king, Cecrops, is summoned as mediator and decides that he will dedicate his city to the god who gives the most useful gift. Poseidon, arrogantly assuming that he will win the contest, throws down his trident and creates a great lake. He then offers the king an invincible war horse, and states that he will give them military victory and entertainment.  Athena bestows an olive tree and offers the city peace and agriculture, stating that the olive tree will feed Attica’s inhabitants for generations.  The people of Attica choose peace over war with the town’s women being the deciding factor.  They rename their city Athens in honor of their chosen deity.  This enrages Poseidon and he threatens to drown the city, until Zeus intervenes and forbids him.

Question 3 -   Select a myth we’ve studied, with a corresponding work of art or architecture, for each of the following common themes in classical mythology.  (Discuss three different myths, one for each theme.) Be sure to support your ideas with specific examples and descriptions.

a.      Didactic

b.      Love (familial or romantic, positive or negative)

                      c.     Entertaining/humorous

In Ancient Greece, myths about gods were used to convey messages to the people.  Some of these myths were told to convey a shared morality, some described love, and still others were purely for entertainment.  These myths carried with them descriptions of the culture in which they were told, as the Greeks believed their deities were like themselves – fallible and emotional, but with superhuman powers and immortality.

The myth of Icarus and his father, Daedalus, is an example of a didactic myth.  This myth has been told time and time again because it is an example of how youthful naivety and arrogance can be fatal.  It cautions young Greeks to listen to their elders, and not fly so close to the sun.  According to the video, “Daedalus and Icarus, A Shattered Dream” (Daedalus and Icarus, A Shattered Dream—The Great Greek Myths), Daedalus had constructed a labyrinth to hold the Minotaur created when King Minos’ wife, Pasiphae, became impregnated by a bull.  However, King Minos trapped Daedalus and his son Icarus in the labyrinth when he assisted Thesus in defeating the Minotaur.  Daedalus, called “a skilled craftsman and inventor” in our text, (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 601-602) created wings made from bird feathers and wax, to affix to his son and himself so that they could fly out of the labyrinth where they were trapped.  Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sea or the sun, knowing there were dangers involved in this mission.  As soon as they took flight, Icarus ignored his father’s warnings and started flying higher and higher, close to the sun.  This caused the wax on Icarus’ wings to melt, which ultimately lead to his death at sea.  In the painting, “The Fall of Icarus” by Pieter Brueghl the Elder, Icarus is being absorbed by the sea, as the people around the coast continued on with their chores. This is indicative of Ovid’s description of the myth in his writing “Metamorphoses” (Morford, Lenardon and Sham) that the onlookers thought that Icarus and Daedalus flying over must mean that they are gods, and then returned to their work as Icarus fell (Morford, Lenardon and Sham 601).  It indicated that the consequences of ignoring the sage advice of our elders would end in tragedy.

Even among the gods, love did not always end well.  Indeed, many of the love stories in Greek mythology were tragic.  Orpheus is a great example of a myth that details a love story with a tragic ending.  Orpheus fell in love with a wood nymph named Eurydice.  In our text (pp. 384-388), Ovid explains that the God of Marriage, Hymen, was beset with inexplicable problems at the wedding, a sign of bad omens to the union.  In the video “Orpheus, a Hymn of Impossible Love” (Orpheus, A Hymn of Impossible Love—The Great Greek Myths), we learn that, while napping under a tree, a young shepherd named Aristaeus attempted to embrace her.  She woke up and ran to get away, when she was bitten by a snake and killed.  Orpheus then went to the underworld to get her back.  After hearing his impassioned plea, Hades released Eurydice on the condition that Orpheus lead her out and not look at his wife until the light of day fell upon him.  Towards the end of the journey, just before reaching the end, Orpheus looks back upon his wife. She is then taken back into the underworld.  In the marble relief entitled “Orpheus, Eurydice, and Hermes,” we see how the Greeks, and later, the Romans, viewed this tale of star-crossed lovers.  Orpheus looks upon his bride with care and affection, her hand on his shoulder, but she is holding the hand of Hermes behind her back, who is preparing to take her back to the underworld, as Orpheus defied the directions. 

Finally, some Greek myths were just for show.  One such myth is the Birth of Athena.  After getting Metis pregnant, Zeus goads his first wife to shapeshift into a drop of water. Zeus then swallows her. Shortly after, he has a severe headache. Hephaestus comes to Zeus’ aid and cracks his head open with an axe.  Athena then emerges, in full battle regalia. This myth is humorous because it takes aim at the supreme ruler of all Greek gods, Zeus.  He tries to manipulate a situation to benefit himself only to have it backfire in his face, when his assumed son turns out to be Athena.  This myth was so important to the people of Athens that when they built the Parthenon, they carved the myth into the Eastern pediment. My personal favorite of these sculptures, “The Three Goddesses,” was described in the Kahn Academy video entitled “Parthenon sculptures, frieze: 438-432 B.C.E., pediment.” (Phidias) Though headless and largely limbless, the exquisite detail in the sculpture depicting three goddesses at rest during the birth of Athena, just draws me in. From the soft curves to the draping clothing that hugs the form. 

 

Works Cited

Athena, Armed Wisdom. ARTE France. 2015. Documentary Film. <http://fod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=120477>.

Brueghel, the Elder, Pieter. The Fall of Icarus. 1558. Brussels. oil on canvas.

Classical Mythology: Its Origins and Impact. Prod. James Bride. 1999. Educational Video. 16 01 2019. <http://fod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=8972>.

"Daedalus and Icarus, A Shattered Dream—The Great Greek Myths." 05 10 2016. InfoBase Films on Demand. ARTE France. Documentary Film. 27 01 2019. <fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=18515&xtid=120479>.

Klimt, Gustav. Pallas Athena. 1898. Vienna Museum, Vienna. oil on canvas.

Morford, Mark P.O., Robert J. Lenardon and Michael Sham. Classical Mythology. 11th. New York City: Oxford University Press, 2019.

Neptune in His Chariot. Early 2^nd Century. Mosaic.

Orpheus, A Hymn of Impossible Love—The Great Greek Myths. ARTE France. 2016. 08 02 2019. <http://fod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=114927>.

Orpheus, Eurydice, and Hermes. The Altar of the Twelve Gods, Athens. Marble Relief.

Phidias. The Three Goddesses. 432 B.C.E. London. Marble frieze.

Poseidon: Master of the Seas. John McGreevy Productions. 1995. Documentary Film. 17 02 2019. <http://fod.infobase.com/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=32804>.

Snake Goddess from the Palace at Cnossos. 1600 B.C.E. Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. Glazed earthenware figure.

Score: 75/75

Prof comments: MLA - should have been double spaced.