Parent Child Relationship in Greek Mythology Essay

It is inferred that the parents should take care of their children and have their best interest at heart. This however, is not the case in Greek and Roman mythology. The killing of ones own children, or filicide, was not viewed as negative upon in their era. The contemporary times contrast with the ancient Greek and Roman’s because it was justified to use any means necessary to obtain a higher status. The Greeks and Romans valued keeping a high social reputation and having respect for those of great power. The motherly union between their children conflict with the reality that the father strives to retain or gain control. These circumstances cause a tense bond between the members of the family. The strained parent to child relationship in†¦show more content†¦Knowing that having the kingdom would make his name great throughout the nation, Pelias struggled to keep it however way possible. This patriarchal love for control in turn leads to a discord of the family, espe cially between the child and father. In contrast to the father, the mother had a connection with their children, often leading to an overthrow of the husband. This materialistic love is easily shown in the myth of Demeter and Persephone. â€Å" The joy of Demeter’s eternal lifetime was her daughter, Persephone, whom she had borne to Zeus â€Å" ( Rosenberg Demeter 94). After Persephone was taken away, Demeter became infuriated and even â€Å" withdrew her life sustaining powers,.. she broke the plows, killed oxen, and caused the earth to shrivel† ( Rosenberg Demeter 96). Seen from Demeter’s reaction to the situation, the bond between mother and child was very strong compared to that of the father. When Persephone returns, she takes comfort in her mother rather than her father. Children usually took the mother’s side and went against their father’s will. In the creation myth of the Greeks, there were two generations in which the mother wanted to protect her children from the grasps of the father. Gaea was afraid of what Uranus would do to their fearful children, and sought to protect them ( Rosenberg Creation 86). The wives of Cronus and Uranus both schemed the overthrow of their husbands,Show MoreRelatedThe Relationships Between Parents and Children in Greek and Roman Myths1422 Words   |  6 Pagesinvolving the relationships between parents and children, Greek and Roman myths show us that at one point in time, incest was considered socially acceptable. Many Greek and Roman myths contain twisted relationships between parents and children. These twisted relationships can be broken into three different categories: mothers and sons that have exceptionally strong bonds, parents that are threatened by their children, and the betrayal of parents or children. 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