Gods and Goddesses as a Personal Reflection of Ourselves

Learning about Greek mythology as a student makes a reader wonder curiously about how Greek mythological gods and goddesses stories could relate to the daily lives of humans and the personalities they accommodate. However, it may seem like an odd thing to do Carl Jung, a Swiss Psychotherapist, and Psychologist, explain how gods and goddesses are actually a reflection of ourselves. Personally, Poseidon, the god of the sea, portrays my personality negatively out of all of the Greek gods and goddesses, while Aphrodite represents the daddy's little girl in me.

Qualities that I share with Poseidon are having a very low temper, being a sore loser, and the reflex to always be ready to cause chaos for anyone who dares to defy him. In the story of the Odyssey, the Greeks were not thankful for the support given by the gods, and Athena asked Poseidon, "Give the Greeks a bitter homecoming. Stir up your waters with wild whirlwinds when they sail. Let dead men choke the bays and line the shores and reefs," and Poseidon agreed to do this (pg. 292). Poseidon and I can not stand people who are not grateful and who take the fame for themselves. In a similar situation, if I were to help someone study for a test and only congratulate themselves when they get a good score, I would never help them again. Another instance of when Poseidon showed negative qualities is when Poseidon and Athena competed to be the protector of Athens, but Athena won, making Poseidon punish the people by sending a disastrous flood. (pg. 396). Poseidon shows how big of a sore loser he is, resembling any human being out there. Similarly, how I would react, he felt the decision was unjust and deposed the people who disagreed with him. Poseidon portrays a lot of negative qualities, such as a low temper and being a sore loser.

Comparing a mere human to a god seems out of proportion because gods have and humans don't. People wouldn't put themselves on the same level as a god. Although humans do not have the ability to possess powers, gods still reflect the personality traits practiced every day.

Qualities that I share with Aphrodite is that she gets what she wants with a snap of her finger. In the story of Adonis, an abundance of Greek girls wanted him, and one of those girls was Aphrodite; she was able to get him, but she had to share with Persephone (pg. 118). Every girl wanted Adonis, and who other than the Goddess of Love would get the chance to be with him. Just like when my brother and I are fighting over the tv, my dad would make it surrender. Another instance of where Aphrodite got what she wanted to the best of her abilities is the story of when Paris had to decide who to give the golden apple to between Hera, Pallas Athena, and Aphrodite, and in the end, he chose Aphrodite started the Trojan War (pg. 255). Once again, Aphrodite got what she wanted because of her beauty. Lots of women try to sway men using their looks and usually succeed in their plans; I use my little girl's features to get what I want. Aphrodite portrays the spoiled little girl in me.

People could argue that Aphrodite would not be a Greek goddess they would choose to represent themselves because they do not like to point out the bad qualities that are incorporated in their personalities. People say that they are not spoiled and that they do not get whatever they want because they are not gods. Those people are looking at the comparison from the wrong point of view; just like any girl wanting something, they would use any clever plan to get what they want.

Greek mythologies, gods, and goddesses are the real archetypes of human beings in modern-day society; our traits reflect theirs. Although current humans share lots of traits with multiple gods and goddesses, Poseidon and Aphrodite have a lot in common with me. It is quite interesting how closely relatable people in current times are with gods and goddesses that possess powers no human could ever have.

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