Download English 9 Research Paper April 7, 2010

English 9
Research Paper
April 7, 2010
HERA
Hera’s beautiful appearance was the complete opposite of her ugly personality. Her looks
were no match for her actions of hatred. Hera was conceived from Rhea and Cronus (Pontikis).
She was born at Argos, or the island of Samos (“Hera, Greek Goddess”). Hera was the goddess
of quite a few things. Atsma says that Hera was the goddess of women and marriage and the
goddess of the sky and the starry heavens. Pontikis says that Hera was also goddess of the
calendar year because her nurses were the seasons. Not only was she the goddess of those things,
the article, Hera, Greek Goddess said that she ruled the heavens and Earth and that she was
responsible for existence and the weather and seasons. Also, that the Milky Way was formed
from the milk from Hera’s breasts (“Hera, Greek Goddess”).
Hera was one of the most beautiful goddess. Her large gorgeous eyes founded her animal
symbol, the cow, and the peacock because of its feathers having eyes. The cow was said to
symbolize her protectiveness over her people, and the peacock symbolized her beauty and
immortality (“Hera, Greek Goddess”).
There are countless myths about Hera and Zeus. Not only was she Zeus’ wife, but she
was also his sister (Hamilton 26). Pontikis says she had married Zeus out of sympathy. Another
source stating she had forced him to marry her in a secret ceremony (“Hera, Greek Goddess”).
Another legend says Zeus changed from his human form to get with Hera, but she wouldn’t give
in until he promised to marry her. When married, they got the gift of a garden of golden apples.
They ordered Hesperides and the Drakon Landon to guard it (Atsma). After they got married,
English 9
Research Paper
April 7, 2010
they had the longest honeymoon that lasted for 300 years (“Hera, Greek Goddess”). That’s when
all the problems began.
Hera was madly in love with Zeus. Pontikis stated they had three kids, Ares, Hephaestus,
and Hebe while Atsma agreed they had two of the kids in common, but stated they were Ares,
Hebe, and Eileithyia. Zeus fell in love with plenty of other women than Hera. Out of rage, Hera
did terrible things. She might have been a beautiful woman but she had an ugly personality
(Pontikis). She punished all of the women Zeus had fallen in love with (Hamilton 27). That is
where all of the anger came out.
Hera had turned Io, one of many lovers Zeus had, into a heifer. She tormented her for
quite a while. Io begged for Hera’s forgiveness until she had turned Io back into human (Bolten
83). Alcemene, another one of his lovers, was with child, but Zeus denied it. Hera convinced her
daughter, Eileithya, to mess with her pregnancy (83). Hera might have been a beautiful goddess,
but she was conniving when it came to her lover. She made sure she went out of her way to
torture and make any woman’s life who messed with her man a living hell.
Hera went absolutely mad with the love of her life falling in love with other people. She
convinced all the other gods to go against Zeus. She had them drug him until he was unconscious
and tie him to a bed. When Zeus awakened, he threatened them all with death unless they
released him, but they all just laughed at him, thinking he was helpless (Pontikis). They didn’t
expect him to break loose, but Zeus sprang up and grabbed his thunderbolts. He ambushed Hera
and hung her from the sky with gold chains, tying heavy anvils on her feet, weighing her down.
English 9
Research Paper
April 7, 2010
He left her hanging, literally, all night, moaning in pain (Pontikis). She was there for four days
and nights. The weeping kept Zeus awake and he finally compromised with her. He said he
would release her if she would give him her word to never go against him again (Pontikis).
Of course Hera had her evil side, but there was a time she was nice and helpful to
someone other than herself. Hera accommodated Jason in the quest of the Golden Fleece
(Hamilton 163). She was the protector of heros in the quest. She inspired heroic actions
(Hamilton 27). She was allowed to support him three times within his quest (163). When the
quest began, Hera had wrapped Jason and the ship in a thick mist so they were unseen the whole
trip until they had arrived (164). Danger awaited Jason, so Hera asked Aphrodite’s, the goddess
of love, for help. Aphrodite son, Cupid, convinced the daughter of the Colochian king to fall in
love with Jason so he wouldn’t be harmed (164).
Despite all of Hera’s evil actions, she was still considered one of the most beautiful
goddess of existence. She has showed us that there is both a dark and light side within everyone
and that joy and pain can distract us in life. Hera was full of life and has proved that we can
pursue anything with our own minds (“Hera, Greek Goddess”).
English 9
Research Paper
April 7, 2010
Works Cited
“Hera, Greek Goddess.” Goddess Gift. N.p., 2009. Web. 6 Apr 2010.
<http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/greek_goddess_hera.htm>.
Regula, detraci. “Greece Travel.” Greece Travel. About.com, a part of The New York
Times Company., 2010. Web.6 Apr 2010.
<http://gogreece.about.come/cs/mythology/a/mythhera.htm>.
Bolten, Lesly. Everything Classical mythology book. Adams Media, F+W Publications,
Inc.: 2002
Hamilton, edith. Mythology. Little, Brown and Company. Boston: Copyrighted 1942.
Pontikis, Nick. “Hera.” Greek Mythology Today. Nick pontikis, 2003. Web 29 mar 2010.
<http://www.mythman.com/>
Atsma, Aaron J. “Hera.” Theoi Greek mythology. Theoi Project Copyright, 2008. 1
April, 2010. <www.theoi.com>