Sir Gawain
Páginas: 3 (594 palabras)
Publicado: 7 de noviembre de 2012
Yesica Hernandez
Alex Alderman
CL 300-1
08/29/2012
Hesiod’s Works and Days
It is impossible to question the didactic tone of Hesiod's Works and Days. Since the poems are presented as a practicalguide to function and prosper in the Ancient Greek world. The very title of the composition, as well as the different parts of it tends to punish this. But after applying a further analysis, it wasclear to me that Works and Days is actually an essay about morality. Without doubt it also refers to certain morally right practices, but this is not the essence of it; but morality per se.
The firstpart of the book is a sort of listing of the different moral elements that will appear in it. The central theme of the poem is injustice, but Hesiod does not merely refer to it. He also talks aboutreligion, war and peace, family as well as society, issues that were as relevant as they are nowadays. Along with the central theme of injustice, Hesiod warns us about a society dominated by thepowerful, when he establishes about further generations that “law and decency will be in fists” (West 191). This moral aspect is also present in the story of the hawk and the nightingale. In this myth,Hesiod seeks to establish that the law of the jungle should not run for the human world: “So spoke the swift-flying hawk, the great winged bird. But you, Perses, must hearken to Right and not promoteviolence” (213).
Religion is another issue heavily discussed in the poems. This concept is present throughout all the compositions, from the first word, "Muses", to the very end, "well with god" (8,226). The idea that the disobedience toward the Gods creates catastrophic consequences is emphasized by the myth of Prometheus. Providing services as well as certain sacrifices to the immortals is anotheraspect of religion emphasized by Hesiod. While the disobedience of these mandates is presented by the poet as the main cause of the extinction of the Silver generation of men, since according to...
Alex Alderman
CL 300-1
08/29/2012
Hesiod’s Works and Days
It is impossible to question the didactic tone of Hesiod's Works and Days. Since the poems are presented as a practicalguide to function and prosper in the Ancient Greek world. The very title of the composition, as well as the different parts of it tends to punish this. But after applying a further analysis, it wasclear to me that Works and Days is actually an essay about morality. Without doubt it also refers to certain morally right practices, but this is not the essence of it; but morality per se.
The firstpart of the book is a sort of listing of the different moral elements that will appear in it. The central theme of the poem is injustice, but Hesiod does not merely refer to it. He also talks aboutreligion, war and peace, family as well as society, issues that were as relevant as they are nowadays. Along with the central theme of injustice, Hesiod warns us about a society dominated by thepowerful, when he establishes about further generations that “law and decency will be in fists” (West 191). This moral aspect is also present in the story of the hawk and the nightingale. In this myth,Hesiod seeks to establish that the law of the jungle should not run for the human world: “So spoke the swift-flying hawk, the great winged bird. But you, Perses, must hearken to Right and not promoteviolence” (213).
Religion is another issue heavily discussed in the poems. This concept is present throughout all the compositions, from the first word, "Muses", to the very end, "well with god" (8,226). The idea that the disobedience toward the Gods creates catastrophic consequences is emphasized by the myth of Prometheus. Providing services as well as certain sacrifices to the immortals is anotheraspect of religion emphasized by Hesiod. While the disobedience of these mandates is presented by the poet as the main cause of the extinction of the Silver generation of men, since according to...
Leer documento completo
Regístrate para leer el documento completo.