Answer:
Explanation:
You may well wonder at the continuing popularity of Greek mythology in the twenty-first century. The term ‘Greek Mythology’ conjures up images of impossibly beautiful gods and goddesses, fire and brimstone, roaring beasts and larger-than-life heroes.
On the surface, they may seem like impossible flights of fancy written by ancient philosophers. However, we need to keep in mind that these stories were written by people like Socrates, Homer and Aristotle, whose brilliant minds have made them immortal in the annals of human history.
The truth is, Greek myths are not only rooted in reality but have helped shape modern thinking in many important ways. Their mythical nature does not take away from the fact they contain important morals and teachings that are as relevant now as they were thousands of years ago.
Knowledge of Greek mythology has long-influenced society in subtle ways. It has shaped culture and tradition, directed political systems and encouraged problem-solving. It would be fair to say that the whole basic concept of modern thinking can be traced back to Greek stories and the valuable lessons they taught.
Influence of Greek Mythology on English Language and Literature
Many words used in the modern English language like idol, antique, dialogue, economy, spartan, architect, microscope, telephone, plus many more have been derived from the Greek language. The Greeks were the first to have a full-fledged alphabet system replete with vowels and consonants.
According to an estimate, more than 150,000 words in the English language are derived from ancient Greek. We can find allusions to Greek mythological figures in modern-day literature as well.
For example, C.S. Lewis’s ‘Till We Have Faces’ is a retelling of the Greek tale of Cupid (Eros in Greek) and Psyche. Similarly, Mary Shelley incorporated the theme of Prometheus in her book, ‘Frankenstein’. Hermione, the well-known character in Harry Potter, owes her name to Greek mythology. Hermione was the daughter of Helen of Troy and the King of Sparta.
If you notice, several global companies have been named after Greek mythical figures. For example:
Amazon: Amazons were fierce female warriors who participated in the Trojan War – this is also where the Amazon River got its title, whose name the global online shopping platform has since borrowed.
Eos: The goddess of dawn – is today known as a line of cameras produced by Canon.
Pandora: The first human woman, endowed with unique gifts bestowed upon her by the gods – now a jewellery manufacturer.
Olympus: The Greek mountain – now a brand of cameras.
Oracle: Mortal psychic or seer – now known as the popular database software company.
There’s a reason companies like to brand their products and services after characters of Greek mythology. The public tends to subconsciously associate the features of the brand with those of the original mythical character. Nike, for example, was the goddess of victory, so it made sense for a sports brand to name themselves after her.
