What distinguishes masculine gods from female gods? How do their expectations of behavior differ?

Mythologies frequently depict male and female gods in disparate ways, reflecting society's perceptions of gender roles. Generally speaking, male gods are linked to activity, authority, and power. They frequently rule over realms like creation, the sky, or war, and they frequently act assertively and aggressively, using force to establish justice or order. For instance, Odin in Norse mythology controls intelligence and war, and Zeus in Greek mythology has sovereignty over the heavens. On the other hand, female goddesses are frequently associated with maternity, fertility, and the natural world, emphasizing the preservation and nurturing of life. Even though certain female goddesses, such as the goddess of wisdom, Athena or the goddess of magic, Hecate, also possess great power, their deeds typically highlight wisdom, balance, or concern for mortals, often in more relational or emotional ways. Hera's retaliation against Zeus's lovers is one example of how female gods may punish sins about nature, family, or love. These distinctions, though there are few exceptions, show how the cultural norms of the communities in which male and female deities were found influenced them. Even though both male and female gods are capable of being extremely powerful, the expectations that are placed on them frequently mirror gender-role conventions in society. While feminine gods are typically connected to fertility, wisdom, family, and life cycles, male gods are typically associated with active, dominant powers such as war, kingship, and the natural elements. With female gods striking a balance between caring responsibilities and the defense of natural or moral order and male gods acting with power and authority, their actions mirror societal perceptions of masculinity and femininity. Nonetheless, there are frequently exceptions and differences in each culture's mythology, with male gods occasionally shown as being involved in loving or emotional relationships and female goddesses occasionally portrayed as warriors, rulers, or creators.

What’s the relationship between Egypt’s gods and its pharaohs? How does this relate to the pharaoh’s gender? 

There is a divine connection between the Egyptian gods and the pharaohs. In ancient Egyptian creation mythology, Osiris is resurrected his sister Isis, and they marry. From their union comes a son, Horus. After Horus avenges his father’s murder he ascends as the rightful ruler over all of Egypt. Every pharaoh through history would be the living embodiment of the gods. Once a pharaoh passed away, they were seen as being the god Osiris and would pass their power on to the new pharaoh, a living embodiment of Horus. Due to the fact that the pharaoh represented the gods Osiris and Horus it was necessary for the pharaoh to be male. While Egyptian history does have its share of female rulers such as Hatshepsut, she felt the need to be represented in masculine form to the people in order to legitimize her rule.  

In the book of Esther, how is Esther characterized? How is she contrasted to Vashti, the Persian wife of the king? What is the story of Esther trying to say about about community and gender?

In the Book of Esther, Esther is characterized as a Jewish heroine who plays a key role in saving her people from destruction. Her attributes include beauty, wisdom, courage, a strong sense of identity, and loyalty to her community. Esther starts as an orphaned Jewish girl raised by her cousin Mordecai and rises to become the queen of Persia. Despite the potential danger, Esther bravely approaches King Ahaserus to advocate for her people, demonstrating her resolve and bravery. Esther is often contrasted with Queen Vashti, the Persian wife of King Ahasuerus, who is deposed early in the story. Vashti is depicted as defiantly independent when she refuses the king’s command to appear at a royal banquet and display her beauty before the court. This action leads to her removal as queen, and it portrays Vashti as a figure of resistance to unjust demands and power dynamics. The story of Esther highlights several themes about community and gender. Esther's journey underscores the importance of community and maintaining one's cultural and religious identity. Her actions ultimately save the Jewish people from destruction, emphasizing the power of individual courage for the greater good. Esther’s story implicitly challenges traditional gender roles by presenting a woman who uses her influence and intelligence to affect significant political change. In contrast to Vashti’s overt defiance, Esther employs strategic diplomacy and careful planning, highlighting different ways women can exert power and agency within oppressive systems.

Epic and Drama 

What does Penelope’s artifice (her holding off the suitors with her weaving) tell us about her role as the lady of Ithaca? Why is her son, Telemachos, seem comparatively useless? 

In the The Artifice of Penelope from The Odyssey , The role of Penelope illustrates her loyalty to her husband as she takes care of the family while hes gone for twenty years . Penelope's also shows her intelligence as she is able to deceive her suitors by giving them false hope of one day remarrying one of them once Shes done weaving a grave blanket for her father-in-law. This is a lie as she unweaves every night to begin the process again and make them all wait longer. This shows how Shes able to navigate through a male dominant world for many years without the use of force, just by being clever and using her charm. Doing this she was able to hold it down until her husband comes back. Telemachus seems useless at the time as he is still a young adult trying to find himself and has no power. The absence of his father Odysseus plays a big role on his lack character as he was raised without a strong male figure to teach him leadership skills, combat, among other things to become a strong independent man. 

In Euripides’s Medea, why does Jason cast Medea aside? How is Medea’s vengeance shown? Why does she get away with it?

Jason casts Medea aside because he decides to marry the princess the daughter of King Creon of Corinth. He chooses to abandon his family with Medea to elevate his status in society which Medea could not give to Jason as she was not a person of status. Medea’s vengeance is shown by planning not only against the king but the princess, Jason and as well as her two sons for Jason to truly suffer as she has suffered from his choice to abandon her. How Medea is able to get away is after killing her own sons, she escapes on a chariot guided by dragons that was provided to her by her grandfather who is also the sun god.

• Why do you think humans told stories of the gods misbehaving so often?

I believe humans told stories of the gods misbehaving so often as a way of justifying their own behavior and actions. To be more specific, the Greeks had told stories of their gods to be more humanistic as a way to relate to them. The gods in ancient Greek mythology commit acts such as rape and have moments of petty pride so as to show that the gods are more like the humans that worship them. For example, Zeus' terrible "habit" as well as the vanity of the other Olympians against mortals that wronged them. If the gods were committing these acts, it would make the actions of humans all the more justified and explainable.

• What role does Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s mother, play in his story?

Gilgamesh mother was a goddess. She’s a goddess with wisdom, who listens and tries to give advice to Gilgamesh. In Tablet 1 The Coming of Enkidu, Gilgamesh mentions to his mother Ninsun how he was having dreams of a wild beast that he didn’t understand. Ninsun was putting Gilgamesh at ease and letting him know that he has nothing to worry about. Ninsun let Gilgamesh know the beast known as Enkidu would be his friend, she said “My son, the axe you saw is a friend,like a wife you’ll love him, caress and embrace him,

and I, Ninsun, I shall make him your equal.”

I believe reading the tablets and just this sentence alone showed the type of person Ninsun was and how her son Gilgamesh viewed her. One also could agree it showed her role that she played which was his protector and advice giver. 

How does the debate over the repeal of the Oppian Law relate to changing gender roles and the role of tradition in Rome? 

The debate over the repeal of the oppian law relates to changing gender roles and the tradition of Rome due to a few things: the repeal means that women would get their way and get to show themselves in society in an extravagant way as well as get what they want after rioting and demonstrating what they want. If they gained this hand in society, it could mean that they could politically riot and bargain for more, which might place women higher in the social sphere of things instead of in the middle or bottom where they usually reside. Elder Cato believed that with the repeal of this law, they would get hasty with demands, but also it would mean that they could not deny luxuries as a society, which was the reason this law was imposed: to save money and to rid any flashy jewelry or outfits that may give women the power or intimidation in society. The way this repeal would change the tradition in Rome is because traditionally women are subservient and do not get their way; this also was bad, as many men were having issues publicly controlling their women who were rioting for this change.

How are male gods characterized differently from female gods? How are their standards of behavior different?

Male and female gods are often characterized differently in mythologies, reflecting societal views on gender roles. Male gods are typically associated with power, authority, and action. They often preside over domains like war, the sky, or creation, and their behavior tends to be assertive, sometimes aggressive, as they impose order or justice through force. For example, Zeus in Greek mythology rules the heavens with authority, and Odin in Norse mythology governs wisdom and war. In contrast, female gods are often linked to fertility, motherhood, and the natural world, with a focus on nurturing and protecting life. While some female deities also wield immense power—like Athena, goddess of wisdom, or Hecate, goddess of magic—their actions tend to emphasize wisdom, balance, or care for mortals, often in more relational or emotional ways. Female gods might punish transgressions related to love, family, or nature, such as Hera's vengeance against Zeus’s lovers. Though there are exceptions, these differences reflect how male and female deities were shaped by the cultural expectations of their respective societies.

While both male and female gods can embody great power, the expectations placed upon them often reflect cultural norms about gender roles. Male gods are frequently associated with active, dominating forces like war, kingship, and the natural elements, while female gods are often linked to fertility, wisdom, family, and the cycles of life. Their behaviors reflect societal views on masculinity and femininity, with male gods acting through strength and authority, and female gods balancing between nurturing roles and the protection of natural or moral order. However, the mythology of each culture often includes exceptions and variations, with female gods sometimes depicted as warriors, rulers, or creators, and male gods as involved in tender or emotional relationships.