Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Mythology - Essay Example iewpoint, one which is related to the sacred and religious ideal and the other which shows a specific ideal related to the human element of what death means. The first perception of death in Greek myth that is displayed in the story of Alcestis is by the personification of death as a God. This shows that the Greeks looked at death as a divine entity that was entitled to take the life of those that it wished. As death talks, not only is it seen that this is a divine entity that is able to take the lives of those who are ready to die, but also plays with the lives of those that are about to die for respect and for status among the other gods. This is seen from the beginning of the play when talking to Apollo. In a conversation, Apollo states, â€Å"One life is all you get. Young or old, what difference does it make? Death: Honor. The younger my victim, the more mankind fears and respects me† (Euripedes, lines 80 – 84). This shows that the concept of death is one that is attributed to the gods. When death is able to take a life, it causes a fear and unknowing among the culture. This allows death to remain as a god and to carry the ideal of a god. This sacred concept was one that was accepted by the Greeks and the ideals in which they held about death as a part of their religious philosophies. The concept of the divine is not only one in which the character of Death holds before taking Alcestis. The relationships to the divine by those that are in the play also reflect the idea of death and the mystery that it holds. This relates specifically to the religious and cultural affiliations of what it means to leave the earthly plane. An example of this is when Alcestis is getting ready for her death. She considers the moment sacred and dresses in her finest clothes to prepare. She is then seen praying at every alter in the area to prepare for her journey to the underworld, while asking for assistance for her family and children. The attitude toward death