Topic Research: The Greek Underworld
This week, I dug into my topic brainstorm from last week on writing about the Greek Underworld.
As I mentioned last week, I'd like to have Hermes be the storyteller for this project, since he's the escort for the dead to the underworld. I think Charon, another Underworld psychopomp, would also be a fascinating storyteller (they've both seen all the dead in the Underworld). I'd like each section to be an obituary for one of the deceased souls that dwells in the underworld, but I also want each obit to have a personal flair/style from whoever's writing it (Hades, Charon, etc.). I also want each section of the project and each person memorialized to represent a different region of hell, like Tartarus and the Elysian Fields.
Some of the stories I'd like to tell through this project are those of:
Tantalus
Tantalus was a son of Zeus who was punished for an eternity in the Underworld by standing in a pool of water, reaching for fruit from a tree that grew ever out of reach and lapping at water that ever shrunk away from him. In his life, Tantalus' sins included stealing ambrosia and nectar from Olympus, and serving his own son to the gods as a sacrificial meal. The drama of his life and the misfortune of his afterlife in Tartarus make for a more exciting obituary, I think. His was also an Underworld story I hadn't heard of, unlike that of Sisyphus, so I would love to explore it more.
Eurydice
Eurydice's story is one of the sadder tales of the Underworld, and I feel like it'd be a great one to have Hermes tell, since even Hades himself was moved by her fate. According to some versions of her story, Eurydice and her husband, separated at her death, end up being reunited in the Underworld's Elysian Fields, so I would want to go with that ending when telling her story (her obituary might be more of a joint piece with her husband Orpheus). Her story would also be a good look into another option for the afterlife, the Elysian Fields.
Ixion
In life, Ixion murdered his father-in-law, but his real crime lay in his philandering with Zeus' wife Hera (or so he thought) after Zeus had pardoned him for murder. Ixion is punished in Tartarus, an abyss of suffering and torment where he spins endlessly on a wheel devised by Zeus. I think Ixion and Tantalus' stories are a good spot to explore the wrath and fickleness of the Greek gods through the eyes of their messenger, Hermes (especially since Zeus also cheated on Hera with Ixion's wife at one point).
As I mentioned last week, I'd like to have Hermes be the storyteller for this project, since he's the escort for the dead to the underworld. I think Charon, another Underworld psychopomp, would also be a fascinating storyteller (they've both seen all the dead in the Underworld). I'd like each section to be an obituary for one of the deceased souls that dwells in the underworld, but I also want each obit to have a personal flair/style from whoever's writing it (Hades, Charon, etc.). I also want each section of the project and each person memorialized to represent a different region of hell, like Tartarus and the Elysian Fields.
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| "Charon carries souls across the river Styx." By Alexander Dmitrievich Litovchenko. Source: Wikipedia Commons. |
Some of the stories I'd like to tell through this project are those of:
Tantalus
Tantalus was a son of Zeus who was punished for an eternity in the Underworld by standing in a pool of water, reaching for fruit from a tree that grew ever out of reach and lapping at water that ever shrunk away from him. In his life, Tantalus' sins included stealing ambrosia and nectar from Olympus, and serving his own son to the gods as a sacrificial meal. The drama of his life and the misfortune of his afterlife in Tartarus make for a more exciting obituary, I think. His was also an Underworld story I hadn't heard of, unlike that of Sisyphus, so I would love to explore it more.
Eurydice
Eurydice's story is one of the sadder tales of the Underworld, and I feel like it'd be a great one to have Hermes tell, since even Hades himself was moved by her fate. According to some versions of her story, Eurydice and her husband, separated at her death, end up being reunited in the Underworld's Elysian Fields, so I would want to go with that ending when telling her story (her obituary might be more of a joint piece with her husband Orpheus). Her story would also be a good look into another option for the afterlife, the Elysian Fields.
Ixion
In life, Ixion murdered his father-in-law, but his real crime lay in his philandering with Zeus' wife Hera (or so he thought) after Zeus had pardoned him for murder. Ixion is punished in Tartarus, an abyss of suffering and torment where he spins endlessly on a wheel devised by Zeus. I think Ixion and Tantalus' stories are a good spot to explore the wrath and fickleness of the Greek gods through the eyes of their messenger, Hermes (especially since Zeus also cheated on Hera with Ixion's wife at one point).
Hi Emma! First off, I really like the background of your blog, mine is the same as well! I didn't know how to change it, but I liked it so it was all good. The greek underworld sounds like a fascinating topic of research! I will have too look into that subject further! I'm sure there will be a lot of great material for you to use in your future writings. I can't wait to read more! Good luck on the project!
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