#QOTD – Do you read mythological retellings?
I have loved to read Hindu mythological retellings, but this was my first attempt with the Greek mythology. I had some familiarity with Greek mythology, and vaguely remembered Circe from the Odyssey, but Circe by Madeline Miller was such a refreshing and utterly, yet possible, side of the epic tale of the trials, and heroism attributed to males.
This book made me realize that even if you are one of the most powerful god’s child, you have certain expectations on your traits and career that you need to fulfill. You are not born knowing what you are supposed to do. You still have to find your calling. You are still susceptible to the lustful eyes of a man, and you might not always turn them into pigs!
Answer to your QOTD : Yes. Rick Riordan lightly includes Circe in his “heros of Olympus” series. Meant to be a children’s book, he doesn’t include the tragedies and deceptions that Circe has experienced. I’m looking forward to read this book.
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You should. It’s very interesting!
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From the dawn of civilisation, we have always been storytellers. Mythologies intrigue us because they were probably our first stories that our earliest ancestors told one another sitting by the fire; there is nothing like a good story and storytelling is hardwired in us.
And as for the part where you found that the son of a powerful god is born unsure, you will find that before the advent of monotheistic religions and cults of the Abrahamic traditions which defined divinity as unfailing, unimpeachable, and absolute, the older and classical cultures looked at divinity as beings with human failings, they had the failings of jealousy, lechery, greed, and were highly nuanced beings, they waged wars, lost fights to other beings (including humans), and were even not safe from mortality, these gods were a lot more relatable, their stories – a lot more gratifying, for they were after all our own stories, as man has always created gods in his own image.
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Rightly said. We humans have given a very high seat to these characters called Gods. Somewhere through generations, we have forgotten that this was all just a part of a story!
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Oh my, I also love Greek mythology an it’s the first time I’m hearing about Hindu’s. LoL, I’m even working on some Greek stories this moment.
Can you recommend videos or resources I can use to learn Hindu mythology Ankita?
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