Hephaestus



By: Kristen
Classical Greek art, architecture, song, and story focus on the ideal and in Greek mythology, all their gods and goddesses were beautiful or handsome, strong or athletic, except one. Even though Greeks liked all things perfect and ideal, like their gods and goddesses, they recognized less than ideal exists and even something imperfect has good qualities like the god Hephaestus. This paper will look into what happens when you don’t fit in, how you deal with that and how to make the best out of the situation.

Why wasn’t Hephaestus ideal? When Hephaestus was born to the King and Queen of the Greek gods, Zeus and Hera, he was the only ugly god of the 12 Olympians. Many say his mother was so shocked and disgusted, she threw him out of the home of the gods, Mount Olympus and he fell for a full day and landed in the ocean near the island of Lemnos and from that fall he became lame. ([|Hephaestus]) Others versions of Hephaestus’ story, which were passed on from storyteller to storyteller, had him thrown off Mount Olympus by his father when he sided with Hera in a fight over Zeus’ power when he went to protect his mother. In that version, he fell for nine days and landed on the Lemnos which crippled his legs and made him lame (McLeish, Kenneth).

When he was thrown out of Olympus, where did find shelter and a home? On Lemnos, most of the stories have him saved and cared for by the sea nymphs. (Bolton, Lesley) During his recovery he developed his skills as a blacksmith and craftsman, built a workshop under the sea and made beautiful jewelry that was noticed by the gods especially his parents who invited him back to the home of the gods, Mount Olympus, but he didn’t want to go back (McLeish, Kenneth). Hephaestus had found a home among mortal humans and because they appreciated him for his skills and could care less of his looks and lameness.

How was he treated by his fellow gods and goddesses? Although there are different versions of how he finally returned to Mount Olympus, Hephaestus did finally return. Most stories have him being brought back drunk and passed out over a donkey. (Hephaestus) Back home on Mount Olympus, he set up his blacksmith and crafts activities under Mount Olympus where he created beautiful jewelry and crafts as well as the best armor and weapons for his fello﻿w gods and goddesses. But while the gods and goddesses were benefiting from his hard work, they didn’t respect him. His own brother had an affair with his wife and he was laughed at (McLeish, Kenneth). Despite his looks and deformities, what good qualities did Hephaestus have? Unlike many of his fellow gods, “Hephaestus was kind and peace-loving, gentle and introverted which made him popular” ([|Myth Man's Hephaestus Homework Help]). He as the patron to all blacksmiths and taught them the secrets of creating with metals ([|HEPHAESTUS : Summary of the Olympian God]). Hephaestus was a great craftsman and made amazing pieces of metal works and crafts. “With help from the Cyclopes, who were his workmen and assistants, he made the thunderbolts and scepter for Zeus. He made weapons and armor for the other gods. For Athena, he made her shield and for the god of love, Eros, he made the arrows. The spectacular chariot which the sun god Helios rode across the sky was made by Hephaestus. He also made the blade proof armor of Achilles. When Zeus plotted against Prometheus because he and his race of mortals had only included one gender, which was male. He ordered that there would be a new kind of human, Hephaestus helped to create the first woman from clay, with the assistance of other gods, her name was Pandora and with the supernatural jar, she released the world of evil the on the humans” (Hephaestus).

Can Hephaestus’ story relate to the teenage scene at school today? So even if the story of Hephaestus is ancient Greek mythology, its message about how a majority of people mistreat the minority of people is still the same today. Cliques and bullying are the same type of treatment Hephaestus felt from his fellow gods and goddesses. And the message for the mistreated minority to ignore the mistreatment and strive to do your best because you can still be great in many other things is the lesson of the myth that applies today.

The Greeks like all things, perfect and ideal like their gods and goddesses but they least like all things imperfect but the imperfect may have better qualities than all things perfect, like Hephaestus. The hidden meanings found in ancient Greek myths not only apply to those ancient times but are timeless and have meaning today. When everyone today seems to want to be in the majority and do the “cool” thing, there are people who will do their own thing, be a little different, take a different path and can make a difference and be “cool” in their own way like Hephaestus.

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Works Ctied:

Atsma, Aaron J. “HEPHAESTUS : Greek God of Fire & Metalworking ; Mythology ; Pictures : HEPHAISTOS, VULCAN.” //THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art//. Theoi Project. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. .

Atsma, Aaron J. “HEPHAESTUS : Summary of the Olympian God.” //THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY, Exploring Mythology & the Greek Gods in Classical Literature & Art//. Theoi Project. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. .

Bolton, Lesley. “Adultery Abounds.” //The Everything Classical Mythology Book: Greek and Roman Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Monsters from Ares to Zeus//. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2002. 60+. Print.

“Hephaestus.” //Encyclopedia Mythica: Mythology, Folklore, and Religion.// MCMXCV – MMVI Encyclopedia Mythica. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. .

McLeish, Kenneth. “H.” //Myth: Myths and Legends of the World Explored//. New York, NY: Facts on File, 1996. 250-52. Print.

“Myth Man’s Hephaestus Homework Help.” //Thanasi’s Greek Restaurant//. Thanasi’s Olympus Greek Restaurant. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. .

Stewart, M. W. “Hephaistos: The Artificer of the Olympians; the Son of Hera.” //Mythagora.com – Greek Mythology: From The Iliad To The Fall Of The Last Tyrant//. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. .