Seasonal Aspects of Resurrection Myths
A look at the origins of resurrection stories in ancient mythology and their connection to seasonal changes
Resurrection from the dead in one form or another is a common theme in mythology of many different cultures. In many cases the resurrection is part of a story of sacrifice. For example: in Christianity, Christ's sacrifice saves mankind, and as important as the death is the resurrection, for in the Christ story, the return of the savior turns a prophet and a healer into a god, thus giving to the world a savior born of sacrifice. In other stories the purpose of the death and resurrection is to explain nature in terms of human emotion. Most of these myths connect the resurrection with the changing seasons. One good example of this is the story of Dionysus.
In this story of a mother and son, the annual resurrection is not the work of a deity who remains on the earth, but rather, it is a privilege which was won. Dionysus' mother Semele was the mortal lover of Zeus. One night, overcome by his love for her, Zeus promised Semele anything which her heart desires. Semele proved to be not so wise in this instance as she asked Zeus to show himself to her in all his glory. Zeus knew that this would kill her and he told her so, but Semele insisted on it. Zeus had promised and honored his word, so Semele is granted the full glory of her lover and died (geocities.com/area51/lair/6193, 1999). .
At the time of her death, Semele was pregnant with a son--Dionysus. Zeus took Dionysus from his mother's body and sent him to be raised by nymphs in the forest to keep him hidden from the jealous rages of Hera. Dionysus grew up and decided to go in search of the mother whom he never knew. He journeyed to the Underworld and rescued Semele, who was then allowed to live on with the gods on Olympus. Eventually, Hera found her husband's son and hacked him to pieces. Because he had previously overcome death, however, in the rescue of his mother, Dionysus was allowed to return from the dead each spring when the vines put forth new shoots (geocities.com/area51/lair/6193, 1999).
Similar is the story of Osiris in Egyptian mythology. Osiris was murdered by his brother and is said to have had two central types of resurrection: his bodily resurrection and his spiritual resurrection. The reports of his bodily resurrection differ from many other resurrection myths in that he was only briefly brought back to life. His body was given new life by Isis just long enough to impregnate her. More significant is his spiritual resurrection in which he took a second life as the god of the underworld. Similar to the story of Dionysus, Osiris was thought to rise again with the growth of new crops (egyptianmyths.net/osiris). This is the central theme of many resurrection myths-the idea of a connection between the changing seasons and the emergence of a divine figure. In the case of Osiris, and that of Dionysus, the timing of the return of the mythical figure is linked to the seasonal change. In other myths, the seasons are said to result from events in the lives of the gods. Examples of this include the story of Aphrodite and Adonis from Greece, and that of Ishtar in Sumerian myth.
Greek myth tells that Aphrodite fell in love with Adonis, and fearing the jealousy of the other gods and goddesses, she hid him so that no others could see him. The goddess of the underworld Persephone, agreed to hide Adonis from Aphrodite's suspicious husband, but upon seeing the beautiful Adonis, Persephone also fell for his charms and refused to give him back to Aphrodite. Zeus had to settle the argument. He ruled that Adonis should spend a third of the year with each of the goddesses, Persephone and Aphrodite, and be left to his own pursuits the remainder of the year (goddessgift.com 2006). The time spent with Persephone is Winter because Aphrodite's sorrow over her lost lover is equated with the dark, cold baron winter months; and conversely When Adonis is with Aphrodite, this accounts for the spring and summer months. This is one of the best examples of Resurection myths being derived from ancient attempts at explaining the seasons. Another great example is the story of Ishtar's travel to the under world.
In this myth, Ishtar travels to the Underworld for unknown reasons. She is met there by her sister Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld. Here she must pass through seven gates and , at each gate, she must remove an article of clothing. Ishtar does this and, after the seventh gate, she is naked. Stripped of the powers her garments represent, she tries to take Ereshkigal's thrown but she is sentenced to death (Willis 1993). It is said that because of her absence from the land of the living, all fertility on Earth ceased and when she is revived by the efforts of the gods, her clothing and jewels are returned to her, and spring is returned to the land. (geocities.com/area51/lair/6193, 1999).
It can be concluded that these parallel myths of resurrection, although emerging from different cultures, came about to explain the same Natural phenomena. If we were to consider the mind-frame of ancient people trying to explain winter and spring, it stands to reason that stories would be created to identify and personify these events. The death and resurrection myths seem to be a reflection of anciently observed natural occurrences. They represent the symbolic death of winter and the rebirth in spring. From this we see that religious myths are simply man's early explanations of nature's mystery.
Works Cited:
Persephone, Greek Goddess of Innocence and Receptivity and Queen of the Underworld</b>
http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/greek_goddess_persephone.htm
Resurrection Gods and Goddesses</b>
http://www.geocities.com/area51/lair/6193
Ancient Egypt: The Mythology - Osiris</p>
<a href="http://www.egyptianmyths.net/osiris.htm">http://www.egyptianmyths.net/osiris.htm</a>
World Mythology
Roy Willis, 1993
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