In today's world,
filled with luxury
and the comfort afforded by technology, we seldom think of struggle,
endurance, and suffering as a means for success and fulfillment. This
differs greatly from the traditions of ancient Greece and Rome.
In fact, success and/or fulfillment through suffering permeates much of Western culture and Literature. We can look to sources from the tales Aeschylus to the passion of Jesus Christ, and even to the works of the Russian author Dostoevsky, that show the importance of suffering in the quest for success and fulfillment.
This storybook focuses on the importance of suffering and endurance in the Greco-Roman heroic myths, through the frame of a grandfather telling these stories to his grandchildren and children.
The first story is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. On the wedding night of the two lovers, Eurydice is killed by a snakebite and goes down into Hades. Orpheus, who suffers greatly, carries this burden on his quest to rescue Eurydice from the underworld. Orpheus journey, however, ends with mixed results.
The second story, The Tale of Aeneas, is also one of success and fulfillment through suffering. After losing many of his loved ones, his city, and all he had, Aeneas sails away from Troy to find a new city. He endures many hardships on his way, and must fight before he can enjoy the satisfaction of his city after his long enduring tasks.
The third story is The Legend of Heracles. This mightiest of heroes must persevere against the wrath of Hera, but must also atone for the evils of his past through long years of labor. Heracles is a great example of gaining success through tragic suffering and burdensome labor.
Finally, the last story is the The Adventures of Odysseus (or Ulysses), who is also known as long-suffering Odysseus. After the Trojan War, Odysseus gets lost on his way home and has to undergo many obstacles and a lot of suffering before returning home to his wife and son. Even when he returns, he has more hardship to endure before he can live in comfort again. I think there is an unquestioned endurance in the character of Odysseus. He is always fighting to survive and make it back home even though he has many hardships and endures much.
For our story, we will be joining the family Patheman, as they have gathered at their grandfather's house in the middle of a week-long power outage due to an ice storm. The teenage grandkids are all but lost without there iPods, and the children, now adults, feel helpless without their laptops or Blackberries. Grandpa, on the other hand, has been taking things in stride, and has kept his cool calm demeanor as always.
They have all gathered at the grandfather's house because he still has a working fireplace, gas stove, and other amenities that do not need electricity to work. He is an old-fashioned man, and after hearing enough of the complaining, he orders everyone to sit around the fireplace near his archetypal blue barcalounger, and listen to his stories. Grandpa tells the family of real hardship and endurance. He also shows them what it means to suffer and what it means to be a hero. Grandpa's main message is how suffering and endurance build character and wisdom, and how they can lead to success and fulfillment. He does whil chiding them for their reliance on luxury and technology all throughout. Grandpa tells some old Greek tales of suffering heroes. His goal, and mine, is to demonstrate that hardship is not always a bad thing, for even though it is unpleasant, it builds stronger people.
Image: Dying Warrior. East pediment of the temple of Aphaia at Aegina. Circa 480 B.C Brekka.net
In fact, success and/or fulfillment through suffering permeates much of Western culture and Literature. We can look to sources from the tales Aeschylus to the passion of Jesus Christ, and even to the works of the Russian author Dostoevsky, that show the importance of suffering in the quest for success and fulfillment.
This storybook focuses on the importance of suffering and endurance in the Greco-Roman heroic myths, through the frame of a grandfather telling these stories to his grandchildren and children.
The first story is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. On the wedding night of the two lovers, Eurydice is killed by a snakebite and goes down into Hades. Orpheus, who suffers greatly, carries this burden on his quest to rescue Eurydice from the underworld. Orpheus journey, however, ends with mixed results.
The second story, The Tale of Aeneas, is also one of success and fulfillment through suffering. After losing many of his loved ones, his city, and all he had, Aeneas sails away from Troy to find a new city. He endures many hardships on his way, and must fight before he can enjoy the satisfaction of his city after his long enduring tasks.
The third story is The Legend of Heracles. This mightiest of heroes must persevere against the wrath of Hera, but must also atone for the evils of his past through long years of labor. Heracles is a great example of gaining success through tragic suffering and burdensome labor.
Finally, the last story is the The Adventures of Odysseus (or Ulysses), who is also known as long-suffering Odysseus. After the Trojan War, Odysseus gets lost on his way home and has to undergo many obstacles and a lot of suffering before returning home to his wife and son. Even when he returns, he has more hardship to endure before he can live in comfort again. I think there is an unquestioned endurance in the character of Odysseus. He is always fighting to survive and make it back home even though he has many hardships and endures much.
For our story, we will be joining the family Patheman, as they have gathered at their grandfather's house in the middle of a week-long power outage due to an ice storm. The teenage grandkids are all but lost without there iPods, and the children, now adults, feel helpless without their laptops or Blackberries. Grandpa, on the other hand, has been taking things in stride, and has kept his cool calm demeanor as always.
They have all gathered at the grandfather's house because he still has a working fireplace, gas stove, and other amenities that do not need electricity to work. He is an old-fashioned man, and after hearing enough of the complaining, he orders everyone to sit around the fireplace near his archetypal blue barcalounger, and listen to his stories. Grandpa tells the family of real hardship and endurance. He also shows them what it means to suffer and what it means to be a hero. Grandpa's main message is how suffering and endurance build character and wisdom, and how they can lead to success and fulfillment. He does whil chiding them for their reliance on luxury and technology all throughout. Grandpa tells some old Greek tales of suffering heroes. His goal, and mine, is to demonstrate that hardship is not always a bad thing, for even though it is unpleasant, it builds stronger people.
Image: Dying Warrior. East pediment of the temple of Aphaia at Aegina. Circa 480 B.C Brekka.net