Classics 430:
Greek and Roman Mythology
14 January 2002
http://faculty.washington.edu/scstroup/Mythsyllabus.html
 
 

Lilith--the ë-bad womaní-:

Themes:

The First Creation
Man Created from Dust
Woman created from Filth and Sediment
Lilith refuses to be subordinate to Adam;
Expelled to Red Sea region; becomes demon who destroys children
Lilith bears demons from ejaculate (non-procreative) sex

Terms:

Lilith
Lilim (the children of Lilith)
Red Sea
 

Bereshit (Genesis):

Themes:

Agriculture and Human Creation
Man Created from Dust
Woman (Isha) Created from Man (Ish)
Agriculture and Knowledge / Life
Naming-as-Creative Act  (God names; Man names)
Original bisexuality or androgyny (Woman contained in, extracted from Man)
Eve / Chavvah bears children from procreative (ëheterosexualí) sex

Terms:

Tigris
Euphrates
Man / Ish (Adam means something like "earthling")
Serpent
Woman  / Ishah--later named Eve (Chavvah), or "Life"
 

Aristophanes on Love and Human Origins

Themes:

Originally Three Sexes: Male, Female, and Androgyne (Man-women)
Originally Round-Bodied, back-to-belly, four arms and legs, two faces, etc.
Attacked the gods; gods slice them ëin halfí to make them weaker
Each half constantly looking for its other half: ëhomosexualí or ëheterosexualí

Terms:

Aristophanes
Plato
Symposion (Drinking Party 360 BCE)
Eros
Androgyne (man-woman)
FILM:  Hedwig and the Angry Inch: The Origin of Love (animated clip)