An Examination of Titans in Greek Mythology

Myth Essay

It was one fight, where good versus evil would collide. Only one side would stand as the ultimate ruler of the heaven, hell, and earth. It was the gods against the Titans. The Titans are to be portrayed in a darker light, due to the fact that Cronus, the main Titan, had his barbaric ways of ruling. Not only did he cut his father into pieces, but he even ate his own children. This archetype describes the gods challenging Cronus and the Titans. This single battle conveys a cosmological, sociological, and a pedagogical function since the battle created an origin, social order, and teaching in the creation of the universe.

When looking at the cosmological aspect of the myth, the Greeks believed the Earth came from a nothingness known as chaos. Three iconic figures came out of the chaos that represented the different features of Earth: Gaia, Eros, and Tartaros. The supernatural intervention involved the gods later creating each other, and in the process, forming Earth’s natural elements such as, the sea and the moon. From the later god verses titan dispute to the components of chaos, the gods and titans were able to indirectly produce the Earth’s natural, some of which are beautiful parts, according to Greek civilians.

In the creation of the gods and titans, social relations, in terms of domination, produce the main conflicts in the myths. Through battle and triumph among the gods, this allows social orders to be created and concrete. Sociological aspects shape these relations, adding to the complexity of the text, rather than one that is straightforward. For example, the hunger for world domination and the fear of it being intangible occurs throughout the time of the titans. This starts with the ruling throne of Uranus and begins when Cronus takes the throne through force and brutality. With that, the gods and humans all have their social stature, ranging from the most powerful gods down to the last of the mortals, and mythical beings. Throughout the myth, the archetype of the conflict between a father and son relation also takes form. The father represents evil, and his son, represents good, which causes the gods to go against Cronus; their father hungers for power and total control. In the end, the gods won and created mankind, teaching them how to live and rightfully interact with each other in a social order.

Through the teachings of the creation of the universe, the archetype of good versus evil is shown through the pedagogical factor of the text. Cronus, scared of the prophecy being fulfilled, eats all of his children to keep them from overpowering him. Although, Zeus escaped this fate when his mother kept him in hiding and fooled Cronus. The prophecy was later fulfilled for in the end, the forces of good prevailed over Cronus and the Titans in the Titanomachy: a sequence of multiple battles between the gods and titans, as mentioned before. Through this myth, it is evident that one’s actions or behavior will eventually have consequences. It teaches and instructs the reader on how to morally behave and act accordingly to nature's prophecies, and tellings to come. As a result, there are consequences for bad actions, thus the titans and Cronus had lost their power by the gods. Therefore, good versus evil is shown all throughout the myth, building the foundation for moral behavior.

A cliche archetype of good versus evil can hold multiple aspects and perspectives depending on the point of view. The simplicity, yet complexity, from a quote, to a motif in literature, supports the symbolic elements of origin, the organization in society, and lessons in Greek mythology. Thus, Greek civilians tell of the formation of the earth, being the cosmological aspect, the statures in society, which is the sociological component, and the teachings from that era, forming the pedagogical aspect found in the story.