Hymn to Hermes

While re-reading the Hymn to Hermes, I was soon struck with a flood of various other texts representing the same story of brotherly competition. Ken Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion, soon came to mind, as the main focus of the story deals with a power struggle between Leland and Hank Stamper, the two sons of the great Henry Stamper. Although Kesey’s story is far more comical and far less God like, the characters remain the same. Hank, the strong, well-know, well respected older brother, represents that of Apollo who we see as a hard-willed, extremely masculine character. We can also relate the sly cunning of Hermes, to the intellectual educated younger brother Leland Stamper, who through a series of planned, organized events overtakes his older, more powerful brother. Although the connection is some what loose, and far more variables are involved with each story, the theme remains the same.

Homeric Hymnys and class notes

I’m not quite sure as to what exactly we are expected to post on our daily blogs so I suppose I’ll just take a shot in the dark-
In both texts Antigone as well as the Homeric Hymns, we can see examples of the five different struggles as well as human nature in general.
Man v Woman
Young v Old
Individual v society
Living v dead
Man v Gods

In Antigone we clearly see the struggle she suffers being a woman in a Patriarchal judicial system, Her actions against the expected ones set in place by society as we have read to understand it. Obviously we also see her struggle coping with the loss of her brother. Antigone also matches her will against the will of the Gods.

I found it interesting in the Homeric Hymns how fitting the Female and Male Gods, Demeter and Hermes, represent the general actions of men and woman today. We see the treatment of the mortal-masked Demeter amongst the mortal woman as extreamly helpful and kind: Characteristics of almost all woman. We also get a view of a darker side of woman that many of us have been exposed to; their propensity to be withholding. In day to day life/ relationship with a woman, often times we see them withhold love, emotions, contact, communication and various other humanly interactions when upset. We see these examples of withholding in the Hymns when Demeter buries the seed of the earth and withholds all nourishment and fertility. As the story progesses, Demeter, enlightened with joy returns to her benevolent ways, similar to almost all woman who, in my opinion are the greatest givers of love and nourishment in this world, (when happy of course).
In the Hymn to Hermes, we are reminded of the nature of men, the nature of boys, children constantly fighting and feuding, struggling for acceptance and approval. Like many young men, Hermes is sly, cunning and caviler. Although a liar, Hermes is skillful and innovative. As the fighting subsides, the two brothers become close. The camaraderie between the two can be found in almost all brotherly connections, related by blood or otherwise the connection remains the same.

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