Mythology in Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were...

Mythology is a key part of many of Zora Neale Hurston’s short stories and novels. She researched the stories of her home town and many other areas of the world. Hurston used this knowledge of myths and stories to help her carry them on to later generations in a form that almost everybody could relate to. Through out all of Zora Neale Hurston’s stories, mythology has been a crucial keystone. Her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, has been influenced by three different ancient myths: the myths of Ezili Freda, Osiris and Isis, and Aphrodite and Adonis. Janie’s love for nature and turbulent relationships comes from the myth of the Haitian Goddess of love, Ezili Freda. In the novel the main character, Janie, is deeply interested in love and†¦show more content†¦But this relationship is cut short by Adonis getting attacked and castrated by a wild boar (Stine). Later, Adonis bled to death (Stine). After her first three husbands Janie finally found a man she could be with, Tea Cake. And going along with the myth of Aphrodite and Adonis, Janie must stand by and watch as Tea Cake is attacked by an animal which in Hurston’s story was a dog. She ends up having to kill him and watch him die as did Aphrodite with Adonis. One of the largest mythological influences on Their Eyes Were Watching God is the myth of Isis and Osiris. Ishtar is a goddess associated with love and was very callous with the men that she loved. (Pondrom 181). Ishtar fell in love with a God by the name of Tammuz and eventually ended up being responsible for his death (Pondrom 181). She descended into the underworld and was successful in bringing him back and she lived at peace (Pondrom 181). We see strong parallels to this myth in Their Eyes Were Watching God. After multiple loveless relationships Janie fell in love with Tea Cake. She eventually had to kill him because he had rabies. Later, she was able to restore him to her memory, bringing her peace. Isis and Osiris were in love, but this relationship did not last long once Osiris was killed (Pondrom 181). Osiris’ body was sent out on a ship and Isis goes to retrieve the body and is able to partially restore him (Pondrom 181). Again, a myth with Isis losing her love and being able to restore themShow MoreRelated Zora Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God as a Creation Story2572 Words   |  11 PagesZora Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God as a Creation Story Zora Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is, among other things, a creation story. For creation stories are not simply myths about the historical origins of the universe and humankind but metaphors for individual maturation. Individual perception is, to a large extent, what constitutes the world. Hence, the individual is the source and embodiment of the world; Janie is, the narrator tells us, â€Å"the world and the heavens boiledRead MoreHistory5499 Words   |  22 PagesNegro Renaissance,’’ a term that includes all African Americans, regardless of their location, who participated in this cultural revolution. Followers of the New Negro dicta, which emphasized blacks’ inclusion in and empowerment by American society, were undeniably spread throughout the nation, and most major cities had pockets of the African-American elite that W. E. B. Du Bois dubbed the ‘‘Talented Tenth.’’ Nevertheless, New York City was, arguably, the mo st crucial site of this movement’s development