Cultural reception and understanding have resulted in the birth of classical mythology where various cultures use and understand various myths. Romans and Greeks are the most synonymous with myths although almost each and every society has their own. Mythology has survived antiquities within the western culture over time. In the contemporary world, they are studied wildly especially in the literary world. With the advancement of time, new and ingenious ways of understanding and utilizing mythology have been devised. For instance, this essay uses Greek mythology especially about Hermes to paint out Churchill Winston in the light of a god. The aim is to bring out any similarities that may exist between the two. On one end there is Hermes, the so-called messenger of gods and on the other is Churchill Winston, a prime minister to the United Kingdom.
Hermes is the Olympian god; he is the son of Zeus and Pleiad Maia. Various outstanding similarities emerge between Hermes and Churchill Winston. Hermes is expressed and defined as the god of boundaries and border crossings; he is particularly a messenger of the gods, travellers, traders and a guide to the underworld (Churchill121). Hermes on one hand represents traders and travellers and Churchill Winston aids in the passing of the people’s budget that introduces the payment of taxes by the wealthy people. The taxes are meant for social welfare programs; this he does while in the House of Commons. He, therefore, acts as a representative and messenger of the poor people (Arnett 612).
Hermes appears as a trickster in some myths. He is involved in actions that result in him outwitting the gods for the sake of humankind and sometimes for his own sake. A case in point is where he stole a herd of cows that belonged to Apollo. He made the cows walk backwards so that it appeared like they had walked out of their hiding place (Arnett 619). Churchill shares in this limelight of wit when he convinces the masses that the war against the Nazis was worth the fight. Just like Hermes, the god of boundaries, Churchill Winston spent most of his life moving around and traversed the country and most of Europe. The world becomes more enjoyable and fun when ancient gods and figures are brought to life through comparisons with contemporary figures, ones who society can relate to.
Hermes is a protector of and patron of the people; this Churchill achieves whilst in the army, where he fights and protects his own people. Hermes represents and protects the poets, orators, wit and literature. Churchill, on the other hand, is described as a great orator, he works as a journalist while in the army, and he goes on to publish numerous books in his lifetime. He even goes ahead to win a Nobel Prize in Literature. Hermes is a protector of travellers, and he is the god of border crossings. Churchill is among the many leaders in Europe that lead their countries against Nazi invasion. In doing so, he protects his people, by using the army to ensure that the British boundaries are safe. Hermes is considered as a divine ally of the Greeks against the Trojans, just as Churchill is considered against the German Nazis (Arnett 620).
Hermes is described as a lover and user of seductive words, words that would convince and convict easily; this is quite similar to Churchill Winston’s oratory skills. He spoke with conviction and hope and was able to pull the British people together even at the brink of defeat from the German Nazis. Churchill is also known to have found pride in his ability to charm and win anybody onto his side (Churchill 115). Hermes, in most tales, appears in the role of a messenger than any other position. He is a messenger for both the upper and lower worlds. Churchill acts as a messenger for the British people when he goes to Russia and holds talks with Stalin.
Both Churchill and Hermes have a significant sense of humor. They have the ability to become ruthless when faced with people who have aims that are contrary to their own. Hermes and Churchill Winston benefited in a number of ways from having so much power and being so famous. This also came with a downside, meaning that they attracted so many enemies along the way. The likes of Apollo were not in good terms with Hermes. Churchill had a number of enemies within the House of Commons too. Though not so identical, Hermes and Churchill Winston have a variety of similarities that are related to how they related with people and led various populations (Vergados 86).
In terms of controlling business, Hermes is known as the god and protector of trade. Winston Churchill, on the other hand, was able to run the daily issues of leadership effectively. He commanded well while in the army, and upon entry into politics, his roles and duties were fully met. For both Hermes and Churchill, their social matters were totally under control, though at a cost of hatred and jealousy of onlookers (Vergados 99). Hermes, on several occasions, expresses the ability to demonstrate authority; Churchill Winston possesses the same ability and goes on to express it on several occasions. For instance, he insists and prevails upon the British people to go ahead and fight the Nazis, even though some were of the opinion that Germany was much stronger (Churchill 111).
Ideally, every myth has a story that it tells and a meaning that it tries to pass across. A number of lessons are learnt from the comparison in this essay. Essentially, each and every leader has a striking resemblance to some god either in Greek or roman mythology. In one way or another, a person understands that myths are just myths for they describe what a man does on a daily basis only that they have been presented in a supernatural way. The world describes Winston Churchill as a charismatic leader, one that believed everything was possible and that the people of Britain had no reason to give up (Vergados 76).
Evidently, one realizes that both Churchill Winston in Britain and Hermes in Greek mythology had great roles and significance in their respective societies. The idea and thought process presented within this essay clearly pinpoint several similarities that exist between the Hermes and Churchill Winston. The aim is not to turn the story of Churchill Winston into myth just because their share a few things, rather a person gets to understand the Hermes myth better when it is juxtaposed with a current and contemporary figure.
Works Cited
Arnett, Jeffery. "Winston Churchill, the quintessential sensation seeker."Political psychology (1991): 609-621.
Churchill, Winston. The second world war. Vol. 3. Houghton Mifflin, 1950.
Vergados, Athanassios. "The Homeric Hymn to Hermes." The Homeric Hymns: Interpretative Essays (2011): 82.
