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In all of the classical mythologies that we have studied in our lectures, the power and authority of the gods are far more superior then the mortals that they control. However when gender is keyed in with how much authority the gods have over each other, it is clear that the female models portrayed has less say in the outcomes of matters than the males. It is not so coincidental that the highest praised god happens to be a male known as Zeus. The difference in power between male and female gods can be shown through the myth about Gaea’s usurping the seats of power, beginning with Ouranus. The way the females are literally described in the hymns, also shows the barrier difference in how much more important males. This is shown in how Hesiod describes the actions and intent of females in “Theogeny” and “Works and days”. Both Authors portrays females divine and mortals to be mostly jealous and always conspires or release evil. Although males are much superior in the myths, it is also clear that males still respects and cannot live without the presence of the female gender.
Although, it seems like the mother earth “Gaea” had control over all of the events that lead to the authority of Zeus, the true power that is being used is that of males. Beginning with the case of Ouranus the son of Gaea herself, when Ouranus did “joy in his wicked work, hid [his children] / in Gaea’s womb and did not let [his children] return to the light” (Hesiod, Theogony: 158-159), it was not truly Gaea who does the work but it was Kronos who spoke up. Hesiod clearly demonstrated that it was the “male” ambition and will to overthrow Ouranus, when he wrote “So [Gaea] spoke, and fear gripped [all her children]; not one of them / uttered a sound. Then great, sinuous-minded Kronos without delay spoke to his prudent mother:” (Hesiod, Theogeny: 167-169). If Gaea is the great and powerful one then, Hesiod would not have glorified Kronos’ actions by calling him “great” or “sinuous-minded”...