Shame Vs Guilt Culture

In order to understand the concept of a “shame-culture” brought forth in Dodds’ article Agamemnon’s Apology, we must first establish an accurate view of Greek culture thousands of years ago. In particular we must focus on the differences in mentality between the Greeks of the Homeric era, the Greeks of the post Homeric era and the modern mentality of today. Most importantly we must recognize the influence of the Gods in ancient Greek life. Without an accurate perception of the above there is little hope in our grasping Dodds’ concept of a “shame-culture”. However, as we gradually piece together the puzzle of Homeric Greek life naturally the concept of a “shame culture” will appear in full form before our eyes.

        We will start by examining two concepts which are imbedded in the era of Homeric Greece, atē and menos. The core of both of these concepts has to do with a communication, of some sort, between the Gods and mortal humans. Dodd classifies them both as “psychic interventions” (p.8).

        Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey the characters are commonly described as entering states of “temporary clouding or bewildering of the normal consciousness” (p.5). This state of temporary loss of control is what Dodds means by the term atē. An example of this divine intervention is demonstrated when, in the Iliad, Agamemnon, to compensate for the loss of his own mistress, steals Achilles’ mistress. In his defence, instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Agamemnon points to Zeus and the Erinys and says, “They it was who in the assembly put wild atē in my understanding, on that day when I arbitrarily took Achilles’ prize from him. So what could I do?”(p.3) Agamemnon’s excuse could be interpreted as a weak attempt to avoid responsibility however Dodd makes the strong assertion that this is not the case. He backs up this assertion by pointing to the fact that when Achillis is explaining the events he also attributes Agamemnon’s unjust action to his atē. Either way, assertion or no assertion, Agamemnon would not have benefited because Greek justice “cared nothing for intent – it was the act that mattered.”(p.3) This is one example of an instance where atē plays a role in the Iliad, there are many more.

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        Another common occurrence of god-to-human communication is seen in the form of menos. Menos, like atē, is a state on mind which is instilled in the individual by the Gods. Menos however comes in the form of a “mysterious access of energy”(p.8) and brings “a new confidence and eagerness”(p.8). In Homer’s writings menos often enters an individual in the midst of battle and results in an ease of performing difficult tasks.

        Both of these ideas, atē and menos, can appear far fetched in our modern world understanding and can easily be pushed into the category of fiction, however Dodds ...

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