To spin is to act to build destiny, and that is why in Middle Eastern cultures the structures and movements of the entire universe are compared to a fabric. The art of weaving was, not in vain, one of the first things that man did with his hands. First he looked for food, a place to take refuge and then made fabrics to protect himself from the cold, discovering with the latter an infinite world of textures and materials. Among the different Greek Myths, The myth of Arachne tells us about a great character in Greek mythology: a virtuous weaver turned into a spider.. Today at we want to tell you about this powerful and talented figure, a symbol of strength and rebellion.
The Myth of Arachne: the goddess of crafts
Arachne comes from the ancient Greek “ἀράχνη”, which means “spider”. But if there is something that is essential to know, it is that The myth of Arachne is also the story of Athena, the Greek goddess representative of wisdom., recognized as the most skilled weaver. If you want to know her in greater depth, you can read our article: Who is Athena. The myth of Arachne, however, tells us that a beautiful young woman, the daughter of a merchant, was the most virtuous in the art of weaving and embroidery.
Her works had a great reputation for their beauty and perfection, and as a form of praise for her skill, her neighbors considered her worthy of being Athena’s disciple and apprentice. This, far from pleasing the young woman, aroused feelings of pride in her, stating that she did not owe her talent to anyone but herself. To everyone’s surprise, the young Arachne dared to challenge the powerful deity, publicly demonstrating her talents (It is worth mentioning that in other versions it is Athena who, furious at hearing stories about the young mortal’s mastery, publicly challenges Arachne).
The goddess, always magnanimous, tried to dissuade Arachne disguised as an old woman, but Faced with the arrogance of her opponent, Athena had no choice but to accept the challenge., despite bringing misfortunes for the talented Arachné. For her challenge, the goddess created a tapestry where she represented the Gods of Olympus, her creative acts, and the scene of her own victory over Poseidon at the origins of the founding of Athens. For her part, Arachne drew the same gods on her canvas in situations that questioned her honorability, such as Zeus’ recurring infidelities (you can learn more about them in The Lovers of Zeus and Hera, Zeus’ wife).
Although the theme chosen by the intrepid Arachne was extremely irreverent, her tapestry turned out to be more beautiful than Athena’s, which provoked the goddess’s wrath. Arachne very scared, Fearing Athena’s revenge, she tried to hang herself, but Athena saved her from death by transforming her into a spider..
Modern symbolism in the myth of Arachne
By weaving this tapestry, Athena not only demonstrated her skill with weaving, but also recovered and testified in first person to her own history, making her triumph visible. In contrast to the tapestry of Athena, which is a symbol of feminine power in politics and war, the design of Arachne represents different episodes of submission. in which women are reduced to being the object of pleasure of the male gods: as demonstrated by both The Abduction of Europa and The Rape of Leda.
Arachne’s triumph provoked the wrath of Athena, a reaction that undoubtedly humanizes the goddess and brings her closer to all women who have felt neglected at some point in their lives. So, decides to turn Arachné into a spider, condemning her to weave transparent tapestries, which is still a symbol of the invisibility of a woman’s work.. But although anger takes over Athena, the goddess is also able to overcome her most primal emotions, and show the greatness of her compassion by forgiving Arachne and allowing herself to continue with her work.
It is important to continue reflecting on the fact that weaving currently continues to be an almost exclusive practice of women, a profession and activity of the female sphere. Arachné’s spider web, however, also carries a hopeful meaning: spider webs support and unite, suspend, and unmask; They are also synonymous with flexibility and resistance. They symbolize the ability to transmute, destroy and build, and feminine aggressiveness..
In short, the myth of Arachne gives rise to endless interesting interpretations. We would like nothing more than for you to leave us a comment to tell us which one is yours. Did you know this myth? Do you justify Athena’s decision or do you think it was an unfair reaction? What conclusions do you draw from the myth of Arachne? Write us your impressions, we will be happy to read them. 🙂