Posted: March 3rd, 2020

Osiris and Iris Creation Myth

GiGi Orphali 9-17-12 p. 7 Osiris and Isis Creation Myth Mythology opens up a hidden gate of information about the lives of ancient peoples. Through it, modern people have insight to the beliefs and culture of a civilization long since passed. No better example of this exists than the Egyptian tale of Osiris and Isis. According to this tale, when the world first started it was ruled by the benign god Osiris and his equally generous wife, the goddess Isis. Together they ruled the earth and through this time it was a utopia. Crops prospered, people spoke to each other in poetry, and there were no wars.
It remained this way until Osiris was trapped by his wicked brother Seth, who then took full control of the world, exposing humanity to its first taste of heartache. Osiris was eventually freed and Seth dethroned, but when it came time to destroy Seth Isis didn’t have the heart. She let him live, and though he still exists he is now a lowly god with less power. This explains the Egyptian belief of why there has to be good and evil in the world. It also explains that since Seth has less power than Osiris, good will always trump evil. The Egyptians were so rare in their day because of their positive outlook on death.
While other civilizations around them looked on to death in a craven manner, Egyptians embraced the beauty of the afterlife and the riches to come. All this stemmed from the belief that Osiris, an oh-so-benevolent god, would make their afterlife paradise, as he had once done here on earth. Because the afterlife is ruled by a kind god, it also explains the way to get there. Egyptians believe that through morality and kindness, they will forever be joined with their princely god in paradise. Egyptian culture stressed love and loyalty between husband and wife and that is clearly expressed throughout this myth.

The story of Osiris and Isis is punctuated with Isis’s undying devotion to her husband and her willingness to go above and beyond to find him. Though Osiris is lost for many years on more than one occasion, Isis never stops searching for him. Even when he is sent to the afterlife, she follows. Readers can assume from the numerous examples of Isis’s loyalty that this was an important value to the ancient Egyptians. Through Isis modern people can see what the ideal Egyptian wife must have been. Osiris and Isis is a myth that has carried on through the ages, portraying an excellent well of information on what Egyptian culture was.
Modern readers can see what the ideals and beliefs of a place (beliefs that are still followed today) which give a better understanding than any history book can. Ancient Egyptians held in high esteem what their gods taught and were quick to follow their example. Their conclusions on the afterlife, polytheistic pantheon and good vs. evil are all expressed in this myth. This myth offers us a glimpse into a long ago world, and is perhaps, along with the pyramids and ancient temples, one of the greatest gifts the ancient Egyptians have given modern society.

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