Granice akceptacji: kalos kagathos vs. „inni” w świecie bogów i ludzi
The Limits of Acceptance: kalos kagathos vs. „Others” in the World of Gods and Men

Author(s): Dorota Gorzelany
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: kalos kagathos; „others”; iconography; vase paintings; mythological figures; humans;Athens;
Summary/Abstract: The expression kalos kagathos was used to define social norms. A citizen of Athens marked the narrow limits of accepting people who met the defined requirements. The world of myths was similarly restrictively constructed — disability or otherness became the cause for rejection, which was a procedure used as a paradigm by the mortals. These stories meshed with reality through descriptions of the heroes’ adventures with fantastic creatures, embodying unacceptable characteristics. Using the example of selected scenes from vase paintings, the article discusses the conflict of „others” in the world of the gods, the relationship between the attitudes of mythological figures and humans, as well as the iconography of the groups disparaged by Athenian citizens and the changes in the iconography of mythological scenes and everyday life, resulting from the evolution of the Athenian society’s attitudes.

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