It is a new year, and that means that our social media - from Instagram to Facebook to even Odyssey itself - is filled with resolutions and promises of change to come in 2019. One of the most common resolutions is to get in shape, hit the gym more often, and to finally get that ideal body we see on magazine covers. I hear quite often that the obsession with how we look is a new trend that has only emerged in the last fifty to one hundred years, but I would like to label that claim as a big dirty lie. People have always been obsessed with how they look.
The "ideal form" has been in existence for hundreds of year, and the Greeks were especially guilty of falling prey to the narrow parameters that their society set for what was considered beautiful. Examples of this obsession over beautiful figures is very obvious when one examines various aspects of Greek myth and archaeology. The "ideal form" is a term centered around the concept of a perfected human body, and applies to both the male and female form. For the Greeks, this meant a body that was well-balanced, athletic, and containing a beauty akin to that of the gods. The human form, idealized, can be used as a way to honor the gods, commemorate an event, or memorialize a person. No pressure, though.
One such example of the human form being used to honor the gods can be seen when one looks at how the Greeks treated athletics. From the very beginning, looking at the word "Olympics", we see the Greeks dedicating these events to their gods. Their beliefs that the human form can somehow reflect the will of the gods, and that the gods are present in the lives of humans, is shown readily by this dedication of an entire cultural phenomenon to the home of the gods.
Beyond the name of the event, the honoring of the winners is quite extensive as well. Champions' names are inscribed in order to record their victories, and statues are erected in the hometowns of the victors, and votives are made to commemorate them. Sometimes, sacrifices are even made in honor of the people who have won these noble tasks. Such honors are typically reserved only for kings, heroes, and gods; doing the same for these mortals is a symbol of elevation, and the elevation itself is directly connected to their physical victories (i.e. their ideal physical forms). Today, we know names such as Lampito, Leonidas of Rhodes, and Milo of Croton; thanks to their physical prowess and the emphasis that the Greeks put on it, these victors are memorialized in history alongside other heroes.
The votives were not the only aspects of honoring the human form; as stated, many statues were often made by the Greeks as ways to commemorate people, events, ideas, and the gods. As such, these statues depicted the Grecian ideal form, as shown by the repeated shapes of the body. In the Kouros and Kore, statues of young men and women, the ideal human form is shown to be strong, well-proportioned, and beautiful in the facial features.
Statues such as the Kouros Phoinikia and Kore Peplos bear striking resemblance to many other depictions of Grecian heroes and paintings on vases, hinting at the idea that these images are less meant to depict an individual and more likely created to act as a depiction of a "stock character". It is unrealistic that the very similar facial structures and body proportions can simply be put down to a lack of genetic diversity, so we can, therefore, conclude that the similarities are due to these figures being idealized forms meant to portray and emphasize the beauty of the human form.
One only has to look at how similar models look to one another - most of them having similar body shapes and facial structures to see this same repeated ideal form reflected in our own society today. In turning these forms into statues, the artists ensure the lasting impression and influence of the figure and whoever said figure is meant to depict; whether a stock character or an individual, the permanized depiction was a powerful and lasting way to ensure that the image lived on long past the artist or their subject ever could.
Another example of the Greeks idealizing the human form is the more blatant descriptions of the literal "ideal body" described by Philostratos in regard to the perfect physiques for the various running competitions. He states that each event has a form that is best suited for it, specifically the strong neck and slim legs of the dolichos runners. Vases created during this time period also depict specific and idealized (while not particularly anatomically correct) bodies that display incredibly muscular thighs and well-defined torsos. This is yet another manner in which the Greeks show how they honor certain physical aspects and strive to achieve the highest levels of physical prowess. These are the types of bodies that were considered of the highest prestige, and the display and use of these bodies to achieve victories, whether in games or in war, was proof that they were the best of their class and most favored by the gods.
The physical form was one that was greatly appreciated by the Greeks - a cultural norm that has transcended millennia. The idealization of that form is yet another practice that is echoed in today's society. The human form is treated as a work of art to be respected and cared for, honed to perfection and used to honor the gods, or perhaps be honored in the manner of gods.
The replication of the form was used by the Greeks to honor the people who embodied these ideals, whether through their victories in the Olympics, their skill in battle, or through achieving great feats of power. Whether the body is carved as a votive, a statue, or as a part of a building or vase, the image of the perfected human form was an important aspect of Greek tradition and mythology, used to honor, commemorate, and acknowledge the body, its owner, and its gods. Today, we see these same values reflected by our value of strong, athletic bodies, and in our emphasis on what makes a person beautiful.
The unfortunate side effect of such value on specific body types - then and now - is that those who do not fall within this narrow criteria are left behind and often even shamed for something that is often outside of their control. Luckily, there has in the past few years been a rising movement for promoting body positivity and self-love. Yesterday while I scrolled through my feed, I saw the usual promises that this year would be the year to get in shape - but I also saw people dedicating 2019 to loving themselves as they are.
I saw people (men and women) saying that they wouldn't let themselves be shamed for how their bodies look. I saw friends and families stating that this year's resolution was not about looking good, but rather about taking better care of themselves. I saw the idea that the human body can be healthy in a multitude of ways, and that the human heart can feel powerful in whatever form we take. I saw the beginning of the breakdown of the limitations cast on people from the beginning of time by the archetype of the "ideal form". It may have taken tens of thousands of years for us to get there, but hey - it's progress. Isn't such steps towards progress what New Year's is all about?
