Elements of Greek Mythology appearing in Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3 (A), Technical University of Braunschweig (Englisches Seminar), course: Proseminar, language: English, abstract: In this paper I want to write about the different elements from Greek mythology that appear in Jeffrey Eugenides' novel Middlesex and their connection to the characters and their lives. I want to show that the author had a certain intention when he chose the names and background of the characters. I will start with the main character of the novel, Calliope, and talk about the different elements that refer to her. Then you can read about some of her family members and how they are connected to Greek mythology in chapter three. The fourth chapter of my paper deals with the journey of Desdemona and Eleutherios. I added a map on page 19 so that it is easier to follow their way. In chapter five I will talk about the genealogical tree of the figures from Greek mythology we can find in the novel and compare it with the relationships of the family members in the novel.