One of the most interesting and complex facets of Greek mythology is how it portrays the relationship between the sexes. At first glance, the celebration of Zeus and his relationships with multiple women, mortal and immortal, appears to celebrate the male and portray women as subjugated vessels, good for little more than bearing and raising children. Furthermore, complicating the issues of sexism and sexuality is the fact that mythology portrays relationships between humans and non-humans, adding another dimension of power and inequality. However, delving below the surface of Greek myths, one finds a reverence for the feminine, which belies the apparent sexism and misogyny that one encounters on the surface of most myths. Nowhere is this interaction between the male-female dynamic and the human-divine dynamic more fascinating than in Hesiod's Theogony. .

             The first substantive mention of the feminine in Theogony centers around Hesiod's description of the Muses. At first glance, as Hesiod describes how the nine Muses were created by Zeus visiting Mnemosyne's bed for nine nights, it appears that the story of the Muses is going to be about Zeus's infidelity to Hera and his use of a Mnemosyne as little more than a womb. However, the story of the Muses actually centers on their relationship to human men. It is in the depiction of how the Muses elevate men that one sees how female-centered Greek mythology actually was. For example, when the Muses choose to interact with a mortal man, the result is that "all the people look towards him while he settles causes with true judgments" (Theogony 1.82-3). This reverence for those supported by the Muses demonstrates that the female were considered extremely important in Greek mythology.

             As important as the Muses are, they are relatively minor figures in Greek mythology. In any mythology, the creator of the world may be considered the most central figure in the mythology.