| Brotherhood in the ancient world served as the basic template for the relationships between males. We can see in the representation of the relationships between twin brothers many of the same values present in brotherhood, but in a concentrated and idealized way. This relationship is shown in its most ideal form in the character of the Spartan Dioskouroi, Kastor and Polydeukes. What is most important about these twins is that they each appear to be dissimilar. This dissimilarity is shown to strengthen their brotherhood rather than detract from it. In the tradition of the Dioskouroi, the greatest elements of brotherhood; Cooperation,difference, and the peaceful resolution of inheritance issues, are exemplified. Mythological brothers vary; some contain only a few of the elements of the ideal brother pair, others serve as the antithesis of the ideal brothers. The same is true for twin pairs; in some cases they are representations of perfect brotherhood, in others they take the elements of brotherhood and corrupt them. But these mythological examples highlight specific elements of the ideal brothers, both good and bad. These idealized positive elements of brotherhood are made even more apparent in twin brothers, and I will examine these elements and their importance both to the concept of twins as well as brotherhood as a whole. |
