Queen of the Air: Being a Study of Greek Myths of Clouds and Storm by John Ruskin is an exploration of Greek mythology with a particular focus on natural elements, specifically clouds and storms. Ruskin delves into the symbolic and literal interpretations of weather phenomena in ancient Greek myths, examining how these elements were personified and revered by the Greeks. Ruskin begins by providing an overview of Greek mythology, emphasizing the importance of nature in these ancient stories. He explains how the Greeks personified natural elements, attributing them to various deities and mythological figures. The book focuses on key mythological figures associated with clouds and storms. For instance, Zeus, the king of the gods, is often depicted wielding thunderbolts and controlling the weather. Hera, Zeus's wife, is also examined for her association with the sky and atmospheric phenomena. Ruskin delves into the symbolic meanings behind these myths. He interprets the stories not just as literal explanations of weather events but as profound allegories reflecting human emotions, societal values, and philosophical ideas. The connection between nature and divinity is a central theme in the book. Ruskin discusses how the Greeks saw the divine in natural occurrences.
John Ruskin was an English writer, philosopher, art expert, and general know-it-all who lived from February 8, 1819, to January 20, 1900. He wrote about a lot of different things, like architecture, mythology, birds, literature, schooling, botany, politics, and the economy. Ruskin was very interested in Viollet le Duc's work and taught it to all of his students, including William Morris. He thought Violet le Duc's Dictionary was “the only book of any value on architecture.” Ruskin used a lot of different writing styles and literary types. Besides essays and treatises, he also wrote poems, gave talks, traveled guides and manuals, letters, and even a fairy tale. He also drew and painted scenes with rocks, plants, birds, scenery, buildings, and decorations in great detail. His early writings on art were written in a very complicated style. Over time, he switched to simpler language that was meant to get his ideas across more clearly. He always stressed the links between nature, art, and society in everything he wrote. Up until the First World War, Ruskin had a huge impact on the second half of the 1800s. After a time of decline, his reputation has steadily gotten better since the 1960s, when a lot of academic studies of his work came out.
