Birthdays have not always been the light-hearted affairs we know today. Tracing back to ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Egyptians, significant days like these were often marked by rituals of appeasement towards gods or evil spirits. These practices, viewed through a psychoanalytic lens, reveal a societal struggle with themes of power, innocence, and the supernatural.
Artemis
The character of Artemis is instructive. Artemis is the Greek goddess of wild animals but also of the hunt, the goddess of chastity but also of childbirth. These are interesting counterpoints: a child is chaste and like a wild animal, but loses this purity when she is effectively hunted by elders in the transmission of cultural mores, such as the need to get married and have children.
In the myth of Troy, Artemis requires that Agamemnon’s daughter, Iphigenia, be killed in order to let his army sail. Agamemnon arranges for this to happen under the pretext that the girl is to marry Achilles, her would-be husband or murderer, but Artemis replaces the girl for a deer at the altar at the last minute. This story of near-sacrifice or near-marriage is not only central for Western civilisation; it also reflects a significant life transition involving the loss of life and innocence.
It is perhaps not coincidental, then, that the first birthday cakes were offered to Artemis. These cakes were moon shaped and decorated with candles, since the Greeks associated Artemis with the moon and its cycles.
The Evolution of Celebratory Practices
Initially, birthdays venerated the powerful, beginning of course with the gods. The privilege fell on mortals only when the Romans began to celebrate men’s birthdays, and it was not until the 12th Century that women were included. Modern birthday parties focused on children, with cakes, candles, and songs, began only in 18th century Germany.
Psychoanalytically, this historical shift can be seen as a transformation in societal projections, from upholding the mighty to recognising their childlike nature. Indeed, modern parents are often seen appeasing their child, who behaves like a capricious god, and gift-giving on birthdays is no exception. The pressure to celebrate and choose the right present, and the equitable recognition of every child’s birthday can be seen as a modern form of symbolic appeasement. These actions, while not as overt as ancient rituals, are nonetheless attempts to manage deep-rooted fears and societal expectations.
In conclusion, as we unwrap the layers of birthday traditions, from their ancient roots to their modern manifestations, we uncover a rich narrative of cultural evolution, psychological symbolism, and societal change. Birthdays, far from being mere festive occasions, are a window into the depth of human society’s ambitions, fears and transformations.