Cultural metaphors in Greece and Russia

M.Sc. International Marketing & Communication, AUEBInternational MarketingProfessor: Dr. Skarmeas

Boula Alexandra, Gkionai Irena, Karamoutsou Katerina, Saxionis Konstantinos

The Olive Tree“With an olive tree, a vineyard and a boat, you can rebuild Greece” Odysseas Elytis

The Olive Tree

History

Neolithic era (7.000 years ago)

Mediterranean – Crete

Athena’s Tree on

the Acropolis

Cretan diet -

Roman cuisine

Daily life (gymnasia,

coins)

Symbolisms to cultureTradition• Deep roots

Resilience/ Resurrection/ Hope• The olive tree is resistant to adverse conditions

Wisdom• Ancient Greeks’ wisdom /philosophy is known all around the world

Glory• Greeks value great ideals - Always want to achieve great goals

Symbolisms to culture

Purity of heart• Greeks live in a nation known for hospitality and kindness

Religion• Baptism – Olive branch was handed to the gods as offering

Olympic Games• Crowns made of olive branch for winners

Social aspects of olive tree

Collectivism• the collection of olives requires group work• men and women unite their powers/strong groups• family

Masculinity• collection of olives is a hard activity that is often related

with men/distribution of roles

Ethnocentrism• Olive oil and olive tree remind Greeks about their

nation/feeling of duty to the country

The Russian Ballet“In order to become a prima ballerina, it is a lot of work, and a lot of strength and time

- and a lot of emotions are spent to achieve it”Svetlana Zakharova

Russian Ballet

1689• Rise of Peter the Great, Russia was introduced to ballet

Cultivation of the Russians• “Standard of physical comportment to be emulated and

internalized - an idealized way of behaving”

The Vaganova system• Taught all over the world

Bolshoi and Mariinsky ballet

Russian culture and ballet

Discipline and seriousness• Russian ballet teachers demand from their students to be like that

Reluctant to change

• So is ballet (includes specific list of moves, steps and positions for hands, head, feet and body)

Patience• Something very important for an aspiring ballet student

Russian personality traits:

Russian culture and ballet

Masculinity and Femininity• Reflected in pas des deux

Collectivism• Quite important for a ballet show to succeed

Russians dress up in a flashy way with glitter clothes and furs• Ballet costumes are very fancy• Social Status

Russian culture and ballet

-Ballet’s repertory includes fairytales with princesses and imaginative creatures, elements also found in Russian culture and history (tsars, princesses, palaces)

-Russians’ dark temperament can be found in major ballet plays like Swan Lake (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)-Tragedy, dark colours

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

“The olive tree is surely the richest gift of Heaven” Thomas Jefferson

“No one can arrive from being talented alone, work transforms talent into genius”

Anna Pavlova