The BioShock series and Greek symbolism

[Skelly Man]

Does anybody understand the symbolism behind why there are locations named after Greek gods and goddesses in both the first BioShock and BioShock 2? Examples:

Arcadia (BioShock 1): According to Wikipedia[en.wikipedia.org], Arcadia is effectively the Greek version of Eden (the location) from Christian mythology, an untouched and pure wilderness with natural beauty and slendor, contrasting back to the game's version of Arcadia, which is a large-scale garden where all of Rapture's oxygen and natural supplies are created thanks to the trees and plants that grow there.

Hephaestus (BioShock 1): Hephaetus is a Greek god of volcanoes, blacksmithing and forging, which contrasts back to BioShock and the magma core located in the middle of the facility.

Olympus Heights (BioShock 1): The name of this place and all of its individual mini-districts (Mercury Suites and Athena's Glory) pay tribute to Mount Olympus, (the home of the Greek gods) the god of wealth, Mercury and the goddess, Athena.

Apollo Square (BioShock 1): Named after the god of healing and art, Apollo.

Dionysus Park (BioShock 2): Named after the god of wine and ecstasy, Dionysus.

Persephone (BioShock 2): Named after the queen of the Greek underworld and the daughter of Zeus, Persephone.

Minerva's Den (BioShock 2: Minerva's Den): Named after the goddess of wisdom, Minerva. This contrasts back to the Thinker, the villian of Minerva's Den and the influence it has over the facility.

If I missed anything, please let me know.

[Ivlichnov]

Ask Ken Levine. This is interesting, as the motto of Rapture is “no gods or kings, only man.”

Ryan created Rapture and this could be seen as his Eden. Spoilers for Bioshock 1.. Jack’s mother was also to be found near Eve’s Garden.

And Eleanor is the daughter in Bioshock 2.

[Ivlichnov]

Double Post.

Going all the way back to System Shock 1 (the System Shock games were created before the Bioshock series), many of the levels are apparently split up into four sections. Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.

[Skelly Man]

Originally posted by Ivlichnov:

Double Post.

Going all the way back to System Shock 1 (the System Shock games were created before the Bioshock series), many of the levels are apparently split up into four sections. Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.

Oh yeah. Plus, Subject Delta and Subject Sigma are also named after Greek numeracy.

[Ivlichnov]

And there are also the Alpha series Big Daddies.

[Uzi Master]

Alpha, Beta and such are rather engrained in nameing different technological based things, like versions of machines or programs, I wouldn't read too much into that.

[Ivlichnov]

Atlas is a Titan from Greek mythology.

[Centipede]

The locations are a legacy from Bioshock 1, which had a story inspired by a novel called "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. Atlas was a Greek Titan that held the world on his shoulders.

Atlas is a metaphor, the creative and productive people that society does not respect enough - exactly what Andrew Ryan feels about the world. When these people 'shrug' they shake the world of the parasites.

I kind of remember that the myth of Prometheus is also relevant for the series and for the philosophy of Ayn Rand, or at least it makes sense to be. Prometheus is another Titan who is punished for bringing light to humans.

So ... Rapture is a kind of utopia mimicking Mount Olympus - a bunch of superior people outcasts from the world ( their shrugging moment ) who are looking to reshape society?