by Michael K
Class struggle is a major theme in the Netflix hit series Kaos, a clever and entertaining re-imagining of Greek mythology for modern times. The Olympian gods, demi-gods, and mortals represent familiar strata in a quasi-feudal hierarchy, echoing social dynamics of wealth, privilege, and resistance that still ring uncomfortably true today.
In Kaos, as in the original Greek myths, the Olympian gods occupy a ruling class position, embodying both traditional power and its capriciousness, while demi-gods function as an upper-middle class, privileged but subordinate, and mortals appear as a struggling proletariat striving for recognition and survival under the gods' mischievous and ruthless dominion.
Jeff Goldblum is Zeus, the king of the gods, swapping the classic Greek robes for an array of luxury designer track suits, capturing perfectly the ‘gangsta’-god ethos (I’m putting a knock-off version on my Christmas list just so I can stride around the house feeling like the supreme ruler of my little domain).
Zeus and his fellow Olympians, including his wife Hera -- the goddess of marriage, women, and family, portrayed here by Janet McTeer -- and Poseidon (Cliff Curtis), who rules sea, storms, earthquakes and horses (hey, horses were a big deal back then) wield immense, arbitrary power and appear detached from the struggles of mortals, using them as pawns in their personal agendas. Zeus's paranoia over an invisible wrinkle he notices in the mirror in the first episode symbolizes the ruling class’s fear of losing control, prompting him to take drastic and calamitous actions to preserve his authority.
Hera, though frustrated by Zeus’s excesses, is complicit, prioritizing her own position rather than challenging the underlying structure. Their conflicts mirror real-world tensions within a ruling elite—divisive but fundamentally united in maintaining their power over others (sound familiar yet?).
Demi-gods like Dionysus occupy a middle ground between gods and mortals, benefitting from their divine lineage while still being subservient to the Olympians. Dionysus’s character embodies the rebellious energy of those caught between privilege and subordination. His actions suggest the demi-gods’ discontent with Olympian rule yet also show their complicity, as they rarely ally themselves fully with mortals. This tension highlights their ambivalent status, reflecting the aspirations and frustrations of an upper-middle class that benefits from the system yet feels constrained within it.
Mortals, existing at the mercy of the gods, represent the struggling proletariat. Many are depicted as suffering from the gods' arbitrary decisions, often exploited or even killed on a whim. The myth of Orpheus, which drives this first season of the show as he navigates the underworld in search of his beloved Eurydice, can be seen as an allegory of human resistance against divine oppression.
Humans in Kaos seek answers, struggle for agency, and even protest, embodying class consciousness as they grapple with their imposed limitations. This element of protest suggests an emerging awareness among the proletariat, as they begin to question and resist the structures controlling them.
Kaos intertwines these layers of society in a cycle of tension and exploitation in a dark but entertaining way reinterpreting dusty Greek mythology with black comedy that feels painfully familiar today (see Trump’s warnings about dealing with the “enemy within”).
The gods’ utter disregard for mortals sparks resentment, but ordinary people lack the power to make substantial change, trapped by their place in the hierarchy. The demi-gods are an intermediary group, half human, half god, sometimes sympathizing with mortals but ultimately invested in their own survival within the Olympian system.
The series’ depiction of characters like Hera and Dionysus demonstrates how some figures in power may wish to change their conditions but are restricted by the hierarchical order. Meanwhile, mortals, struggling under this dynamic, show glimmers of rebellion and solidarity, signaling the early stages of class struggle.
In essence, Kaos critiques class structures by portraying the gods as a metaphorical ruling class whose self-interest and paranoia impact every layer beneath them. This framework reveals how Kaos questions the concentration of power, showing both the ruthlessness of the Olympian elite and the nascent resistance among those they oppress. The mortals' growing unrest and demi-gods’ mixed loyalties open pathways for exploring themes of solidarity and revolution, making Kaos an insightful lens on both ancient mythology and modern class struggle challenging a corrupt dominant elite.
Michael K is a Greek-American lawyer living and working in Melbourne, Australia.