DEFINITION: DEFINITION:The word “myth” comes from the Greek word, “mythos”, which means, “a spoken or written story.”The modern definition includes:- The ancient stories themselves
- The overall belief-system (i.e. religion) of the people/culture who originated these stories
PURPOSE: PURPOSE:Myths were developed so people could make sense of the world around them.This is why every society has its own collections of myths-its “mythology”
PURPOSE: PURPOSE:Myths try to explain the way the world is.Their explanations are often dependent on relationships between humans and the gods and goddesses who made humans
PURPOSE: PURPOSE:Myths answer unanswerable questions, like:- “Who made the universe?”
- “What causes a storm?”
- “Why are humans different from animals?”
- Myths usually play an important part in religion.
- Myths answer primitive people’s fears about science
- Myths make nature seem less chaotic
NATURE: (origin myths) NATURE: (origin myths)- Where did the Earth come from?
- Heavens- sun moon stars, etc.
- Seasons- climate, rain, fertility
- Geography – oceans, mountains, forests
MAN MAN - Where did man come from?
- His life cycle-birth, growth…
- His victories
- Glories in war and love
- Defeats in war, love, misfortunes
- His end/death-glories and weaknesses
GODS GODS- Where did the gods come from?
- Number of gods
- Polytheism vs. Monotheism
- Responsibilities / duties of gods
- Roles of gods – their powers and weaknesses
TEXTS: TEXTS:Oral Tradition:- Most myths were passed down orally
- They were permanently recorded in rhyming poems that were publicly recited or sung.
- He longest of these are known as “epics”
TEXTS: TEXTS:They were also recorded in:- Plays
- Architecture
- Sculpture
- Mosaics
- Ceramics
- Frescoes and Murals
- Carvings
- Textiles
- Other assorted human artifacts…
Plays Plays- Particularly, those of four Greek playwrights who lived near Athens around 500 – 400 BC
- Aeschylus
- Euripides
- Sophocles
- Aristophanes
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture
Mosaics
Mosaics
Mosaics
Ceramics
Ceramics
Ceramics
Ceramics
Frescoes and Murals
Frescoes and Murals
Frescoes and Murals
Carvings
Carvings
Carvings
Textiles
Textiles
Textiles
LEGACY: LEGACY:Why do myths survive?- Myths allow modern people to reflect upon a more simple and genuine time
- Myths promote the use of symbols to explain shared patterns of experience
- Myths are cool stories that resonate on many different levels.
Themes, Motifs, Symbols Themes, Motifs, Symbols- Good against Evil
- Gods and Goddesses
- Creation Myths
- The First Humans
- Heroes
- The Afterlife
- Animals
Sacred Places
Sacred Places
Legends Legends- Usually do not have religious or supernatural content
- Usually do have historical content
- They give almost-superhuman qualities to historical figures or events
- They are more about the “story” than the significance of the story
- Purpose = entertainment first, lesson second
- Sometimes used for education purposes, as an example
Legends Legends- They are more about the “story” than the significance of the story
- More for entertainment
- Sometimes used as educational examples
- We might gain some meaning from a legend, but not the archetypal intensity that myths contain
- Ex:
- Atlantis
- Robin Hood
- Romulus and Remus
- Headless Horseman
Atlantis
Robin Hood
Romulus &Remus
Knights of the Round Table
Knights of the Round Table Knights of the Round Table
Headless Horseman
El Dorado
Tall Tales Tall Tales- Folktales, known to be fictional
- Usually limited to specific regions
- Always contain exaggerations
- One town, one city, one mountain range
Paul Bunyan
Br’er Rabbit
Rip Van Winkle
Fables: Fables:- Short stories to entertain (and teach) kids
- Emphasize the moral (lesson)
- Characters are often animals (or other non-humans)
- Plot is a metaphor for a human behavior that must be clarified or modified
- Examples include Aesop’s fables
- The Tortoise and the Hare
- Ants and the Grasshopper
- Fox and the Crow
Fairy Tale: Fairy Tale:- A fictional story set in a magical version of the real world
- Characters are archetypes
- Specifically, there is usually a “Hero”
- Characters’ actions teach a lesson
- Fairy Tales teach lessons like fables teach morals
- Magical Beasts / Talking Animals are often present in fairy tales
- Magic is often used to move the plot
- Examples:
Folklore (or Lore) Folklore (or Lore)- consists of :
- legends,
- music,
- oral history,
- proverbs,
- tall tales, and
- customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group.
- It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared.
Folklore (or Lore) Folklore (or Lore)- Study of folklore (by Folklorists)
- looks at four general (non-literary) media:
- Artifacts
- Oral Tradition
- Culture, and
- Behavior / Rituals
-
Primitive Myths Primitive Myths- Originally stories told about nature
Pagan Myths- Which were like the Greek and Roman stories of the interplay between humans and deities
Sacred Myths Sacred Myths- As in the stories from current Eastern and Western religions such as Christianity and Hinduism
Scientific Myths- Stories which support natural laws
Cosmic Myths Cosmic Myths- Stories which detail the creation and end of the world
Place and Object Myths
Theistic Myths Theistic Myths- Detail events involving the deities
Hero Myths- Stories about characters including Heracles,
- Moses, Odysseus, and Achilles
Myths grant continuity and stability in culture Myths grant continuity and stability in culture
Myths present guidelines for living Myths present guidelines for living
Myths justify a culture’s activities Myths justify a culture’s activities
If we believe that humans can interact with gods, then we obviously must have some part in their grand scheme If we believe that humans can interact with gods, then we obviously must have some part in their grand scheme
Myths explain the unexplained Myths explain the unexplained
Myths offer role models
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