Journal #1Journal #1

Think about the stories we tell today. Think about the stories we tell today. Why do we tell them? What purpose Why do we tell them? What purpose do these stories serve in our culture?do these stories serve in our culture? ½ page minimum½ page minimum

PhaetonPhaeton

Myth DefinedMyth Defined

GreekGreek Mythos Mythos=“discourse” or “speech”=“discourse” or “speech” Dictionary: A traditional story dealing Dictionary: A traditional story dealing

with supernatural beings, ancestors, or with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that informs or heroes that informs or shapes the shapes the world view of a peopleworld view of a people, by explaining , by explaining aspects of the natural world or aspects of the natural world or delineating the customs or ideals of delineating the customs or ideals of society.society.

Myth vs. Legend vs. FolktaleMyth vs. Legend vs. FolktaleMythMyth =Story based on culture, concerning the =Story based on culture, concerning the

early history of people, with some supernatural early history of people, with some supernatural stuff stuff (mortal and immortals)(mortal and immortals), , Seeks to explain Seeks to explain or justify the natural world or justify the natural world

LegendLegend =story from the past, =story from the past, has a validated has a validated historical basis unlike a myth or a folktalehistorical basis unlike a myth or a folktale

FolktaleFolktale = story based on by word of mouth; = story based on by word of mouth; entertainment, entertainment, does NOT try to does NOT try to explain/describe human behaviorexplain/describe human behavior

Elements of Greek MythElements of Greek Myth

Interaction between gods and Interaction between gods and humanshumans

Gods as hypertrophied humansGods as hypertrophied humans Gods as flawed beingsGods as flawed beings Supernatural beings and monstersSupernatural beings and monsters Larger than life, godly “superheroes”Larger than life, godly “superheroes”

Best-known writers of Greek and Best-known writers of Greek and Roman mythologyRoman mythology

.. HomerHomer – One of the oldest known Greek literary sources, – One of the oldest known Greek literary sources, Homer's epic poems Homer's epic poems IliadIliad and and OdysseyOdyssey focus on events focus on events surrounding the aftermath of the Trojan War. He is revered as surrounding the aftermath of the Trojan War. He is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet.the greatest ancient Greek epic poet.

HesiodHesiod- Was a poor farmer and a near contemporary of Homer. - Was a poor farmer and a near contemporary of Homer. His two poems, the His two poems, the TheogonyTheogony and the and the Works and DaysWorks and Days, contain , contain accounts of the genesis of the world, the succession of divine accounts of the genesis of the world, the succession of divine rulers, the succession of human ages, the origin of human rulers, the succession of human ages, the origin of human woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices.woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices.

OvidOvid - His poetry influenced European art and literature and - His poetry influenced European art and literature and remains as one of the most important sources of classical remains as one of the most important sources of classical poetry. poetry.

Continued.Continued. Pindar-Pindar- Greatest lyric poet, many versions of his poems still exists Greatest lyric poet, many versions of his poems still exists

today.today.

Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides-Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides- All tragic poets, Aeschylus was All tragic poets, Aeschylus was the oldest and Euripides was the youngest. The famous play, the oldest and Euripides was the youngest. The famous play, Oedipus Rex, came from Sophocles.Oedipus Rex, came from Sophocles.

Aristophanes-Aristophanes- Great writer of comedy. Great writer of comedy.

Plato-Plato- Famous philosopher . Famous philosopher .

Virgil-Virgil- Found human nature in the myths, and he brought Found human nature in the myths, and he brought mythological personages to life as no one had since the mythological personages to life as no one had since the tragedians.tragedians.

Purposes of MythPurposes of Myth

Herakles

Myths Explain Natural OccurrencesMyths Explain Natural Occurrences

Examples?Examples? Gaea and OuranosGaea and Ouranos Thunder and lightning Thunder and lightning

(Zeus)(Zeus) Earthquakes (Poseidon)Earthquakes (Poseidon) Seasons (Persephone & Seasons (Persephone &

Demeter)Demeter) The sun rises (Greece: The sun rises (Greece:

Helios’ chariot, Egypt: Ra Helios’ chariot, Egypt: Ra and Semektet) and Semektet)

Myths Explain Fundamental Myths Explain Fundamental Philosophical QuestionsPhilosophical Questions

Early Greeks as Early Greeks as proto philosophersproto philosophers Attempting to answer Attempting to answer

fundamental fundamental questionsquestions

Where did we come Where did we come from?from?

Who created the Who created the universe?universe?

Is there life after Is there life after death?death?

To explain is to To explain is to controlcontrol

Comfort in knowingComfort in knowing

Myths Explain Culture and Myths Explain Culture and InstitutionsInstitutions

Why womenWhy women

couldn’t votecouldn’t vote To explain is to To explain is to

controlcontrol

Athena and Poseidon both want to rule and protect Athena and Poseidon both want to rule and protect AthensAthens Gift contest Gift contest

Poseidon=saltwater well (useless)Poseidon=saltwater well (useless) Athena=olive tree (olive, wood, oil)Athena=olive tree (olive, wood, oil)

Men vote for Poseidon, women for AthenaMen vote for Poseidon, women for Athena Athena winsAthena wins Poseidon flood the Attic plainPoseidon flood the Attic plain Athenians blame the women, take away voteAthenians blame the women, take away vote

Myths as Means to InstructMyths as Means to Instruct

Myths often relay a Myths often relay a message or moralmessage or moral Teach cultural Teach cultural

traditions, valuestraditions, values Icarus—life has Icarus—life has

limitslimits Narcissus and the Narcissus and the

dangers of pride dangers of pride and self loveand self love

Myths to Explain HistoryMyths to Explain History

To hold onto To hold onto historyhistory

So people don’t So people don’t make the same make the same mistakesmistakes

Attempts to Attempts to create a pastcreate a past

Myths to EntertainMyths to Entertain

Couldn’t read or writeCouldn’t read or write Entertained with blood, shock, Entertained with blood, shock,

sex, and exciting tales (like our sex, and exciting tales (like our movies)movies)

Heroes: Heroes: Heracles, Heracles, Odysseus, Theseus, Odysseus, Theseus,

JasonJason Stronger, smarter, more Stronger, smarter, more

handsome than mere mortalshandsome than mere mortals Nobility in humanityNobility in humanity Humans are better than godsHumans are better than gods

Cultural Supremacy Cultural Supremacy and Civil Orderand Civil Order

PersuasionPersuasion Greek superiority over Greek superiority over

non-Greeksnon-Greeks Other as “barbarians”Other as “barbarians”

Religion: Cult & RitualReligion: Cult & Ritual Maintained orderMaintained order Gave people reason to Gave people reason to

be loyal to a citybe loyal to a city Temples and sacrificesTemples and sacrifices Feared retribution of Feared retribution of

the godsthe gods

Apollo’s Temple at Delphi

Why Study Myth?Why Study Myth?

To Understand Literature and To Understand Literature and ArtArt

PoemsPoemsPaintingsPaintingsStories:Stories:

PlaysPlaysMythical allusions Mythical allusions

and references:and references:Keats and the Keats and the RomanticsRomanticsShakespeareShakespeare

““Like Hyperion Like Hyperion to a satyr” (Hamlet)to a satyr” (Hamlet)

Brueghel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (1555)

Truth in MythTruth in Myth

Universal truthsUniversal truths Stories about the Stories about the

human conditionhuman condition

Archetypes and Mythic Archetypes and Mythic PatternsPatterns

Greek characters, places, themes Greek characters, places, themes have influenced (consciously or not) have influenced (consciously or not) Western literature and artWestern literature and art Journeys to the underworldJourneys to the underworld Serpent figuresSerpent figures TemptressesTemptresses

Finding connecting patternsFinding connecting patterns

Myth and LanguageMyth and Language

Word originsWord origins ArthritisArthritis NarcissismNarcissism SirensSirens HookHook AirAir AnchorAnchor AchillesAchilles ElixirElixir AtlasAtlas VolcanoVolcano AphrodisiacAphrodisiac HerculeanHerculean TantalizeTantalize MusicMusic

Myth and Cultural LiteracyMyth and Cultural Literacy

E.D. HirschE.D. Hirsch Knowledge of Knowledge of

myths makes us myths makes us literateliterate

Enriches our Enriches our understanding of understanding of the Western worldthe Western world

EmpoweringEmpowering Shared cultureShared culture

This is not a “G” rated classThis is not a “G” rated class Mythology is …Mythology is …

- violence- violence - death- death

- war- war - hideous injuries- hideous injuries

- love- love - sex- sex

- power- power - deceit- deceit

- ambrosia- ambrosia

- pride- pride

- hate- hate

- jealousy- jealousy

- impossible feats- impossible feats