Myths: What and Why?Myths: What and Why?

Every culture in the world has Every culture in the world has a collection of myths a collection of myths

recognized by its people.recognized by its people.

What is a Myth?What is a Myth?

  

• A sacred A sacred storystory involving involving symbolssymbols..

• Many academics study these stories Many academics study these stories in an effort to understand the in an effort to understand the various cultures in out world.various cultures in out world.

A Myth…A Myth…

• contributes to and expresses a contributes to and expresses a culture’s thoughts, beliefs, and values. culture’s thoughts, beliefs, and values.

• is "true” for its culture is "true” for its culture

• is a form of questioning and making is a form of questioning and making sense of the world.sense of the world.

Making Sense of the WorldMaking Sense of the World

• Ancient people had no understanding Ancient people had no understanding of science to explain what they saw. of science to explain what they saw.

• So, how did they explain natural So, how did they explain natural phenomena?phenomena?

• Earth, sun, moon, sky…Earth, sun, moon, sky…

The Search for Answers The Search for Answers

• The early human societies tried to The early human societies tried to explain what they saw in terms they explain what they saw in terms they understood.understood.

• The sun is the chariot of a dazzling The sun is the chariot of a dazzling god traveling across the sky. god traveling across the sky.

How did Myths Grow?How did Myths Grow?

• The art of storytelling!The art of storytelling!

• Most early societies did not have a written Most early societies did not have a written language. language.

• As a result for a long time myths were not written As a result for a long time myths were not written down. They were passed by word of mouth from down. They were passed by word of mouth from father to son, from one generation to the next.father to son, from one generation to the next.

• What do you think was the result? What do you think was the result?

How did Myths Grow?How did Myths Grow?

• Often times a clever storyteller Often times a clever storyteller altered the story with touches that altered the story with touches that others in their area accepted. others in their area accepted. (movie- 300)(movie- 300)

• As a result versions of the same As a result versions of the same myth told in different locations myth told in different locations differed dramatically. differed dramatically.

How did Myths Grow?How did Myths Grow?

• Sometimes a notable poet took a Sometimes a notable poet took a known myth and told it his own way, known myth and told it his own way, and this became the widely accepted and this became the widely accepted version.version.

• Homer’s Homer’s Iliad Iliad and and OdysseyOdyssey are are examples.examples.

How did Myths Grow?How did Myths Grow?

• It was with notable poets like It was with notable poets like Homer Homer

(800 BC) that myths started getting (800 BC) that myths started getting written down and consistently told written down and consistently told the same way.the same way.

Types of Myths

1. Divine Myth:  o Concerns gods, set in a timeless early era

2. Heroic Myth (or Legend, or Saga):  o Concerns humans, but great ones, often the children of gods.  

3. Folktale (or Fairy Tale):  o Tells of regular, everyday humans in a timeless and generic

setting

Why Study Myths?Why Study Myths?

Reason #1Reason #1

• Myths have influenced great works of Myths have influenced great works of literature.literature.

• Many famous writers (Shakespeare) were Many famous writers (Shakespeare) were influenced by the myths of Greece and Rome.influenced by the myths of Greece and Rome.

• Even contemporary writers use the myths of Even contemporary writers use the myths of Greece, Rome, and other ancient cultures as Greece, Rome, and other ancient cultures as influences in their works. influences in their works.

• Do you have any examples?Do you have any examples?

Why Study Myths?Why Study Myths?

Reason #2Reason #2

• Myths also have a strong influence Myths also have a strong influence on music. on music.

• The word music pays tribute the The word music pays tribute the Muses and many myths tell how Muses and many myths tell how musical instruments were invented. musical instruments were invented.

Why Study Myths?Why Study Myths?

Reason #3Reason #3

• Myths have influenced other arts as Myths have influenced other arts as well.well.

• Many painters and sculptors have Many painters and sculptors have used myths for inspiration. used myths for inspiration.

Why Study Myths?Why Study Myths?

Reason #4Reason #4

• Myths link us to the past. Myths link us to the past.

• Myths give us a window into ancient cultures.Myths give us a window into ancient cultures.

What is an archetype?•Original models, images, characters, or

patterns that recur throughout literature consistently enough to be considered a universal concept or situation.

Background: Leading Researchers

• Joseph Campbell - MythologistAuthor of “The Hero with a Thousand

Faces”

•Myths from all over the world are built from the same ‘elementary ideas’

•Demonstrates that all stories are expressions of the same story-pattern, which he named the "Hero's Journey"

Background: Leading Researchers

•Carl Jung -Swiss Psychiatrist – Defined the ‘elementary ideas’ as archetypes

•The building blocks not only of the unconscious mind, but of a collective unconscious (all people).

•In other words, Jung believed everyone in the world is born with the same basic subconscious model of what a "hero" is or a "quest."

•That's why people who don't even speak the same language can enjoy the same stories.

Background: Function of Mythology

• Identifies four functions of mythology (Campbell)– to instill in us a sense of awe, humility, and respect at

the wonder of the universe– to provide an understanding of the world according to

the knowledge of the time– to support the social order through rites and rituals or to

provide individuals with moral justifications to challenge the existing state of things

– to guide the individual through the psychological crises of life

The Myth of HerculesHercules, son of the Greek God, Zeus, is turned into a half-god, half-mortal by evil Hades, God of the Underworld, who plans to overthrow Zeus. Hercules is raised on Earth and retains his god-like strength, but later learns he is the son of gods, and in order to return to Mt. Olympus he must turn into a "true hero". He is trained by Phil the satyr and becomes the most famous hero in ancient Greece after battling

monsters of all kinds. He even saves Mt. Olympus from Hade's take-over, but he only becomes a god again after he offers to exchange his life in order to save Meg, his love, from Hades'

underworld and shows that a true hero must have a strong heart and not only physical strength.

How does this myth fulfill Campbell’s four functions?

– to instill in us a sense of awe, humility, and respect at the wonder of the universe

– to provide an understanding of the world according to the knowledge of the time

– to support the social order through rites and rituals or to provide individuals with moral justifications to challenge the existing state of things

– to guide the individual through the psychological crises of life