MYTHSMyth – ancient story: a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human behaviour.

Mythology – body of myths: a group of myths that belong to a particular people or culture and tell about their ancestors, heroes, gods and other supernatural beings, and history.

PURPOSE

To explain matters in the science of a prescientific age.

HISTORY

EVOLUTION OF MYTHSEuhemerus

The ancient gods were patterned after heroes who actually lived at one time.

Philologist That man repeating things their

ancestors said, understood them in a different sense and because of that, misunderstanding created myths.

Anthropologist Explain the cause of natural

phenomenon.

Emile Durkheim That people got so excited during their

tribal festivities that they thought that a great power came to them from an object in their camp.

WRITERS AND THEIR STORIES

Thomas Godwyn Romanae Historiae Anthologia (An

English Treatise on Roman Antiquities)

Samuel Boyse The New Pantheon: or, Fabulous

History of the Heathen Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, etc.

Ahmad Bahgat The Hoopoe of King Solomon,

Illustrated by Hilmi Eltouni

Padraic Colum At the Gateways of the Day

M. Dorothy Belgrave & Hilda Hart Children’s Stories from Indian Legends,

Illustrated by Harry G. Theaker

Fiona French Lord of the Animals: A North American

Folk-tale

Jean Lang A Book of Myths, Illustrated by Helen

Stratton

Wilhelm Kaulbach The Heroic Life and Exploits of Siegfried

the Dragon Slayer

Rosemary Sutcliff Dragon Slayer: The Story of Beowulf,

Illustrated by Charles Keeping

Anon The Life of Saint Bridget

Henry Gilroy & Jan Duursema et al. Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the

Clones

SOURCES

Greek and Roman Mythology The Roman had no system of

mythology. They adopted the mythology of the Greeks, but changed the name of the gods. The Roman names are more familiar than the Greek: the Greek names have more beautiful sounds.

Norse Mythology The Norse myths came from the

Scandinavian countries. They are more serious in tone and plot than the Greek myths.

German Mythology The names of deities in German myths

differ only slightly from those of the Norse. Odin becomes Wotan, Sigurd and Brynhild become Siegfried and Brunhilde as in the Wagnerian operas.

TYPES

“Why” Story or Pourquoi Tale Allegory or Symbolic Story Ways of the Gods with other Gods and

with men Nature and other phenomena

VALUES

Dramatic Quality Classical Allusions Subjects of sculpture and graphic arts Furnish background Origin and meaning Aid History and civilization Answers

ROLES

Transcends the limitations of history and science

Provide maps for where we might want to go in life

Provide frameworks for how we might live

Inspire us to find moments of ecstasy in the mystery of our own mortality

Attempts to answer the unanswerable