Introduction to Unit 1: Origins and Traditions World Mythology Introduction to Unit 1: Origins and Traditions

Characteristics of Myths Anonymous stories that are part of a culture's ancient oral tradition Are symbols of human experience and embody the spiritual value of that culture The beliefs and world view found within myths are crucial to the survival of that culture Explain origins, natural phenomena, and death Explain the nature and function of divinities Provide models of virtuous behavior by relating the adventures of heroes or the misfortunes of arrogant humans Often are the foundation of legends and folklore Depict humans as an integral part of a larger universe Impart a feeling of awe for all that is mysterious and marvelous in life Are an important way to understand ourselves and our connection to other people at a time when the welfare of each culture depends on the attitudes and actions of other cultures

More about Myths Were created by societies much less complex than our own and they address fundamental questions that each thinking person continues to ask to this day: Who am l?; Why was I born?; Where do I come from? What is the nature of the universe in which I live and how do I relate to it? How much control do I have over my own life? What must I do in order to survive? How can I lead a meaningful and satisfying life? How can I balance my own desires with my responsibilities to my family and community? How can I reconcile myself to the inevitability of death?

Myths also… Reflect human nature with its needs and desires, hopes and fears Reveal the human condition which is the state that all human beings share regardless of race, culture, ethnic backgrounds, socio-economic or political status or educational level. It is the thread that binds all humanity.

Because of this condition, all humans: Are born Grow and develop (learn and change) Experience powerful emotions (joy, sorrow, love, hate, envy, compassion, ambition, power, helplessness) Mature and age (can change themselves and the direction of their lives through reflective planning, dreaming, and aspiring) Have a need to reproduce the species Have a tremendous capacity to do good or evil Have a need for spirituality Die

Common THEMES found in World Mythology The first parents are often the gods of sky and earth The creator - god - usually fashions the first human beings from parts of the earth such as clay, trees, rocks, or plants. The gods destroy at least one world of mortals by causing a great flood or conflagration. In the mythic world, as in nature, birth, maturity, and death are often followed by rebirth.

More Themes Heroes are children of gods who have unusual births, possess extraordinary strength, kill monsters with the help of special weapons, embark on an arduous journey; descend into the Underworld as part of their task, and have an unusual death. Think Odysseus! One or more divine powers creates life and controls the direction of the universe. These divinities, whether human or in animal form, are anthropomorphic in that they think, act, and speak like human beings. Some gods, like those of Greece, Egypt, India, and North America, appreciate the merits of human beings, are sympathetic to them, and try to help them. Other gods like those of Sumer, Babylon, and Northern Europe [the Norse gods] then to be indifferent to the fate of human beings.

The Purpose of Myths They were created as entertainment with a serious purpose: to explain the nature of the universe through creation and fertility myths, or to instruct the community in the attitudes and behaviors necessary to function successfully in that particular culture through her myths and epics. Most major cultures start with the beginning of the universe - a chaotic formless mass that a god or gods separates. The gods multiply so that each can have his or her own particular role in the universal scheme. (Cosmos - order of the universe.) The creator god then brings life to earth in the form of plants, animals, and human beings. Some cultures are interested only in myths that explain the origin of their people and enhance their nationalistic spirit.

The Purpose of Myths, cont’d In many cultures the creator-god must fashion and destroy humanity through a flood. (After all, human beings are not perfect.) This theme or motif is found worldwide. One of the most elaborate comes from Sumer and Babylon and another from the Hebrew people -the story of Noah's ark. All cultures explain how human beings acquired particular foods and the agricultural tools that permitted them to become civilized.