Nature of Myth

What is Myth? Mythology allows you to take a journey into an exciting and mysterious world. In our travels we will encounter gods, heroes, monsters, exotic places occasionally, eat popcorn! For pure story value, myth has no match Enriches your understanding of literary and artistic works through the ages

What is Myth You will see that you have entered a living tradition as we continue to incorporate mythological themes into our culture today. The very stories have overtones of meaning Achilles Helen Hercules Ulysses Daedalus Medea

Multitude of Genres All of these areas are rich in myth and the stories themselves transcend time in each one Poetry Drama Novelist Film Sculpture Mosaic Canvas

Levels of Meaning in Myth We will not be satisfied to tell and retell these stories for their own sake But we will consider what their meaning in their own time, in ages past, and the present. What message dot they convey about the people who created them? Did they know they were timeless?

Myth as Story I. Myths are stories, legends, folklore. In every culture, from time immemorial people have told stories a. Of these, perhaps the most captivating have been sacred stores handed down as part of ‘religion’ b. Narratives that explain and define the acts of nations and rulers c. Usually these accounts are so old that their origins are shrouded in mystery

Myth as Sacred Story D. For us, part of their appeal is their evocation some lost era in which members of the communities lives were guided by the stories they held sacred.

Myth Entertainment as Education As Northrop Frye puts it “the stories of mythology are charged with a special seriousness and importance” Consider for example: Prometheus Storytellers made their living as a teacher of sorts. Even secular tales included values and perspectives that enlighten the audience.

Myth Fact or Fiction? Many consider myth as false stories told by primitive people to explain the nature of the universe before scientific explanations entered the scene BUT we must consider that their purpose was NOT scientific but to integrate human nature, nature around them, the cosmos and the very investigation of death! As students of myth we will see that mythological stories reveal the core of human nature as seen by those untrained in psychology! Or were they!

Understanding Myth Some of the pleasure gained from an examination of myth comes from an appreciation of the literary style in which it was written In many cases the story is so old that they did not use the written word to ‘record’ the myth they stored it within a living mind with an active memory. Therefore: one of the ways we can glean the most from the is to look at who studies it and why.

Who Studies Myth? Scientists To reexamine the way the universe works For example: a myth explains a journey taken by hero that includes astronomy, geography, geology, botany, zoology Star charts Navigation Ancient Disasters

Historians As I love to point out the last five letters of history spell ‘story’, thus, myth provides unique insight into particular peoples, areas, events. Myth enlightens the historian with social norms, religious beliefs, battles, language, customs, ceremonies, art and architecture.

How Should We Read Myth? Remember that it was first an oral composition It will contain elements of repetition or words or phrases and an abundance of names and titles that reflects formulaic structure In some cases it is poetic in another language and difficult to translate The story teller has constructed the tale to conform to his world and his specific audience. Thus, our first readings regarding Homer and Hesiod reflect their reshaped stories from time immemorial to form them into unified works that correspond to the world as they saw it in 800 BCE.

Ancient Greece and Rome

Myth in Art

Myth of Dirce

Hercules at Rest

Apollo in Bronze

Drunken Faun

Drunken Faun Roman

Hercules as a Babe

Farenese Collection – Dirce

Hermes at Rest

Hercules