Using stories as historical sources

Using Fiction Fictional accounts can be used to understand the past. Can tell us about a culture’s beliefs, norms, fears Science fiction written during the Cold War Myths and allusions contained within The Odyssey Can be used to discover previously unknown events or places

The Discovery of Troy For centuries, people believed that Troy was a mythical place, and the Trojan War was a mythical event Heinrich Schliemann dug in Turkey and actually found the ruins of Troy, and evidence for war. Subsequent digging at the site has shown wartime destruction took place around 1190 BCE that may be the inspiration for The Iliad This does not mean that The Iliad is a history text – it should be seen as a folk tale that contains references to, and fictionalization of, real events

Schliemann got carried away with believing the stories were true. He claimed that Helen of Troy was a real person, and that this jewelry belonged to her. Unfortunately, it is at least 1000 years too old.

Dating the Odyssey We can also study elements that seem fictional In The Odyssey, a prophet has a vision of the sky going dark in the middle of the day. Combining this with references to the stars that appear, and the shape of the moon, this points to a rare eclipse. Using this method, they dated Odysseus’s return to Ithaca at 1178 BCE, 10 years after the archeological evidence shows Troy was razed.

Atlantis Myths and stories can be inspired by real events Plato described an advanced culture living on an island that later sank beneath the ocean. This story was fictional, but may have been inspired by the eruption of Thera, modern Santorini

Conclusion? We can look for evidence of real historical information in fictional stories We should not jump to conclusions or assume that folk tales, myths, and events referred to in ancient stories are automatically true. The most reliable information from stories is sociological: values, attitudes, lifestyles, beliefs.

Myths, Legends, and Folk Tales Myth - a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events. Legend - a human-centred story from the past that is believed by many people but cannot be proved to be true Folk Tale – a story traditional to a people; usually part of an oral tradition.

Individual Stories Looking at individual stories can help us begin to make conclusions about the societies they are from. Which attributes and behaviors are rewarded? Which attributes and behaviors are punished? What is the source of fear or tension in the story? What lesson is the audience meant to learn?

Collections of Stories Looking at the body of work from a culture is a much more reliable way to learn about that society. It can help you determine Common attributes that are praised Common attributes that are seen as negative Common threats Common morals/lessons

Activity 1. Which traits or attributes are portrayed as positive? Explain how. 2. Which traits or attributes are portrayed as negative? Explain how. 3. What is the source of trouble or danger? How could that connect to a real-life threat? 4. What lesson is the audience meant to learn from this? Why might this lesson be important? 5. What does this story tell us about the social organization of this culture? 6. What does this story tell us about this culture’s religious beliefs?