1. What Do Myths and Legends Teach Us About Society?
Feature Menu
Myths and Legends
Heroes and Quests
Norse Myths
Arthurian Legends
Romantic Literature
Archetypes
Your Turn

2. Myths and Legends
Myths are traditional stories rooted in a particular culture. A myth . . .
is basically religious in nature
serves to explain beliefs, rituals, or natural phenomena
reveals the ideals and values of a society
Myths vs. Folk tales

3. Myths vs. Folk Tales
Folk tales are similar to myths, but they are not religious.
They are told to teach lessons . . .
. . . and to entertain.

4. Myths and Legends
Throughout history, people have used myths to explain . . .
the creation of the world
events and elements in nature
ancient religious beliefs and practices

5. Myths and Legends
A legend is a story about extraordinary deeds based on a real historical event or person.
Because legends are told and retold, they often take on fantastic, supernatural elements.

6. Myths and Legends extraordinary deeds explanation of natural phenomena
Quick Check
extraordinary deeds
explanation of natural phenomena
scientific proofs
gods and goddesses
fantastic, supernatural elements
confusion about values
Which two elements do not appear in myths or legends?
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7. Myths and Legends extraordinary deeds explanation of natural phenomena
Quick Check
extraordinary deeds
explanation of natural phenomena
scientific proofs
gods and goddesses
fantastic, supernatural elements
confusion about values
Which two elements do not appear in myths or legends?

8. Heroes and Quests
In myths and legends, a hero or a heroine is extraordinary in several ways:
In a myth, a hero is often descended from the gods.
The hero faces a seemingly impossible task.
He or she accepts the task with courage, ingenuity, and often superhuman strength.

9. Heroes and Quests
Heroes often set out on a quest—a journey or a test to find something of great significance.
In Greek mythology, the hero Theseus goes on a quest to slay the Minotaur, a monster devouring the youth of Athens.
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10. The Major Greek Gods and Goddesses
The Olympians

11. The Olympians

12. ZEUS (Jupiter, Jove) Roman name Jupiter or Jove
Zeus was the supreme god of the Olympians
He was in charge of the sky and weather. (He shot lightening bolts.)
Had many affairs with mortal women (who bore heroes)

13. Hera (Juno) Roman name Juno
Queen of the Olympian gods.
Sister and wife of Zeus.
Goddess of marriage, wealth
Very jealous of her husband’s affairs

14. APHRODITE (Venus) Roman name Venus
goddess of love, beauty; and fertility
protectress of sailors.
Her son was Eros, whose Roman name was Cupid
married to Hephaestus, the lame god of blacksmithing

15. ARES (Mars) Roman name Mars
Ares was the god of offensive war
He had an affair with Aphrodite
Cruel and bloodthirsty
Called the “Red God”

16. HEPHAESTUS (Vulcan) Roman name Vulcan
Hephaestus was the lame god of fire and metal crafts (of blacksmiths)
He was the only ugly god
Workshop under a volcano
God of volcanoes
Made armor for the gods and heroes

17. ARTEMIS (Diana) Roman name Diana
Goddess of the moon, the hunt, and wild animals
Apollo’s twin
Goddess of women in childbirth
Could bring sudden death with her arrows.

18. DIONYSUS (Bacchus) Roman name Bacchus
Dionysus was the god of grapes/wine and fertility
God of drama and theater
Plays were performed in his honor
His festival in Rome was called the “Bacchanalia”
sometimes portrayed as a satyr in later Greek and Roman history.

19. HERMES (Mercury) Roman name Mercury
Hermes was the messenger of the gods and guide of dead souls to the Underworld.
God of travelers and theives
He wore winged sandals and carried a snake-winged scepter

20. POSEIDON (Neptune) Roman name Neptune
Poseidon was the god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.
Sons named Triton and Proteus
Over mermen and mermaids
Over all sea monsters
was officially one of the supreme gods of Mount Olympus, he spent most of his time in his watery domain.

21. APOLLO (Apollo) Roman name Apollo
Apollo was the god of the sun and twin to Artemis
He was also the god who controlled prophesy, music, the arts, healing, athletes, and poetry.

22. ATHENA (Minerva) Roman name Minerva
Athena was the goddess of defensive war
Goddess of wisdom, and and the domestic arts (weaving)
she was the patron goddess of Athens.
Her symbol was the owl
She sprang fully grown and dressed in armor from Zeus’s head

23. DEMETER (Ceres) Roman name Cerus
Demeter was the goddess of agriculture and the harvest
She was the sister of Zeus and the mother of Persephone
She is the reason we have seasons

24. HESTIA (Vesta) Goddess of the hearth and home
Every Greek home had an altar to her in their homes
Over domestic harmony and family

25. HADES (Pluto) Roman name Pluto
Hades was the God of the Dead and ruler of the Underworld (which was called Hades after the god)
Hades abducted Persephone, who became his queen
Like Poseidon, he did not live on Mt. Olympus, but rather in Hades itself.

26. PERSEPHONE (Proserpina) Roman name Pluto
Daughter of Demeter
Goddess of the spring
Kidnapped by Hades and made his wife
Queen of the Underworld

27. IRIS (Iris) Goddess of the rainbow Messenger goddess
Messages delivered by rainbow

28. HEBE (Juventas) Goddess of youth and children
Over children and learning
Guarded children in sleep and illness

29. HERCULES (Heracles) Hercules-was son of Zeus and a mortal woman
Was a hero
Made a god at his death
God of strength

30. CHRONUS (KRONOS) Titan god Ruler of the Titans
Defeated by Zeus and the Olympians
God of Time

31. THE MUSES Nine goddesses who served Apollo
Over the arts, poetry, history, and music

32. The Fates
Three goddesses who controlled the fates of gods and men

33. The Furies
Three goddesses who were sent by the Olympian gods to punish people on earth

35. In Literature, what is a hero?
1. A person—usually a male-- noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

36. 2. In mythology and legend, a hero is a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favoured by the gods.

37. 3. The principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation.

38. Characteristics of a hero:
Brave
High values
Strong leader
Honest
Courageous
Trustworthy
Good communicator
Motivated
Extraordinary Talent
Inspirational
Confident
Strength
Hopeful
Adventurous
Responsible to others
Positive
Intelligent
Good Role Model

39. Heroines A woman noted for courage and daring action.
A woman noted for special achievement in a
particular field.
The principal female character in a novel, poem,
or dramatic presentation.
Many writers now consider hero, long restricted to men in the sense "a person noted for courageous action," to be a gender-neutral term. It is used to refer to admired women as well as men in respected publications.

40. Norse Myths
Norse myths are traditional stories of the people of ancient Scandinavia and Germany.
Norse mythology includes hero tales, called sagas.
Sagas are part of the Norse oral storytelling tradition.

41. Norse Myths
Scandinavia
Germany 41

42. Norse Myths
In one myth, the hero Sigurd, the most famous Norse hero, gets help in his quest from Odin, the principal Norse God.
“I gave your father a sword,” said Odin as they watched the great creature breasting the flood. “Now I give you this horse. Ride out and win fame heroes shall rise to greet you as the greatest one of them all.”
From "The Dragon Slayer" and "Fafnir's End" from Legends of the North by Olivia E. Coolidge. Copyright 1951 by Olivia E. Coolidge. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company,
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43. Arthurian Legends
Arthurian legends are stories about King Arthur and the brave, powerful, and adventurous knights of the Round Table.
The medieval hero King Arthur was considered a great fighter and defender of his land.

44. Arthurian Legends
The Arthurian legends are probably based on a fifth or sixth-century Celtic chieftain who lived in Wales.
This legendary king led his people to victory against invaders from Germany.

45. Arthurian Legends The Celts
In the first millennium B.C., the Celtic people were the main culture inhabiting central and western Europe.
Dominating the area, they passed on their customs and religion, as well as their language to other ethnic groups in the region. 45

46. Arthurian Legends
Great Britain
Europe
Wales 46

47. Arthurian Legends
The following excerpt describes Arthur’s first heroic task—pulling a sword out of a stone in which it had been lodged.
“Why,” said Arthur, “do you kneel before me?”
“My lord,” Sir Ector replied, “there is only one man living who can draw the sword from the stone, and he is the true-born king of Britain.”
From “The Sword in the Stone” from Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, translated by Keith Baines. Translation copyright © 1962 by Keith Baines; copyright renewed © 1990 by Francesca Evans. Reproduced by permission of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

48. Norse Myths and Arthurian Legends
Quick Check
Match each numbered item to its literary genre.
a hero or heroine
sagas
the god Odin
quests
a famous round table
knights
an impossible task
Norse myths
Arthurian legends
Probably both
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49. Norse Myths and Arthurian Legends
Quick Check
Match each numbered item to its literary genre.
a hero or heroine
sagas
the god Odin
quests
a famous round table
knights
an impossible task C A A
Norse myths
Arthurian legends
Probably both C B B C

50. Romantic Literature
The legends of King Arthur are part of the larger genre of Romantic literature.
These legends developed in twelfth- century England and France and focus on the adventures of knights and other heroes.
Romantic vs. romantic

51. Romantic Literature Romantic vs. romantic
The terms Romantic (capitalized) and romantic (lower case) have different meanings.
However, Romantic literature specifically refers to those tales and legends coming from the era of knights and the code of chivalry.
The love story, one of several genres of entertainment reading, is romantic literature. 51

52. Romantic Literature
The medieval romance celebrates the ideals of chivalry—the code of behavior a knight followed.
A knight was expected to be . . .
brave
honorable
generous to his foes
respectful of women
protective of the weak

53. Romantic Literature
The stories of Romantic literature are still enjoyed today. Such tales feature love and loyalty, often with elements of magic or enchantment.
In “The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lake,” the hero commits to helping the king’s daughter.
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54. Archetypes
An archetype is a plot pattern, image, or character type that appears throughout literature.
One example of an archetype is the hero, who faces formidable enemies and physical challenges or goes on a quest.
More about archetypes

55. Archetypes
You are probably already familiar with many archetypal characters in literature and pop culture.
the loyal sidekick as Robin is to Batman . . .
the tough guy with a heart of gold . . .
the undervalued and overlooked sweet girl . . . 55

56. Archetypes
As you read myths and legends, use a graphic organizer like the one below to track archetypal qualities.
Quest
Outcome
of quest
Conflict
Hero/Heroine
Divine
intervention
Superhuman
qualities

57. Romantic Literature and Archetypes
Quick Check
1. What other traits were included in the code of chivalry?
1.Knights in the medieval era pledged to be honorable and to protect the weak.
2. One archetypal pattern is the plot type in which a hero goes on a quest.
2. What kind of help is a hero likely to have during the quest?
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58. Romantic Literature and Archetypes
Quick Check
1. What other traits were included in the code of chivalry?
1.Knights in the medieval era pledged to be honorable and to protect the weak.
to be brave
to be respectful of women
to be generous to foes

59. Romantic Literature and Archetypes
Quick Check
2. One archetypal pattern is the plot type in which a hero goes on a quest.
2. What kind of help is a hero likely to have during the quest?
A god or goddess might help—divine intervention.
A magical object or being might help.

60. Analyze Myths and Legends
Your Turn
Think of a hero or heroine from literature or film and apply your knowledge of the archetypal hero. Use the following questions as a guide:
What is the hero’s or heroine’s quest?
What heroic qualities does the character possess to overcome the challenge(s)?
What conflicts does the hero overcome?
What is the outcome?
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61. The End