Understanding Myths

Introduction to Mythology and Cultural Tales

Every culture in the world has a collection of myths or cultural tales recognized by its people.

Open Ended

BRAIN DUMP: Write everything you know about mythology.

To start...what is a Myth?

• A sacred story involving symbols.

• Many academics study these stories in an effort to understand the various cultures in our world.

Multiple Choice

What is a myth?

• A long story that is not important

• A short story

• A story of great importance

• A sacred story with symbols

A  Myth…

contributes to and expresses a culture’s thoughts, beliefs, and values. 

is "true” for its culture 

is a form of questioning and making sense of the world.

Making Sense of the World

• Ancient people had no understanding of science to explain what they saw.

• So, how did they explain natural phenomena?

• Earth, sun, moon, sky…

The Search for Answers

• The early human societies tried to explain what they saw in terms they understood.

• The sun is the chariot of a dazzling god traveling across the sky.

How did Myths Grow?

• The art of storytelling!

• Most early societies did not have a written language.

• As a result for a long time myths were not written down. They were passed by word of mouth from father to son, from one generation to the next.

• What do you think was the result?

How did Myths Grow?

• Often times a clever storyteller altered the story with touches that others in their area accepted; this might include adapting the setting to a different location.

• As a result versions of the same myth told in different locations differed dramatically.

• Sometimes a notable poet took a known myth and told it his own way, and this became the widely accepted version.

• Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are examples.

Multiple Choice

How did people hear early myths, before written language?

• They were passed down by word of mouth

• They were told in pictures

• Someone discovered writing and then myths were formed

• No one knows

Types of Cultural Tales

• Divine Myth:  Concerns gods, set in a timeless early era

• Heroic Myth (or Legend, Epic, or Saga):  Concerns humans, but great ones, often the children of gods. 

• Folktale (or Fairy Tale):  Tells of regular, everyday humans in a timeless and generic setting

• Fable: A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral

Multiple Select

Which of the following are types of cultural tales?

• Divine Myth

• Monster Myth

• Fairy Tale

• Fable

• Heroic Myth

Why Study Myths?

• Myths have influenced great works of literature.

• Classic myths and characters are frequently used as allusions in literature (Achilles heel, for example).

• Myths also have a strong influence on music.

• The word music is a derivative from the word “muse” (one of the nine Muses ruled over music) and many myths tell how musical instruments were invented.

• Myths have influenced other arts as well.

• Many painters and sculptors have used myths for inspiration.

• Myths link us to the past.

• Myths give us a window into ancient cultures.

Poll

Have you ever heard a song, watched a movie, or read a story that you know now connects to mythology?

• Yes

• No

Open Ended

Name something that you have heard, seen, or read that has mythology in it. Be specific: if you say a song-list the title of the song.

Literary Analysis of a Myth

• What is the myth explaining? Many myths tell about the the origins of something (how something was created) or teach a moral lesson.

• Do the characters have special qualities or abilities? Characters often have qualities that their culture admired or feared.

• Is there a search, or quest, for knowledge or an object? Myths often contain a quest for something that is important to the culture.

• Is there a transgression (the breaking of a rule)? These demonstrate the values of a culture.