Download week 2 lecture: basic mythology

MYTHS & LEGENDS
Are they the same?
MYTHOLOGY
• Mythology is the study of myths.
• Mythology is a collection of traditional
stories that express the beliefs or values of
a group of people
– All cultures have same type of myths
(Greeks, Romans, Germanic, Mayan, etc.)
– The same myths can often be found in different parts
of the world: creation of the world, creation of
humankind…
MYTHS
• Myths are poetic stories that explain natural
phenomena or important events. They are led
by heroic or divine personages
• A myth help groups of people identify
themselves and define their values. It helps
validate social order and provides a moral
code by which to live.
When we study myths…
… we can learn how a
culture thought, lived,
and expressed
themselves. HISTORY can
tell you facts about a
people, but MYTH shows
you the personality, their
beliefs, fears, and hopes.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A MYTH
• They are sacred
• They use the supernatural
• You may encounter different versions of
stories. No one can say that one version
of a story is “right” and the others
“wrong.”
• To understand myths, one must look
beyond the literal translation. Instead, you
should study the symbols and ideas.
EXAMPLES OF MYTHS
• Ancient Myths
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Gilgamesh (Mesopotamia)
Osiris reborn (Egypt)
Homer’s Iliad – Troyan war (Greece)
Popol Vuh (Mayan creation)
Yggdrasil, the tree of life (Germanic)
• Modern-day myths have many components of
ancient/classic myths, as in the following:
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Star Wars
Lord of the Rings
Superman
Finding Nemo
Monsters Inc.
MYTHOLOGY IN
MODERN DAY SOCIETY
• Mythology is everywhere! Many
companies/groups/corporations take
their name, logo or theme from ancient
mythology. Below are just a few:
– Ajax: Greek warrior in the Trojan war who “cleaned up”
in battle (household cleaner)
– Trojan Horse: the Greek hid in it to attack Troy from the
inside (computer virus)
– Nike: Winged goddess of victory who can run and fly at
great speeds (shoes/apparel)
MYTHOLOGY IN
MODERN DAY SOCIETY
• There are many words/expressions that are
derived from ancient myths
– Achilles’ heel
• Achilles: Greek hero of the Trojan War who was said to
be invulnerable on all his body except for his heel. It is
said that he was killed in battle by an arrow to his heel
– Herculean strength
• Hercules: Roman name for Heracles, the greatest Greek
hero
MYTHS
VS. LEGENDS
• Considered true
sacred stories that
happened in the
distant past
• Main character is
often non-human
• Story is timeless,
events are
symbolic
• Considered true
stories that
happened in the
more recent past
• Main character is
usually human
• Story told has
historical
information/value
EXAMPLES OF LEGENDS
• King Arthur & the Knights of the
Round Table
• Robin Hood
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
• “La Llorona”
URBAN LEGEND
It’s a form modern folklore consisting
of stories that may or may not have
been believed by their tellers to be
true.
They often possess horror implications
that are believable to their
audience.
EXAMPLES OF URBAN LEGENDS
- Only two people in Coca-Cola
company know the formula.
- Walt Disney corpse is frozen.
- The girl of the road curve.
- Chain letters.