Download Comparative Mythology

Investigating the
Origin of Myth
The word “grace” and “charity” ?
From: Greek Mythology

Beyond religious significance, the term is directly translated from
Greek χάρις (charis), which pertains to ‘that which brings joy’. This
‘charis‘ is in turn related to the Charites, a trio of Greek goddesses
(Aglaea or Splendor, Euphrosyne or Mirth and Thalia or Good Cheer)
who epitomized beauty, charm and even creativity.
The word “hell”?
From: Norse Mythology

The ruler of the underworld (also known as Helheim) was the mysterious
Hel, who was the daughter of Loki (nemesis of Thor). Descriptions of Hel,
the goddess, have been found in different Viking sagas and poems. Most of
them portray Hel as being partly decomposed with a face and a body of a
living woman, but with the thighs and legs of a corpse.
To Rise From the Ashes
From: Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, a phoenix or phenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically
regenerated or reborn. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by
arising from the ashes of its predecessor. According to some sources, the
phoenix dies in a show of flames and combustion, although there are other
sources that claim that the legendary bird dies and simply decomposes before
being born again.
“A Rock and a Hard Place”
From: Greek Mythology

Odysseus learns from the blind seer Tiresias that he must journey through a strait
where the path breaks into two; no matter what path he and his crew choose, Tiresias
forebodes, the outcome will be equally perilous. For on one side is the Scylla monster
who gobbles up his men like chickens and on the other side is a gaping whirlpool with
teeth called the Charybdis, which swallows his men alive.
“Eeny meeny miny moe”

From: Indian/Buddist Mythology
While this children’s rhyme became famous in the early 19th century, it is also found
across many other European languages. In German, for example, we can find it as “ene
mene timpe tu.” But, it is much older than the 19th century, for the first testimony
comes from Buddhist transcripts which date over 2,000 years prior.
Comparative

Mythology:
The comparison of myths from diverse
cultures in an effort to detect shared
themes and characteristics.
Many mythological stories contain similar themes, characters and plot lines.
Creation Accounts:
Genesis
vs.
Babylonian (Enuma Elish)

BCE
Date:
Approx. 11th
11th BCE
Written:
13th BCE
13th BCE
Creator:
Single God
A God battling Goddess
1st develop.: Light
Light
2nd:
Sep. of heaven & earth
Same
described as a ridged dome
3rd:
Sun, moon, stars created
Same
… Final:
God rests/ Sabbath
God(s) rest/celebration
…more similarities

 In Babylonian mythology, there is a serpent, named
Ningishzida, who is a friend of a main character
(Adapa) who helps him on his quest for immortality
 In Genesis, the serpent is the enemy of Adam. He
tricks him out of his chance to understand good and
evil by developing a moral sense, thus becoming
fully human and losing immortality.
What are some other themes and similarities that are
repeated throughout mythology?

 Flood myths (Indian, Babylonian, Aztec, Grecian,
and Egyptian mythology and the Bible)
 Creative Sacrifice (Most notably Osiris from
Egyptian mythology who is repeatedly killed and
then resurrected, and Jesus from biblical accounts)
 Structure of Hero Stories (Greek, Egyptian, Native
American, etc…)
 Titanomanchy (Greek, but also Babylonian)
 Creation stories
 “Paradise Lost”
These are not the only similarities throughout mythology.
Many of the tales also repeat comparable values and are
even structurally and linguistically analogous.

Interesting Example:
Scholars have discovered unusual similarities between the
mythological and religious terms used in different cultures
of Europe and India. Interestingly, for example, the Greek
sky-god Zeus Pater, the Roman sky-god Jupiter, and the
Indian (Vedic) sky-god Dyauṣ Pitṛ have linguistically
identical names

1. “Who am I, where do I come from, why am I
here, and where do I go?”
It is a universal quest to find one’s purpose
and origin in life…

 Mythology is a manifestation of this desire.
 Mircea Eliade
 Therefore, this is why some consider modern religions to be an
extension of ancient mythology
Discuss…

What place does ancient mythology have in modern
religion… if any?
`

The Collective
Unconscious
2. Collective
Unconscious

Consciousness: The awareness of yourself and your
environment.
Unconsciousness: Also called Subconscious, the complex of
mental activities within an individual that proceed without
his awareness.
Carl Jung:
 “The whole of mythology could be taken as a sort of
projection of the collective unconscious” & “involuntary
manifestations of unconscious processes”
Universal Unconscious=
similar myths, similar
archetypes
Mythology is essentially a reflection of the
common unconscious found in all cultures. It is
an expression of popular beliefs.
Think about this…

 Preprogrammed?
 Our main drives are: Sex, Power, Security, Social,
Purpose, Territory.
3. Diffusion/Original
Story

 Diffusion: Myths originated from one society, from one
original origin story, and spread elsewhere.
 Hyperdiffusionism : A hypothesis stating that one
civilization or people is the creator of all logical and great
things which are then diffused to less civilized nations.
 Ex: Atlantis populated Egypt
 Ex: Egypt populated Asia, India, China, Pacific, and
America
 Ex: Evidence of ancient Egyptian “expression” in
Hinduism and Buddhism writings
Something to think about…

 If there was an original origin story from which all
other sprang off from, would this change the way
you view mythology?
What do you think?

 1)Ultimate Question of Humanity's Origin
 2) Collective Unconscious
 3)Diffusion/ Original Origin Story