Download Myths

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Stories From the Beginning of Time
Myths
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Myth: A Definition
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An ancient story dealing with
supernatural beings, ancestors, and
heroes
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It explains the view of a group of
people
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The word mythology is Greek in origin
(etymology)
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Mythos= story
Logo= speech or argument
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What are Myths?
 Myths-
Stories that use fantasy to express
ideas about life that cannot easily be
expressed in realistic terms
 They
are, at heart, religious stories
 They
deal with and explore the
relationship between human beings and
the unknown/spiritual world
 They
were once believed to be true
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Purposes of Myths…
 Scientific:
explanations of
things in nature
 Literary:
entertainment;
good storytelling
 Religious: give
meaning to things
in life; explain the
role of the gods in
everyday life
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Why do we Study Myths?
 They
depict and reveal
behavior problems
common to all human
beings
 Remind us that human
nature is the same across
time and culture
 Reveal that many social,
ethical, and religious
attitudes continue through
time
 They
reflect the attitudes,
priorities, and values of the
cultures that produced them
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Cultures that Have Myths
Every
culture has its own mythology
Universal
symbols and themes
appear in different cultures’ myths
Greek,
Roman, Native American,
Celtic, South American, African,
and Norse mythology are examples
of myths from different cultures
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Characteristics of Myths
 Contain
heroes
and heroines
 Supernatural
elements
 Told
orally
(spoken)
 Gods
and
goddesses
 Explains
a natural
phenomenon
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The Reason for Myths
To
help explain the unexplainable
To
explain natural phenomenon
To
tell about their heroes
To
explain human nature
To
teach morals and values
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Greek and Roman Mythology
The
mythology from the Greek and
Roman cultures is often called
“Classical Mythology.”