Download Greek Mythology What is Myth?

Intro to Greek
Mythology
The Elements
and Purposes of Myth
Vocabulary
Pg 1094
 Epic
 Epic Hero
 Archetype
 Epithet
 Epic Simile
 Flawed
 Hubris
 Epic Poem
Given in discussion
 Mythology
 Invocation
 In Medias Res
 Classic
 Social Structure
 Aristocrats
 Hospitality
 Morality
 Hero
Note taking
 Only
take notes on the reasons
people create myths, common
qualities of myths and why we
study them today.
Myth Defined


Greek root Mythos=“discourse” or
“speech”
Dictionary: A traditional story dealing with
supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes
that informs or shapes the world view of a
people, by explaining aspects of the
natural world or delineating the customs
or ideals of society.
Elements of Greek Myth





Interaction between gods and humans
Gods as hypertrophied humans
Gods as flawed beings
Supernatural beings and monsters
Larger than life, godly “superheroes”
The 7 purposes of myths
Write down each purpose and 1
example provided
Myths Explain Natural Occurrences






Examples?
Creation (Gaea and Ouranos)
Thunder and lightning (Zeus)
Earthquakes (Poseidon)
Seasons (Persephone &
Demeter)
The sun rises (Greece: Helios’
chariot, Egypt: Ra and
Semektet)
Myths Explain Fundamental
Philosophical Questions

Early Greeks as proto
philosophers

Attempting to answer
fundamental questions





Where did we come
from?
Who created the
universe?
Is there life after
death?
To explain is to control
Comfort in knowing
Myths Explain Culture and Institutions


Why women
couldn’t vote
To explain is to control
 Athena and Poseidon both want to rule and protect Athens
 Gift contest
 Poseidon=saltwater well (useless)
 Athena=olive tree (olive, wood, oil)
 Men vote for Poseidon, women for Athena
 Athena wins
 Poseidon floods the Attic plain
 Athenians blame the women, take away vote
Myths as Means to Instruct

Myths often relay a
message or moral



Teach cultural
traditions, values
Icarus—life has limits
Narcissus and the
dangers of pride and
self love
Myths to Explain History





A biased version of
history
Reinforce Greek culture
and power
Trojan War
Crete and King Minos
Founding of Rome


Founded by sons of Mars
Gave tellers sense of
identity, sense of place
Myths to Entertain

People were illiterate in early
Greece


Entertainment in an oral
culture


Couldn’t read or write
Blood, shock, exciting tales
The Heroes




Heracles, Odysseus, Theseus,
Jason
Stronger, smarter, more
handsome than mere mortals
Nobility in humanity
Humans are better than gods
Cultural Supremacy
and Civil Order

Persuasion

Greek superiority over nonGreeks


Others as “barbarians”
Religion: Cult & Ritual


Maintained order
Gave people reason to be
loyal to a city


Temples and sacrifices
Feared retribution of the
gods
Apollo’s Temple at Delphi
Why Study Myth?
To Understand Literature and Art

Mythical allusions and
references



Keats and the
Romantics
Shakespeare and
many others
“ Gallop apace, you
fiery footed steeds,
Toward Phoebus
lodging!” (Romeo and
Juliet)---- Phoebus:
Apollo, the sun god.
Brueghel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (1555)
Truth in Myth


Universal truths
Stories about the
human condition
Archetypes and Mythic Patterns

Greek characters, places, themes have
influenced (consciously or not) Western
literature and art




Journeys to the underworld
Serpent figures
And others…
Finding connecting patterns
Myth and Language

Word origins






Volcano
Herculean
music
atlas
tantalize
Narcissism
Journal #1—Intro to Myth
Summary




Summarize the key details from today’s
PowerPoint
What is myth?
What are some of the purposes of myth?
½ page minimum