Anthony Pellegrino Professor Schoolcraft LIT-229 World Mythology 30 July 2023 Milestone Three There are many theories on how myths spread and preserve their cultural significance throughout generations, two examples of these theories are dispersion theory and the theory of collective unconscious. Dispersion theory is a belief that some of the original themes and archetypes of myths were made by one culture an incredibly long time ago and was spread as the culture emigrated throughout generations. Collective unconscious is a theory that states there is a segment of the unconscious mind within all humanity that shares ancestral memories and experiences. Both theories can be applied to give us a further understanding of myths. Dispersion
For there to be a well written myth, hero and outcast archetypes must be present. However, a show of blending characteristics within the archetypes must be present for the myth to be relevant in other societies and cultures; the hero and outcast archetypes serve to show
After studying Joseph Campbell we learned that myths from around the world are very similar in regards to themes, motifs, symbols, and more. Now we were given the task to find a myth and perform it with a group. After finding a myth each group closely read it using the read like a reader skills and filled out a chart with information including methods of creation, characteristics of the creator, humankind’s relationship with God and nature, symbols, motifs, cultural truths, universal themes, and style. Filling out this chart allowed for us to grasp a deeper understanding of our selected myth. Some of the myths were confusing and hard to understand, but if we think beyond the literal meaning of the text then we can deeply understand the content.
The most important way to think about myths is that they are symbolic stories that attempt to answer difficult human questions about the universe. For instance, where did we and the world come from? And what is the meaning of life?. “We all want to know where we came from, but because our earliest beginnings are lost in the mists of prehistory, we have created myths about our forefathers that are not historical but help to explain current attitudes about our environment, neighbors and customs” (6). Myth functions as a guidance that explains everything that we come into contact with in the universe.
A myth is a false belief or idea. It is usually held within an old traditional story or it is a way to explain a natural or social phenomenon, typically involving supernatural creatures or events. Myths are stories of transformation. Many people are surprised to learn that ancient myth was often at least as violent, if not more so, than the mayhem of our modern fantasies. For example, The Godfather, and its companion, Godfather II, have been justly praised for excellence in such technical matters as acting and direction; their popularity is enhanced by less pleasant preoccupations: a lust for violence accentuated in recent years; an obsession with the details of organized crime; a cynical belief that only small distinctions separate lawless behavior from ordinary business practice.
Modern Greece Religion With its sunny shores, beautiful mountains, elegant ancient architecture, and hundreds upon hundreds of islands, Greece is one of the most breathtaking countries in Europe. The people of Greece have always been extremely religious. Greece is most well known, in the religious aspect, for their ancient religion. The Geeks built great temples and shrines; showing the intensity in their worship. The state of modern Greek religion is the same in that they are very religious.
Greek mythology can be viewed as a mirror to the ancient Greek civilization. Ancient Greek myths and legends often reflected how the Greeks saw themselves. Myths were used by Greeks to make justifications of every existing aspect of earth as well as their own society. In myths, Greek gods & heroes often represented key aspects of the human civilization. From Greek mythology, we can learn about the favorable characteristics of humans, such as their behavior and valuable skills that were approved of by the ancient Greek society.
Myths today aren’t as easily seen, but that does not mean they are any less important. In our world, the basis of everything we do comes from myths. Whether these myths have been proved true or false, we have learned from all of them. Many scientific discoveries were made off myths as well as many morals we still have today. Millions of myths that have circulated the minds of humans, some are similar to others while some are entirely new.
Around the world, there are very different myths and folklore, each suiting a specific culture’s beliefs. Nonetheless, amongst those different narratives, there are certain elements, such as themes, character types, and design, that keep manifesting. These recurrences are labelled as archetypes. One type of archetypes is character archetypes. Prevalent in myths from Sigurd the Volsung to The Epic of Gilgamesh, character archetypes are types of characters that are conventional amidst literature.
Mythology is such a misunderstood subject that modern society only views as fictional stories about incredible heroes and gods. What the majority doesn’t know is that Mythology is a much more complex subject that is still studied to this day. When it comes to studying mythology, one has to keep in mind its similarity with religion. Both Mythology and Religion explain systems of concepts that are of high importance to a certain community. Historians believe it was Mythology that made ancient Greece a successful civilization for its time.
Greek society and religion is believed to have started developing around 2000 B.C.E.. By 700 B.C.E., Hellenism was fully fleshed out, complete with the well-known works of Homer and Hesiod. Hellenism is thought to have developed from the primal religions of the people of Crete, an island in the Aegean Sea. This is where the area 's first civilization arose in about 3000 B.C.E.. Around 300 B.C.E., Hellenism began being affected by neighboring countries.
Greek mythology is filled with deities, demigods, monsters, and heroes. The deities included; centaurs, satyrs, harpies, pegasus and so on. These creatures home was Mount Olympus where the gods lived. There was also the underworld where all the monsters and demons and other evil things dwelled. The gods were very similar to the humans.
The essence of god 's, religion, and believing in a higher power who controls your life was a very agreeable proposal for most back a thousand years ago. Having the structure of living a life with rules and morals was a positive thing for the chaos of amorphous period of uncertainty. It’s a conviction that provides togetherness, the belief in the afterlife, and purpose to one’s life. During the Middle Ages, religion in the form of Christianity dominated the lives of all citizens, rich and poor. In the Ancient times, gods and goddesses defined how people acted, lived, and died.
There is a strong relationship between mythology and religion, as both are very much faith driven. In the example of Greek mythology, there are many Gods and Goddesses, while in modern Christianity there is only one God, but the premise is still the same. In Christianity, people place their faith in God and let his will guide them throughout the trials and tribulations of their life, the same could be said of mythology, as to again use the Greeks as an example, people placed their faith in the Gods and Goddesses and let their actions be guided as such. The difference in Christianity and mythology in today’s time is that religion is thought to be fact, while mythology is believed to be fiction.
Introduction There are many types of genres (categories) that a story may fall into. In my essay below I am going to identify and discuss 5 of them, namely: - Myths, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Aesop Fables and Legends. The myth genre includes seemingly historical stories, often supernatural in nature, and concerning the early history of a group of people. They are often used to explain the roots of a long standing cultural practice or of a natural or social occurrence. They frequently involve supernatural beings or events.
