Karen Armstrong A Short History Of Myth Analysis

Where do myths come from? What is their function and what do they mean? In A Short History of Myths, Karen armstrong introduces the array of approaches used to understand the study of myths. Armstrong provides various stories about myth meanings and it functions in our lives by introducing different time periods. The concept of myth is central to all cultures because it lives in our stories and every culture in human history has created its own mythologies to understand how the universe works. Myths still have the same meaning no what matter how much people start to evolve and understand the way of life differently. In A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong, all of myths about heroes and deities struggling and fighting with evil creature

As Armstrong explains, “mythology was therefore designed to help us to cope with the problematic human predicament. It helped people to find their place in the world and their true orientation” (6). The idea of myths was created to teach humans proper behavior that fit with their ideal society, as well as help people live in peace with one another. They also taught valuable lessons on how not to live since people didn 't know where they come from and where they belong. We invented stories by using gods, humans and magical creatures to explain something that happens in nature. 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. It provide us with a shared set of rights and wrongs on which our social norm depends for existence. Also, it guides a person through the stages of life and show them the way of

However, they “gave us a sense that, against all the depressing and chaotic evidence to the contrary, life had meaning and value” (2). Many terrible things happens all the time which is why mythology is important for human survival because it gives us the courage to face terrible things but still be able to live our life to the fullest. According to Armstrong, mythology “ could enable you to live more fearlessly and therefore more fully here on earth, looking death calmly in the face. Myths and rituals of passage helped people to accept their mortality, to pass on to the next stage, and to have the courage to change and grow (57). In other words, myths allow us to think that we have control over our destiny and we should not be afraid of anything because no matter how much we try to hide, it is impossible to avoid death because all things come to end. The cruelty of the world can seem too much to bear, however, myths helps us face our morality by providing a sense of control, hope and