Occupational, Cosmological, And Pedagogical Myth

Greek myths are a very valuable resource to help modern society better understand the ancient Greek world. They provide a source of entertainment as well as cultural education. There are many ways that scholars and students are able to think about myths,but one useful way to think about them is through the four functions of a myth: mystical, cosmological, sociological, and pedagogical. A myth that is a good example of these four functions is the ancient story of Prometheus and Pandora. Each function of a myth is different and attempts to explain something unique about the world or society we live in. The mystical function of a myth attempts to instill a realization of wonder and complexity to the universe. A myth with the mystical function

Right after Prometheus created fire, he began to show it off to all of the fellow citizens. Eventually, the idea of fire and having light caught on throughout the community and citizens: “Everything had changed. Man had come out of his cave.” This part attempts to explain how society initially became acquainted with each other. It seems as if it is justifying the basic beginning of the social order at that time. The sociological function attempts to explain certain social, political, or ethical norms. In this myth, it attempts to explain certain social norms, which would be the norm of socializing with

One being that if you are too greedy, your gifts will come with a penalty, “Zeus answered, ‘Do you not know, Prometheus, that every gift comes with a penalty?” In this myth, Zeus has a goal of teaching Prometheus that if he wishes for more than he actually needs, he will have a consequence to bear. This lesson can commonly be applied in reality. The second lesson that Zeus attempts to teach Prometheus is the reason why society does not need fire: “He [society] is happy, I say, happy without fire. And so he shall remain.” This lesson within the myth says that if you are happy with or without something, you should remain that way. Why change something that works the way it presently is? There is one last lesson that is taught in the myth of Prometheus. It is the lesson that says not to defy the gods. “Many centuries he [Prometheus] lay there- until another hero was born brave enough to defy the gods.” In the myth of Pandora, a young woman was created out of clay and given many different talents by all the different gods. She was then made a living woman and given as a bride to Prometheus’ brother as a token of respect. Pandora was haunted her entire life by her gift of curiosity and a box that one of the gods gave her as a gift with orders not to open. She tried very hard to pay no attention to it but then eventually gave in and opened it. It was in this moment that she