Transcript Mythology Intro - Cardinal Newman High School

Mythology
Major Purposes of Unit
 Mythology
created because man
(any time, any place) wanted
answers to the unknown.
 A myth is a story that attempts to
give meaning to the mysteries of
the world; passed along through
word of mouth as stories and
songs.
Major Purposes of Unit
 A myth
is an explanation of
something in nature; how, for
instance, anything and everything in
the universe came into existence
 We ALL have traditions; Mythology
is spread through EVERY culture.
 We will use Greek Mythology as our
major example because of allusions
in literature and culture today.
How Myths Began
 For
at least 2,000 years, scholars have
speculated how myths began.
 Some believe:
– Myths began as historical events that
became distorted over time
– Myths are man’s attempt to explain
natural occurrences that they could
not understand
– Myths justify social and individual
conventions of the people of their time
What Myths Tell Us about Society
 Myths
are collective
representations of the institutions
and values of that society or
important parts within it.
 These
representations determine
how the individuals in the society
act and think.
Influence of Mythology
 Geography,
climate, government, and
other societal aspects influence the
myths of various people.
 Despite the differences related to
these factors, all myths have certain
features in common.
– For example, a recent study of the
fairy tale Cinderella showed that there
are over 400 hundred variations of
the same tale.
Distinctive Qualities of Greek Myth
 A world
view that places human
consciousness squarely at the
center of the universe, humanism
asserts the value of the individual
human being.
 Greek authors portray their gods
very much like themselves through
anthropomorphism, or ascribing
human form to supernatural beings.
Chief Contributors of Mythology
(Greek, 8th Century BC)
 Hesiod (Greek, 8th Century BC)
 Virgil (Roman, 1st Century BC)
 Ovid (Roman, 1st Century BC-AD)
 Homer
Types of Myths
 Folk
Tale: usually told for pleasure
(NOT factual), and deals with
lesser people (common folk) and
witches, elves, fairies, etc..
 Fable:
takes an abstract idea and
makes it understandable to the
masses. Teaches a lesson.
Types of Myths Cont
 Romance:
larger than life hero.
Love story in which the hero
pursues happiness or a woman.
 Fairy
Tale: addresses internal
problems; the quest to overcome the
self. Not factual.
Types of Myths Cont.
 Parable:
similar to fable, but from the
Bible (Jesus).
 Allegory:expression
by means of
symbolic fictional figures and actions
of truth or generalizations about
human existence.
Types of Myths Cont.
 Saga:
Collections of a narratives
about a particular city or family, such
as the interconnected tales about
Troy and Thebes.
 Legend:
a tradition that has some
nucleus of historical truth, as
opposed to an account that is
entirely fictional.
Types of Heroes
 Monster
Slayer: most primitive
type. Kills monsters and makes
the world better (ie Bilbo)
 Pure Hero: fights for personal
glory and fame, no matter the
cause; no fear of death; lives to
die in battle (ie Achilles).
 Noble Warrior: fights for a dying,
but illuminated culture; knows he
is doomed (ie King Arthur).
Types of Heroes
 Conqueror:
fights to establish a
kingship or build a city (ie
Caesar).
 Metaphysical:
fights forces
within himself (ie Gilgamesh of
Babylonia)
The Hero
 Physical
vs. Mental Abilities
 Heroic
Saga: prose narrative of
historic or legendary figures
 Quest:
a chivalrous enterprise in
medieval romance usually
involving an adventurous journey
Characteristics of a Hero
 Unusual
origins
 Extraordinary
 Performs a difficult task (quest)
 Powerful enemies
 Enemies force hero to do
additional tasks
 Can work miracles
Characteristics of a Hero
 Helped
by powerful friends; not
always human (advice, weapons)
 Suffering ends in disaster
 Because of this disaster, he may
die but he will achieve greater
glory after death
 Will leave the world better than he
found it
Three Stages of a Hero

Separation: decision to
embark; leave “known” world
 Initiation:
the quest itself
“reborn”; makes new
knowledge known to others
 Return: