...Foundations of Mythology Mike Cunts University of Phoenix HUM/105 December 15, 2012 Alan West Foundations of Mythology Question One Myth is a word used magnanimously with a story. Myth is just that A story with no hard facts but its purpose is to explain the unexplained. Mythology has been around since humans could speak. People had claimed something is a myth; they are referring to something untrue and a fable. Examples of some popular myths are; that sailors were enticed by beautiful mermaids; beware of great creatures of the seas if they angered the gods. Mythology goes hand-in-hand with the word “mystery”. “Myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions: How did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we?” (Leonard, & McClure, 2004, p. 1). In academia, myth is not defined but used as distinctive history of types of people and groups, with written context reminiscent of past events for the those logic cannot explain. Question Two There are different myths with many groups and cultures. Below are some examples that will describe various culture aspects. Myths help man to make order out of chaos or explain things that he cannot understand. Often, myths are based on ideas that affect human beings, regardless of geography or race. Themes like life and death, fear and anxiety, good and evil, and the perennial question of "Why am I here? " ("The impact of," 2013, p. 1). Myths have...
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...Foundations of Mythology Laura Wunder HUM/105 October 8, 2013 Angelia Young Foundations of Mythology How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, “It’s a myth” mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. According to Leonard (2004), "Official myths like the Iliad, Odyssey, the Theogony, or the Bhagavad Gita and even the Bible- are inevitably reconstructions from parts of folklore and legend, artistically put together with an eye for drama and meaning. However genuine sagas are, like an individual’s imaginings, so fresh, that they are not recognizable, as a myth or scripture and tend to be fragmentary, somewhat imagistic rather than oral, up-and-coming, proficient of developing various stories at one," (Leonard & McClure, "Chapter One / Robert Ellwood “Real Myths," 2004). Dictionary.com defines myth as a traditional or legendary story ("Myth," 2012). Such legends are used in a theoretical perspective to address that which is real and that which is not. Myths are used throughout all societies through stories and legends, which teach life-lessons. Such stories are a part of the everyday lives of all, through science fiction books and movies, including books about other mystical characters. A number of legendary and traditional examples include St. Nick, Santa Claus, storks...
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...Foundations of Mythology Mythology is often approached with many questions. For some these questions come with confusing answers that may want to send a person running for the hills. Starting with a simple question such as, what is a myth? Starting with basic questions may ease fears and doubts about studying mythology. This paper will attempt to define a myth and will also look at the similarities between myths and different cultures, the relationship between mythology and religions, and how mythology is relevant in today’s society. Myths Defined When we hear the word myth today it is commonly associated with something false. Often myths are related to stories, fables or tales that are not based on facts but traditions or legends that have been passed on throughout time. A myth is a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without determinable basis or fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite or phenomenon of nature. (“Mythology,” 2009) In an academic context the word myth is defined as narratives with legendary plots and mythic elements, while anthropologists define myths negatively as pre-modern thought patterns. (Tofighian, 2010) Similarities Myths from all different cultures share similar themes such as, what is the purpose of life, how we got here, and why do we behave and act the way we do. Myths were used to explain why people...
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...or where we may go after our deaths on Earth. Some of the earliest explanations of our existence in history are of the people within the Paleolithic Era through mythology. Karen Armstrong’s believes that mythology embodies the spiritual and actual world of the early civilizations; in contrast E.B. Frazer and Edward Tylor both believe mythology is separate of the secular world and more importantly an inferior belief system and was the predecessor of religion as well as animism. Mythos and logos, by definition have very different meanings. Both forms of thought were very important to people in early history. It wasn’t until more recent history that people began to view the two terms in a different light. In present day we (referring to the Western people) view mythology as tall tale stories involving vain and mighty gods and demi-gods. Mythos, from Armstrong’s point-of-view, was very similar to the practice of psychology. People used myth to make sense of their lives and wanted to know the cause of the events that happened in their lifetimes. Logos is a much more practical and scientific way of explaining the causes of events throughout pre-modern history. Logos needs facts to function and unlike myth, logos looks to explain the future and did not give reason to a person’s life. First, understand the use of mythology in pre-modern civilizations. As discussed previously, Armstrong talks of myth as being something of an early form...
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...Foundations of Mythology HUM105 Foundations of Mythology In the popular context, the word “myth” is generally used to describe urban legends. Urban legends are false stories, told as if they were true, and passed on to others. Myth, in this context, is defined as stories that undergo a series of events sharing characteristics of legends and folktales. These stories, present themselves in our everyday lives through fictional characters, such as Tooth Fairy or Cupid. In an academic setting, the word “myth” is used to describe ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions such as creation (Leonard & McClure, p. 1, 2004). The word mythology is derived from both Greek words mythos and logos. The academic study of mythology could be described as the logical thinking used to produce mythical thinking; hence mythos forms the structure in which logos is employed. I would describe myths as an unexplainable or unknown actual event created by individuals to make sense of the unknown. Creation is a perfect example of this. Cultures around the world have different Myths. They all share the basic human desire to understand life and its meaning. Claude Lévi-Strauss expresses similar sentiments about myth’s functions when he postulates that myths serve to mediate conflicting or dualistic elements of society and life and conflicting nature of human beings are same around the world. (Leonard & McClure, p. 18, 2004). ...
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...20th century. What sentence has become one of the most recognizable in English literature? “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” What knowledge did Tolkien draw from to write The Hobbit’s characters and plot? ancient mythology, primarily northern (Norse) mythology. Middle-Earth: Why did Tolkien first begin writing his imagined world? ________________________________________________________________________ “Tolkien’s Middle-earth is a fully-formed world with its own _______________, ______________, ________________, ‘_____________’, a _______________ story, a Fall, grief, joy, and all of those many things that our own world has.” Middle-Earth: Tolkien and Language Which languages did Tolkien have an affinity for? ______________________________ Tolkien created _______ languages for Middle-earth’s various races, and in many respects these languages predate the stories themselves. The Elven languages are loosely based on ___________________ and _____________. Middle-earth: Tolkien and Mythology “Tolkien brought this love and knowledge of mythology to bear on his fiction as well. It is most directly apparent in The Hobbit, where many of the names and events can be traced in some form to mythology, particularly the _____________ myth...
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...Week 3 Learning Team Assignment Team C HUM/105 Mrs. Julia Reeves October 15, 2012 Week 3: Afterlife Myths Briefly compare and contrast at least two myths from your reading which deal with the afterlife. |FIRST Afterlife MYTH: “Thor’s duel with Hrungnir” |REGION or CULTURE: Iceland, Norse | |What are the names of the places where people go when they die? |Valhalla, Nifleheim, and Hel, | |(All of the names of the places, not just one). | | |What are the characteristics of the different realms of the |Valhalla, is the hall of dead warriors legendary for their valor,| |afterlife? What form do people take when they go there? |Nifleheim, is the perpetually dark and frozen land of the dead, | | |and Hel, is the last step for those that did not die in battle, | | |but of disease and old age. In Valhalla the dead are dressed in | | |their fighting gear, Nifleheim, the people are frozen, and Hel, | | |the people are of skull and bones | |Who goes to which location and how do they get...
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...Divine Roles Across Cultures Matrix Select one common divine role that recurs in world mythology. Possible options of divine roles include the following: father or mother divinities, divinities of war, home or hearth divinities, divinities of love, divinities of wisdom, divinities of medicine or health, divinities of the wind, divinities of agriculture, divinities of the sky, ruler of all the gods, and so on. Identify the role in the title of your matrix. Select two myths, each from a different culture, in which the divine role appears. Identify the divinity names and cultures in columns A and B. Complete the matrix by answering each of the five questions for both selected divinities. |Title: Divinities of Love and Beauty |Column A |Column B | | |Divinity Name: Aphrodite |Divinity Name: Freyja | | |Culture of Origin: Greek |Culture of Origin: Norse | |How is this divinity portrayed? |She was portrayed to be the goddess |She was the goddess of love, lust, | |Describe the divinity’s role within the|of love and beauty often shown |fertility and magic. According to | |myth. |smiling. She is the daughter of Zeus.|Freyja (1996), she is believed to be | | |Some myths also say they daughter...
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...Comparative Religions Mr.Lydy September 5, 2014 The Earth’s Creation Myths….Similar or Different? When you look at all of the earth’s creation myths that have emerged throughout the different cultures/ religions, you will see that there are multiple myths as to how the earth was created. For example the myth of Phan Ku the creator which is a story of a space aged mythological creature who uses a chisel to carve earth; which is a major difference from the myth of Earth Starter the creator which is a story of a mythical being that created the world by using mud from earth. I feel that the earth’s creation myths are distinctly different based on the creation of the earth, the creation of mankind, and the relationship between the creator and its/ their creations. When looking at the creation of the earth, there are many factor that come into play to determine that the earth’s creation myths are different. While reading “In The Beginning” a book written by Virginia Hamilton, there were creation myths that was referenced one titled Phan Ku the creator, and the other tilted Earth Starter the creator. In the creation myth of Phan Ku, the earth was created by a being chiseled/carved out by Phan Ku. The creation of the earth that is displayed in the story of Phan Ku differs from the earth’s creation myth of Earth Starter the creator. The creation of earth in the myth of Earth Starter was displaying that the earths was created by taking mud from under some sort of river/ and or ocean...
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...Week One Individual Assignment Individual Assignment: Foundations of Mythology Short AnswersWrite 150- to 200-word responses to each of the following: Q How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, “It’s amyth” mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition inyour own words. A According to Online Etymology Dictionary (2010) a myth is defined as,“a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a naturalexplanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods andexplains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature” (p. 1).According to Popular Culture Association (PCA)/American Culture Association(ACA) (2012), “many of them have had their roots in real characters and events but with retelling and elaboration have been built up into great 'ripping yarns'”(para. 1). In modern times the word myth is used to refer to a fairy tale, anexaggerated tale that may hold partial truths, or a story to teach a lesson to thereceivers of the story. In an academic context the word myth has changed over time. Myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring andfundamental human questions (Leonard & McClure, 2004). I believe the storiesof myths may have some truth within them, but the facts have (over the retelling) been skewed...
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...Foundation of Mythology Melissa Colon Professor Chris Jordan HUM/105 January 24, 2016 How is the word myth used popularly? For example, consider the statement, "It's a myth that..." In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. In the modern world word math is used scarcely because the only time you hear it is if you stumble upon it or in a school setting or by an accident. The way it is used versus what it supposed to mean demonstrates little difference in the common world. There is all different types of mythology that is located in different parts of the world. The mythological stories believes history and different walks of life are depicted. Although mythological stories can be controversial and religion it is still believe to be a myth by other theorists who theorize these notions to be something different. According to Leonard, S., & McClure, M. (2004), myth can be seen as an ancient narrative that can be easily spoken as fact or fiction. Therefore mythology is important in the modern day society because it plays a big impact on heritage which in return can be a constant reminder of how to treat individuals regardless of their beliefs who they are and or who they’ve become. Why do myths from different cultures around the world address such similar or universal themes? Theoretically speaking know one individual...
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...Mythology How eventful would the world be, if all the fairy tales and folk lore we were told as children were true? First off not the ones that have been made up by big corporations to make money, or to entertain. These are the ones that are ancient. Written in the tombs of pyramids, ancient books, and history of the world tell of countless variations of the same stories. Telling of great gods coming to Earth as their normal selves, and sometimes even having wars. But, the real question is could these stories be true, or are they just Myths? Our planet, planet Earth is cursed with life. We are not the first inhabitants of our planet. Around 65 million years ago, life flourished. The age of the dinosaurs donned. But they were soon...
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...legend between truth and fiction A legend is a traditional tale popularly regarded as true but containing a mixture of fact and fiction. A legend is tale, usually told regionally and based in part in fact, usually to strengthen ones belief in his or her country or sitting lord. An example would be the Arthurian legends or the Iliad. Legends are sometimes distinguished from myths in that they concern human beings rather than gods, and sometimes in that they have some sort of historical basis whereas myths do not; but these distinctions are difficult to maintain consistently Legend vs Myth: Myths are generally referred to as traditional stories occuring in a timeless past. They may involve supernatural elements and are beyond the frontiers of logic. Myths may also give a religious explanation. Myths have their chronology of events and cannot be related to present timelines. They may also be imaginary things. Legends, however, are stories about real people who are famous for doing something brave or extraordinary. Legends may be told upon topics of historical importance. It is not an explanation of something nor a symbolic narrative, they're based on an event. Examples of myths and legends It is a Greek myth that Prometheus stole fire from Zeus, the chief god, and gave it to humans so that they could keep themselves warm. To punish him, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock where his liver was eaten by an eagle every day but grew again every night. There is nothing to prove...
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...ENH251 World Mythology: Lesson 1 Assignments 1 & 2 Due 3/30/2013 Assignment 1 Read the foreword in your textbook on pages 8 and 9. Then, answer the following questions, using three or four sentences. a. As you begin this course, you undoubtedly have an idea of what a “myth” is. Your textbook’s editor, however, tells you that in Campbell’s view, “Any good story . . . can teach us something, but only certain beguiling visions, stories with the power to shape and control our lives, can inspire and, far too often, destroy us.” These “potent timeless tales” are the only ones he would consider true myths. What about these stories do you think would make them potent? What would make them timeless?--Answer below: What makes these stories potent are the lives these people had. Their journeys through trials, love, and adversity that brought them closer to the true understanding of themselves and the world around them. What makes these stories timeless is how they were told and how the characters were portrayed. They stir up something in us that give us a glimpse into ourselves and makes us want to share these stories fro generations to come.b. Campbell also said that, “Every myth . . . is symbolic. Its narratives and images are to be read, therefore, not literally, but as metaphors.” How would you define the difference between reading something literally as opposed to reading it as a metaphor? Then, as an example, explain the following sentence first literally and then metaphorically:...
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...This essay will use the mythological criticism approach to compare two stories, “A Story of an Hour,” by Kate Chopin, and “A Rose for Emily,” by William Faulkner by showing that both stories have similar archetypes embedded within their narratives. By definition and according to our text, archetypes are “characters, images and themes that symbolically embody meanings and experiences,” (2059, Meyer). In both of these stories, I see that the main characters are involved in a quest for feminine self-discovery and freedom of the human spirit. In Joseph Campbell’s, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” the author discusses the journey we are called to in life, and that some choose to follow that call while others do not. In this case, both female characters choose not to answer the call, and become trapped in their initial wounding. The both feel they have no power to move out of their current state. In Carol Pearson’s book, “The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By,” six major archetypes are discussed. They include the orphan, the innocent, the magician, the wanderer, the warrior and the altruist. All of these archetypes can also have shadow sides, as described by author Pearson. In my opinion, the archetype that best fits Mrs. Mallard, the main character of “A Story of an Hour,” by Chopin and Miss Emily Grierson, the main character of “A Rose for Miss Emily,” by Faulkner, is the orphan archetype and its shadow side. Mrs. Mallard is a woman trapped in an unhappy marriage...
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