Foundations of Mythology
Samantha Craig
Hum/105
2/12/2015
Introduction
What is a Myth? This is a common question that is asked when an individual hears the word. According to "Leonard & McClure", (2014) "How did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or certain roles as we relate to one another and the world at large?" these are all questions that myths of the old days and common days evolve around. This paper will continue to explore some of the essential components of a myth and the various definitions of it. Along with the different themes that can be shared between different countries and their similarities.
What is a Myth?
The word myth has been around for centuries and is popularly used as a source to tell a tale or a story. These particular stories were believed to have originally some truth to them, however, after being passed down from generation to generation the story took on a different life and more flare was added to it. The modern definition is "a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon." (Merriam-Webster, 2016) When a person hears the saying "It's a myth" the individual would assume that it's a story being told to them that may seem so farfetched that they are unsure if what they are being told is true or not.
Some myths are old as time and one of the well-known tales that come to many individuals minds would be the ancient Greek Mythologies of the Greek Gods. These are stories that talk about immortal men and women with uncanny powers such as the Zeus the King of Gods who can be willed lighting as a weapon. This lead to if violent storms descended out of nowhere that someone must have upset the God of the Sky. A more modern day myth that has captured many individuals attention would be that of the "Doppelgangers." A doppelganger is another word for someone's double. These are portrayed in television shows and are known in all countries. Many would refer to them as an "Evil Twin" because they look exactly like another person. It would be like walking down the street, and you see someone who is identical to a friend or family member, and yet it's not them just their double. In other countries, this could be considered as an evil omen, yet many are on social media just to find someone that is their mirror image.
Themes of Myths
The world is full of myths that derive from many different countries and cultures. This results in themes that can be different or even very similar to other popular myths. Many of these tend to follow the lines of having a moral to the story being told such as the myth of Robin Hood, who was a man who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He fought for what he believed in and wanted to provide to his ordinary people who needed the help while the rich filled themselves with food and money. Others might revolve around love, life, heroism, or even fate itself each carrying its personalized message. These are also where the difference can enter and how the value of the story is perceived. However, within the modern day times, I believe that many of these qualities that made the myths intriguing are no longer as captivating and more focused on what others would say about aliens or spiritual beings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the world is full of different Myths that have spread all over the place that can be from beliefs, religion, or just to answer questions about life in general. Many of these have originated over thousands of years ago and have been passed down ever since then. As time goes by the original story or theme may change to go with the current times and become a bit more farfetched, but they still have an impact. The important fact is Myths will continue and change with the times they make others think and believe in hope, fate, and love or just provide a moral background. They will remain intriguing and captivate audiences for many more years.
References
Leonard, S., & McClure, M. (2014). Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education