MYTHOLOGYChapter 2

Mythology

The most common mythology people think of is Greek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCm8W5RZes

Introduction

But mythology is actually a broader term Myths are religious narratives that tell

stories and are important to religious beliefsOriginsHistoriesRules of behaviorCan be written or oral

Myths and Worldview

All people experience things they can’t explain

The way we perceive reality is our worldview and it colors all we see and how we interact with things

Ex. Navaho vs. Judeo-Christian view of nature

Myths and Worldview

Read the Judeo-Christian and Navaho creation myths on pg.34-35 & pg. 45-46

Analyze for themes:Nature-human interactionHow humans are createdView of animalsInteraction between humans and

supernaturalElement of time

Myths and Worldview

So how would we summarize the different worldviews from these two creation myths?

Myths and Worldview Navaho:

interconnectedness with nature, living in balance, respecting living things

Judeo-Christian: controlling nature, humans were given the world and can exploit it

Supernatural Read the story on

Snow White (pg. 30-31)

What is the ‘moral’ of the story?

What aspects are supernatural?

Is this a religious study? Why or why not?

Supernatural This story is a

folktale It entertains and

gives a lesson, but is not a religious text

Supernatural

Legends are stories that people believe really happened, but have been embellished

Urban legends are stories that supposedly happened in the recent past

Supernatural

What are some examples of urban legends?

Supernatural

Bloody Mary Big Foot The escaped killer with a hook hand Basically anything that people think is a

hoax or tabloid story

Myths These are sacred stories They explain:

Human’s originCreation of the universeValues and normsGood vs. evil

They are religious and used in religious rituals

Bible stories, Qur’an, Torah, etc. (Table 2.1, pg. 32)

Myths

Be able to distinguish what makes folktales, legends, and myths different

Use table in book

Written and Oral Texts

Some cultures do not have written historiesThey use oral traditions to pass down

cultural knowledgeOral texts are performed, not recitedSlightly altered each generationCan be adapted to new events

Others are writtenQur’an means “recitation” and is literal word

of God and so not changed in any way

Example

Genesis from the Bible is a creation myth Part 1:

God makes the world in 6 daysHe makes plants, then animals, then humansImportance of the Sabbath

Part 2:Creates Adam and EveFall from EdenMakes humans first and then animalsCreates Eve out of Adam

Example

These myths reflect worldview and social charter (human interactions)Male dominanceHumans given control over natureCorrect and incorrect behaviorPunishments

Myths

There are different forms of written traditions

How many versions of the Bible are there?

Some keep traditional language (it sounds more “religious”) and some use current language

Understanding Myths

Myths are found in all societies but vary widely

There are different ways to approach studying themMost of these are connected to theories we

discussed in chapter 1

Approaches to Myths

1. Evolutionary(incorrect) idea of unilineal evolutionEvolve from simple to complexPrimitive to civilizedFrazer (The Golden Bough)

NO!

Approaches to Myths

2. Fieldwork and FunctionalCan use myths to understand cultural

systemSee what function myths have in societyBoas (Father of American Anthropology)Malinowski (Essential needs of humans)

Approaches to Myths

3. StructuralLook at structure of the mythDualism: light/dark, good/evil, male/femaleNo focus on meaning or contentLevi-Strauss

Approaches to Myths

4. PsychologicalUnconscious projectionsCollective consciousnessArchetypes: orphan, creator, fool, etc.Freud Jung

Common Themes

Know common themes to use on homework!!

Common Themes Common themes may come from diffusion of

knowledge or from collective consciousness Birth Metaphor

Supernatural creating something Chaos

Things created out of chaos or darkness Emergence

Things created by emerging from under the earth Holy People

Holy beings create people

Apocalyptic Myths Center on the

destruction of the world

Cycles of destruction and creationNoah’s floodRevelations

○ Four horsemen, lamb of God, lake of fire, etc.

Trickster Myths

Some myths are for entertainment and some discuss serious matters

Trickster myths are less serious and teach people how not to behave

Example: Haida story of the Raven (pg. 49).

Hero Myths

Though stories all vary, there is a common pattern or story line (monomyth)

Hero leaves common world and enters supernatural world receives training encounters obstacles and is victorious hero returns to help his friends and family

Common in our stories and movies

Discussion Questions

1. Define what worldview is. How does this impact how people see nature and the environment?

2. What are some common themes among different religious creation myths?

3. What is a monomyth? Why are popular movies (previous slide) not considered religious?

Assignment

ICA #1 “Creation Myths” together in groups

Videos

As you watch videos look for:SimilaritiesCommon themesConnection to environmentExamples from lecture

Videos Egypt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTy49JlgJZE Inca:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75kDb2OqBWI&list=PL32257ECAC08445A3

Aboriginal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koxp_q46z0Q&list=PL32257ECAC08445A3

Japan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIQ9Ea7WDSI&list=PL32257ECAC08445A3

Greek Mythology Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQN1vGmHxs4