Myths

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Myths

• Stories From the Beginning of Time

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What is a myth?

• An ancient story dealing with supernatural
  beings, ancestors, and heroes.
• It explains the view of a group of people

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Which cultures have myths?

• Every culture has its own mythology
• Universal symbols and themes appear in different
  cultures myths
• Greek, Roman, Native American, Celtic, South
  American, African, and Norse mythology are
  examples of myths from different cultures

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What are some characteristics of myths?

• Contain heroes and heroines
• Supernatural elements
• Gods and goddesses
• Explains a natural phenomenon
• Told orally (spoken)

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Why did ancient people tell myths?

• To help explain the unexplainable
• To explain natural phenomenon
• To tell about their heroes
• To explain human nature
• To teach morals and values

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Why do we still study mythology?

• To learn about ancient cultures
• As inspiration for the arts
• To teach values and morals
• For entertainment

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What Myths Can You Think Of?
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The Stone and the Banana An Indonesian Myth

• Thus, the natives of Poso, a district of Central
  Celebes, say that the Creator, who lived in it,
  used to let down his gifts to men at the end of a
  rope.

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One day he thus lowered a stone but our first
father and mother would have none of it and they
called out to their Maker, What have we to do
with this stone? Give us something else.
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• The Creator complied and hauled away at the rope
  the stone mounted up and up until it vanished
  from sight. Presently the rope was seen coming
  down from heaven again, and this time there was a
  banana at the end of it instead of a stone.

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Our first parents ran at the banana and took it.
Then there came a voice from heaven saying
Because ye have chosen the banana, your life
shall be like its life. When the banana-tree has
offspring, the parent stem dies so shall ye die
and your children shall step into your place.
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Had ye chosen the stone, your life would have
been like the life of the stone, changeless and
immortal.
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The man and his wife mourned over their fatal
choice, but it was too late that is how through
the eating of a banana, death came into the
world.
Death Agony Edvard Munch
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What characteristics of myth did you notice from
this story?

• What phenomenon was the story explaining?
• What supernatural elements were present?
• What can you tell about the Indonesian culture
  based on this myth?

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The word mythology is Greek in origin (etymology)

• Muthos story
• Logo speech or argument

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Greek and Roman Mythology is often called
Classical Mythology
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Gods and Goddesses in Classical Mythology

• Roman Area of Power
• Jupiter King of the gods the sky
• Apollo The sun music
• Pluto King of the underworld
• Neptune Ruler of the seas
• Juno Wife of Zeus marriage
• Minerva Wisdom
• Ceres Agriculture earth
• Proserpine Goddess of the underworld
  Demeters daughter

• Greek
• Zeus
• Apollo
• Hades
• Poseidon
• Hera
• Athena
• Demeter
• Persephone

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Creatures in Classical Mythology

• Centaur
• Medusa
• Pegasus
• Nymph
• Sphinx