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Elements of Mythology
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Elements of Mythology
What is a Myth?
Cultures around the world each have their own ideas, beliefs, and customs. From there stems the myths and legends we characterize as mythology. To be as specific as possible Mythology is simply a story in which gods or some other divine force is used to make sense of things that could not be explain by a limited knowledge of science. This also applies to things like emotions. More interestingly is that to a varying degree most cultures have myths with the same ideals as another or that are similar in terms of the plot. Some myths have also been shown to focus on ideals of that individual culture. For example, many myths in Ancient Greece mention respect towards the gods, one of the main pillars of Greek society. Regardless mythology is a perfect view of how ancient peoples thought and lived (and great stories).
The Monomyth
The monomyth is the idea that all myths essentially come from one set of shared subconscious ideas in every persons mind. For example, multiple different cultures have myths about things like love that are so similar to the point where they could be interchangeable. More specifically the monomyth suggests that at face value all myths have the same plot or circle around the same idea. In this way the monomyth explains why cultures from around the world have the same or similar ideas about certain things. Joseph Campbell, the main scholar behind the monomyth theory, used the monomyth to form his version of the Hero's Journey.
The Monomyth
Distinguishing Between A Myth, Legend, Fable, and Folk Story
Myth vs. Legend
The majority of these terms are thrown around, but depending on where you live each has their subtle difference:
Mythology- Typically a story used to describe events or actions that could not be defined by known methods in pagan times (usually associated with an ancient religion)*
Legend- A story that contains factual or historical details or figures that is embellished to the point where fact cannot be set aside from fiction
Fable- Simply put a fictional story (fairy tales, sometimes folk tales) [
Folk Story- Similar to a myth on that it reflects ideals of a certain society but usually with more exaggeration and less realistic [Paul Bunyan]
Main Elements
-A hero (The Hero's Journey)
-Some sort of evil, whether personal or physical
-Accounts for some unexplained aspects of nature
-Magic or mystical powers
-Magical creatures, beasts, or monsters
-The addition of Gods and Goddesses
-A centralized plot focused on an aspect of society
-And a setting that fits the idea presented in the myth
Elements
The Hero's Journey
The Hero's Journey
The Hero's Journey is commonly regarded as the most important part of a myth as it encompasses a wide range of ideas and attributes within the respective myth. Usually this journey has between 10 and 12 steps separated into 3 parts, although depending on how in depth you look at it there may be more. But first we should look at what a hero really is. A hero can very well be a bad person, or even the villain of a story. Simply put a hero is just a person with extraordinary ability. The Trojans viewed Achilles as a malevolent force, and the Greeks viewed him as their greatest hero. Perspective does not always account for whether or not a hero is considered evil however.
The Separation
The first four or so steps fall into what most Hero's Journey charts called the separation between worlds, or departing the known world. This is often the most standard part of any story as it sets the stage for events later on.
The Separation
Call to Adventure- The "hero" is in a sense awakened to deal with a threat, ex. Quested to kill a monster, save someone they love
Supernatural upbringing- Born with special powers, small but mighty, taught by a magical teacher, Ex. Hercules is the son of Zeus
Refusal of the call/Aid- The hero refuses to go on the journey but is convinced by another to go
Breaching the threshold- The hero is plunged into the unknown or into conditions they have no experience in, ex. going from a quiet village to the underworld
Entering the Special World
The special world contains the majority of the interaction between the hero and other characters. The hero is tested and broken down into their base ideals.
Entering the Special World
The secret weapon- The hero receives special knowledge or weapons needed to complete their quest, ex. magic weapons, where to go
The road of trials- The hero is challenged many times along the way that test them in different ways, ex. escaping a maze, fighting in a duel
The temptress- The hero is diswayed from their initial goal by some other force, ex. justice to revenge, love
The abyss/Revelation- The hero is beaten and broken until they understand some underlying value or principle (possibly dies), ex. losing a friend
Departing the Special World
Before the hero can leave the special world they must complete their goal and make sense of their new world.
Departing the Special World
Rebirth/Transformation- The hero is reborn (pysically, mentally, or morally) and is able to overcome their fears, ex. Using grief as strength
The apeothosis- The climax of the story; Completion of the quest, ex. slaying the monster, delivering the object
The boon- The hero is presented a great reward, usually of some great value, as a sort of payment for their actions, ex. immortality, wealth
The atonement- The hero is able to come to terms with their new self
The refusal of the return- The hero is no longer satisified with their former life until another convinces them to go home
The Return
The hero completes their journey and returns home.
The Return
The magical flight- In most myths the hero returns home via flight, ex. riding a giant eagle, carried by some winged god/goddess, magical flying shoes
Rescue from without- The hero is submerged into one final moment of plight before being saved by another force, ex. a former ally coming to the rescue
Crossing the return threshold- The hero finally returns home but is unable to adjust to their former life, ex. no longer wishes to be a farmer or go back to poverty
Mastery of the two world- The hero comes to a compromise between their old life and new life and is able to live a life of balance
The equilibrium- Life for the hero returns to normal and becomes stable until they are called upon again
Notable Heroes
These are just some of the heroes that everyone probably knows about.
Notable Heros
Hercules- Hercules is the son of Zeus, and is often considered to be one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology. Before becoming a hero through his 12 trials however he murdered both his wife and children in rage.
Achilles- Son of Thetis, Achilles was invincible except for the heel of his left foot after being dipped in the river Styx as a child. He was the Greatest warrior in Greek history and died at the end of the Trojan War. He was both stubborn and righteous.
Jason- Son of Aeson and Alcimede, Jason was supposed to suceed his father to the throne of Iolcus but was hidden away when his half-uncle seized the throne. Jason is thought to be more of an unconventional hero as he had no knowledge of his birth and was trained by Charron the Centaur.
Monsters in Mythology
Monsters
In mythology monsters generally represent the negative range of human emotions: rage, insanity, greed, hatred, spite, disresepct, etc. They can also represent the power of the gods or act as a punishment.
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2019