Mythology and Allusion

1. Mythology and Allusion Why are myths still relevant?

2. What is mythology? • Myths are stories that were created to answer the basic questions about the world, the gods, and human life • They tell about events from the distant past and were considered truthful and sacred

3. Three types of myths • “Origin” myths, or Creation myths, answer questions about natural events: why voices echo, how mountains/deserts were formed, how spiders came to be, etc. • “Alienation” myths answer questions about why things go wrong or why there is pain and suffering • “Eschatological” myths are stories about the end of time and “after-life”

4. Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and Monsters • Myths tell about the adventures of gods or humans who come into contact with them • Gods and goddesses possess extraordinary powers • They usually have their own special area of power

5. Why are they STILL relevant? • Myths, especially Greek myths are popular and well-known across the world • They are often used by artists, authors, comedians, etc. in ALLUSIONS.

6. What is an ALLUSION? • An ALLUSION is a reference to an outside work. • Allusions can be made to a book, song, poem, film, painting, even to current events.

7. Mythological Allusion • One of the most commonly alluded to subjects is mythology • There are mythological allusions in our everyday lives

8. “Herculean Strength” • A very common allusion, one that has become cliché, is the phrase, “Herculean strength.” • This phrase/cliché is used to describe a person of incredible strength or possessing amazing stamina.

9. “Pandora’s Box” • When a person gets in trouble for being so curious about something that it leads to severe consequences and punishment, we say, “She opened Pandora’s box.”

10. “The Midas Touch” • When someone has uncanny success, especially businessmen/women, we say, “they have the Midas touch.”

11. “Sisyphean Task” • Sisyphus’s story personifies a modern man’s zeal to work hard everyday to no avail. • A task that is overwhelming in its magnitude may be referred to as “a Sisyphean task.” • A person that may have been involved in fraudulent transactions may be called a “Sisyphus.”

12. Let us begin! • We will begin with our “God Logs” and continue with them through out • We will put on three “readers’ theater” performances • We will finish with an Allusions Project