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What is Myth?. “a Depew / Fontanarosa joint”. What is “Myth”?. DEFINITION: The word “myth” comes from the Greek word, “ mythos ”, which means, “a spoken or written story.” The modern definition includes: The ancient stories themselves
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What is Myth? “a Depew / Fontanarosa joint”
What is “Myth”? • DEFINITION: • The word “myth” comes from the Greek word, “mythos”, which means, “a spoken or written story.” • The modern definition includes: • The ancient stories themselves • The overall belief-system (i.e. religion) of the people/culture who originated these stories
What is Myth? • PURPOSE: • Myths were developed so people could make sense of the world around them. • This is why every society has its own collections of myths-its “mythology”
What is Myth? • PURPOSE: • Myths try to explain the way the world is. • Their explanations are often dependent on relationships between humans and the gods and goddesses who made humans
What is Myth? • PURPOSE: • Myths answer unanswerable questions, like: • “Who made the universe?” • “What causes a storm?” • “Why are humans different from animals?” • Myths usually play an important part in religion. • Myths answer primitive people’s fears about science • Myths make nature seem less chaotic
What is Myth? Myths attempt to explain: • NATURE: (origin myths) • Where did the Earth come from? • Heavens- sun moon stars, etc. • Seasons- climate, rain, fertility • Geography – oceans, mountains, forests http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crnpS1HoDQw
What is Myth? Myths attempt to explain: • MAN • Where did man come from? • His life cycle-birth, growth… • His victories • Glories in war and love • Defeats in war, love, misfortunes • His end/death-glories and weaknesses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anB1BgtwCpk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccKhLrKhiOo
What is Myth? Myths attempt to explain: • GODS • Where did the gods come from? • Number of gods • Polytheism vs. Monotheism • Responsibilities / duties of gods • Roles of gods – their powers and weaknesses
What is Myth? • TEXTS: • Oral Tradition: • Most myths were passed down orally • They were permanently recorded in rhyming poems that were publicly recited or sung. • He longest of these are known as “epics” • Iliad • Odyssey • Aeneid
What is Myth? • TEXTS: • They were also recorded in: • Plays • Architecture • Sculpture • Mosaics • Ceramics • Frescoes and Murals • Carvings • Textiles • Other assorted human artifacts…
TEXTS What is Myth? • Plays • Particularly, those of four Greek playwrights who lived near Athens around 500 – 400 BC • Aeschylus • Euripides • Sophocles • Aristophanes
TEXTS What is Myth? • Architecture http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3289/2801135531_5d9887020d_z.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Architecture http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2145/2314582176_a673e26fd2_z.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Architecture http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Greece/Athens/ParthenonFrieze.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Architecture http://http://www.tammyjerome.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DisneyStudios3.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Sculpture
TEXTS What is Myth? • Sculpture
TEXTS What is Myth? • Sculpture http://www.hellenicaworld.com/Greece/Mythology/Sculpture/HerculesMaucher.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Mosaics http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1084/5161815327_614d454406_z.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Mosaics
TEXTS What is Myth? • Mosaics http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/20/2d/a0/202da0d0d112d441e0105025f7348d7b.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Ceramics http://www.workofartists.com/images/art/ceramicscirclefriends.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? Hiwi pottery • Ceramics http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__N5hDcfFbvk/S5vfw8Yqh9I/AAAAAAAAA9g/7L9qfm9vWaU/s400/Jivi-Guajibo-Hiwi-Ceramica.JPG male effigy vessels, called "Jivitonuu" and female effigy vessels called "Jivitovaa".
TEXTS What is Myth? • Ceramics http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3483/3707761638_6bcc2a82f6_z.jpg?zz=1
TEXTS What is Myth? • Ceramics http://www.greekpotteryshop.com/images/DSCN6495_500x375.JPG
TEXTS What is Myth? • Frescoes and Murals http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/c8/b4/a2/c8b4a241116aebffb17ad11a6ace50fe.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? http://www.wga.hu/art/r/raphael/5roma/4a/05farnes.jpg • Frescoes and Murals
TEXTS What is Myth? http://www.terminartors.com/files/artworks/4/5/7/45737/Guercino-Aurora-1621-II.jpg • Frescoes and Murals
TEXTS What is Myth? • Carvings The carving on this hei tiki jade pendant is a fertility symbol in the mythology of the Maori people of New Zealand. The figure represents the first man, Tiki, in the stories of other Polynesians. http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/images/mlw_0001_0003_0_img0166.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Carvings http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cw-P9EkdLQ/TjxQe-3XwHI/AAAAAAAADac/A7RQlUNH5X8/s400/IMG_5037.JPG
TEXTS What is Myth? The Exquisite Art of Food Carving • Carvings http://arts.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/upload/upfiles/2011-03/02/the_exquisite_art_of_food_carving05e7ed556a92c6d5cd91.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Textiles http://www.rugreview.com/orr/or113ke1.jpg
TEXTS Andean llama god What is Myth? • Textiles http://ololopress.com/amm/images/cattle.jpg
TEXTS What is Myth? • Textiles http://blinds-wallpaper.net/wallpaper/images/uploads/tapestries/EUROPEAN/3776tap.jpg
What is Myth? • LEGACY: • Why do myths survive? • Myths allow modern people to reflect upon a more simple and genuine time • Myths promote the use of symbols to explain shared patterns of experience • Myths are cool stories that resonate on many different levels.
What is Myth? • Themes, Motifs, Symbols • Good against Evil • Gods and Goddesses • Creation Myths • The First Humans • Heroes • The Afterlife • Animals
What is Myth? • Fabulous Beasts/Monsters
What is Myth? • Fabulous Beasts and Monsters
What is Myth • Sacred Places Stonehenge
What is Myth Oracle at Delphi • Sacred Places
Myth, Legend, and Folklore • Legends • Usually do not have religious or supernatural content • Usually do have historical content • They give almost-superhuman qualities to historical figures or events • They are more about the “story” than the significance of the story • Purpose = entertainment first, lesson second • Sometimes used for education purposes, as an example
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend Myth, Legend, and Folklore • Legends • They are more about the “story” than the significance of the story • More for entertainment • Sometimes used as educational examples • We might gain some meaning from a legend, but not the archetypal intensity that myths contain • Ex: • Atlantis • Robin Hood • Romulus and Remus • Headless Horseman • Knights of the Round Table • Vlad the Impaler • El Dorado
Legend Atlantis http://www.blog.dolorescannon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/AtlantisTheMyth.jpg
Legend Robin Hood http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11/118094/2720089-disney_robin_hood_help.jpg
Legend Romulus &Remus http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zAu0NmcY5UU/TdFAqVzUIjI/AAAAAAAABf0/Yd9uJdTT-EI/s1600/SSRomeBegginingsRomulusRemus.gif
Legend Knights of the Round Table http://whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/7213.jpg
Legend Knights of the Round Table http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/085/2/5/knights_of_the_round_table_by_paladin_errant-d37cg3p.png
Legend Headless Horseman http://www.francescofrancavilla.com/gallery/images/headless_horseman_low.jpg
Legend Vlad the Impaler http://www.lookingland.com/jcarrstudios/vlad.jpg
Legend El Dorado http://www.redicecreations.com/ul_img/24142eldorado_678x320_front.jpg