Uncovering the Significance of Myth in English Literature: An Exploration
1. WHAT ARE MYTHS?
2. What is the fundamental difference between myth and reality?
The fundamental difference between myth and reality is that myths are stories or beliefs that are passed down through tradition and are not based on fact or evidence, while reality is based on fact and evidence that can be verified through observation and experimentation. Myths often involve gods, supernatural beings, and magical events, and are used to explain the beliefs, customs, or natural phenomena of a culture. They are not meant to be taken literally and are often symbolic in nature. Reality, on the other hand, is based on empirical evidence and can be verified through scientific observation and experimentation. It is grounded in facts and objective truth, rather than in symbolic or metaphorical meanings.
Another difference is that myths are often used to explain things that are not understood by people, while reality is the understanding of things that are observable and can be explained. Furthermore, myths are often passed down through oral tradition, while reality is based on scientific discoveries and research.
So in brief, myths are stories or beliefs that are symbolic and metaphorical in nature and are not meant to be taken literally, while reality is based on fact and evidence that can be verified through observation and experimentation.
3. COMMON TYPES OF MYTHS
No system of classification encompasses every type of myth, but in discussing myths it is helpful to group them into broad categories. This article concentrates on three major categories: cosmic myths, myths of gods, and hero myths.
3.1 Cosmic Myths
Cosmic myths are concerned with the origin of the world and how it is ordered. They seek to explain the universal catastrophes such as fire or flood, and the afterlife. The oldest cosmogonies are those of Egypt and the ancient Near East. The god Enuma created the world from the corpse of a world-mother. He then split her carcass in two, forming heaven and earth from the halves, and established the sun, moon and constellations.
3.2 Myths of the Gods
In many mythologies the gods form a divine family, or pantheon (from the Greek pan, meaning "all," and theos, "god"). The story of a power struggle within a pantheon is common to a large number of world mythologies. In Greek mythology, the earliest gods were Gaea (Earth) and Uranus, and their children were called the Titans. Myths about the gods are as numerous as the cultures that produce them. Hermes, while an infant, stole the cattle of his half-brother Apollo to avoid leaving a trail that could be followed. Other mythological tricksters are the West African god Eshu and the Indian god Krishna.
3.3 Myths of Heroes
Nearly all cultures have produced myths about heroes. Some heroes, such as the Greek Achilles, have one mortal and one divine parent. Others are fully human but are blessed with godlike strength or beauty. Many myths about heroes concern significant phases of the hero’s career, such as the circumstances of the hero’s birth, a journey or quest, and the return home.
The birth and infancy of a mythological hero is often exceptional or even miraculous. Some heroes, such as the Greek Achilles, have one mortal and one divine parent. Others are fully human but are blessed with godlike strength or beauty. Most heroes set off on a quest or a journey, and return home at the end of their career. The quest for the Golden Fleece is one of the most famous tales of a hero's return home.
4. INTERPRETING MYTHS
The universal human practice of myth-making appears to be the earliest means by which people interpreted the natural world and the society in which they lived. Thus myth has been the dominant mode of human reflection for the greater part of human history. Greek thinkers of the 6th century bc were the first people known to question the validity of myth-making. In subsequent centuries the rationalism introduced by these Greeks and the monotheism (belief in one God) of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all but replaced myth-making throughout much of the world. In some Asian and African cultures, however, traditional stories retained their power and became important elements of religious systems. And some cultures in the modern world maintain a worldview based primarily on myths. These cultures include Native Americans, Aboriginal Australians, and the Maori of New Zealand.
4.1 Ancient Criticism
In the early stages of Greek civilization, as in other ancient cultures, the truth of myths was taken for granted. The Greek word mythos, from which the English word myth is derived, was originally used to describe any narrative. Early Greek authors who employed the term drew no rigid distinction between tales that were historical or factual and those that were not.
In the 6th century bc, however, Greek thinkers began to question the validity of their culture’s traditional tales, and the word mythos came to denote an implausible story. Nevertheless, myths retained their cultural importance, even after they had come under attack from philosophers. The ancient Greek tragedies, which remained central to civic and religious life in Athens through the end of the 5th century bc, drew their subject matter largely from myths.
Euhemerus, a Greek writer of the 4th century bc, traced the origin of the gods to the deification of human rulers by their grateful subjects. This explanation for the gods is consequently known as euhemerism.
4.2 Hebrew and Early Christian Interpretations
In the Hebrew tradition, the break from mythology took a different direction than it had taken among the Greeks. Here, the source of tension was not the incompatibility of myth and reason—as it had been with the Greeks—but the incompatibility of Near Eastern polytheism (belief in many gods) and Hebrew monotheism. Greek thinkers resolved the primary tension (myth versus reason) by identifying the divine figures in Near Eastern mythology as natural elements and forces, such as the sun and the wind. The Hebrew Bible resolved the primary tension (polytheism versus monotheism) by concentrating on the role of a supreme god and by minimizing or eliminating the roles of all other characters who could be considered divine.
4.3 The Middle Ages and Renaissance
In the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century) allegorical interpretation of the ancient myths predominated. Even the works of the ancient Roman poet Ovid, whose writings about the pagan gods were famous for their irreverence and bawdiness, received allegorical interpretation. Mythological interpretation in the Renaissance (14th century to 17th century) continued the allegorizing approach of the Middle Ages.
4.4 The Age of Enlightenment
During the Age of Enlightenment (17th and 18th centuries), with its emphasis on rationality, the allegorical interpretation of myths fell into disfavor. French writer Pierre Bayle, in his Dictionnaire historique et critique (Historical and Critical Dictionary, 1697), ridiculed the absurdity of the ancient Greek and Roman myths.
4.5 The 19th-Century & 20th-Century Approaches
Most analyses of myths in the 18th and 19th centuries showed a tendency to reduce myths to some essential core—whether the seasonal cycles of nature, historical circumstances, or ritual. That core supposedly remained once the fanciful elements of the narratives had been stripped away. In the 20th century, investigators began to pay closer attention to the content of the narratives themselves. Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud held that myths—like dreams—condense the material of experience and represent it in symbols. Freud’s pupil Carl Jung took this psychological approach in a different direction.
What has become clear is that myth-making is an extremely varied and complex human activity. As in other creative activities, an enormous number of social, environmental, and personal factors come into play that make it difficult to summarize or explain myth-making from a single vantage point. While every theory offers something illuminating and useful to the understanding of some myths or mythological traditions, it seems unlikely that anyone will ever devise a theory that accounts for every type of tale that is classified as myth.
5. INFLUENCE OF MYTHS
Mythology has exerted a pervasive influence on the arts in all parts of the world from the earliest times. In the Americas, people expressed mythological themes using materials such as sand (in the sand paintings of the Navajo) and stone (in the jade masks of the Olmec). In Oceania, wood was a preferred material. The indigenous peoples of Central and South America used ceramics for funerary urns. In ancient Europe as well, mythological themes were treated in a variety of media, including stone, wood, and metal.
Even apart from cultures in which myth-making is bound up with ritual, myths have provided a wealth of material for the writer and artist since the beginning of recorded history. The divine characters employed by Homer in his epics—principally Zeus, Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Ares—became the common property of poets throughout antiquity. In addition, Greek writers of tragedy drew upon the traditional body of myth to create such human characters as Agamemnon and Clytemnestra (in the Oresteia of Aeschylus); Antigone (in the play of the same name by Sophocles); and Electra (in plays by Sophocles and Euripides).
In literature and music the debt to mythological themes is equally pronounced. Antigone, a daughter of Oedipus, became famous in the play by Sophocles, which portrays the conflict between obedience to the laws of the state and to the higher laws of the gods. Among those who later used themes from her life are French playwrights Jean Cocteau (Antigone, 1922) and Jean Anouilh (Antigone, 1942) and German playwright Bertolt Brecht (Antigone, 1948). Electra, the unhappy daughter of Agamemnon who seeks to avenge her father’s murder, has been the subject of plays by French playwright Jean-Paul Sartre (The Flies, 1943) and American playwright Eugene O’Neill (Mourning Becomes Elektra, 1931), and of a celebrated opera by German composer Richard Strauss (Elektra, 1909). It is no exaggeration to say that art, music, and literature throughout the world would be unimaginably different without the influence of mythology.
6. How can we locate myth in literature?
There are several ways to locate myth in literature:
6.1 Involve gods or supernatural beings: Many myths feature gods, goddesses, and other supernatural beings who play a central role in the story.
6.2 Explain the origins of things: Many myths are used to explain the origins of natural phenomena, such as the creation of the world or the seasons.
6.3 Explain cultural beliefs or customs: Many myths are used to explain cultural beliefs and customs, such as why certain rituals are performed or why certain animals are sacred.
6.4 Oral tradition: Many myths are passed down through oral tradition and have been retold and passed down for generations.
6.5 Contain moral or lessons: Myths often contain moral or lessons that are meant to teach people about how to live their lives in a certain way.
6.6 Contain archetypes, symbols, or motifs: Myths often use archetypes, symbols, and motifs that are common across cultures and have deep meaning.
6.7 Adapted from existing myths: Many stories in literature are based on existing myths, such as the Greek and Roman myths.
7. Well-known Myth
One example of a well-known myth is the story of the Greek god Zeus and his defeat of the Titans.
In this myth, Zeus is portrayed as a powerful and mighty god who leads the Olympian gods in a battle against the Titans, who were the previous generation of gods. The Titans, led by Cronus, had been oppressing the Olympians and Zeus sees it as his duty to overthrow them and restore order to the world.
Throughout the story, Zeus is depicted as a brave and cunning leader who uses his powers of thunder and lightning to defeat the Titans. This represents the idea of good triumphing over evil, as Zeus is seen as a positive and just god, while the Titans are portrayed as cruel and selfish.
The story also contains elements of family dynamics, as Zeus overthrows his own father, Cronus, to take his place as ruler of the gods. This can be seen as a metaphor for the cycle of life and the passing of power from one generation to the next.
Additionally, the story contains motifs of the sky and thunder, which are commonly associated with Zeus in Greek mythology. These motifs serve to reinforce the power and importance of Zeus as a god of the sky and weather.
The story of Zeus and the Titans serves as a representation of the power of good over evil and the importance of family dynamics and passing of power. It also reinforces the motifs and attributes associated with Zeus, making him a powerful and important figure in Greek mythology.
Reference to Indian mythology
One example of a well-known Indian myth is the story of Lord Rama and his defeat of the demon king, Ravana.
In this myth, Lord Rama is portrayed as a noble and righteous prince who is sent into exile by his father. He meets and marries Sita, the daughter of a king. However, Sita is later kidnapped by the demon king, Ravana, who wants to use her to gain power. Lord Rama, along with his brother, Laxman, and his monkey army, led by Hanuman, embark on a journey to rescue Sita and defeat Ravana. Throughout the story, Lord Rama is depicted as a model of dharma, or righteousness, who is willing to sacrifice everything to uphold his duty and save Sita. This represents the idea of good triumphing over evil, as Lord Rama is seen as a positive and just hero, while Ravana is portrayed as a cruel and selfish demon king.
The story also contains elements of family dynamics and devotion, as Lord Rama's devotion to his wife Sita and his duty to save her is the main drive of the story. This can be seen as a metaphor for the importance of devotion and duty in life Additionally, the story contains motifs of devotion and duty which are commonly associated with Lord Rama in Hindu mythology. These motifs serve to reinforce the power and importance of Lord Rama as a symbol of duty and devotion.
Overall, the story of Lord Rama and the defeat of Ravana serves as a representation of the power of good over evil and the importance of devotion and duty in life. It also reinforces the motifs and attributes associated with Lord Rama, making him a powerful and important figure in Hindu mythology.
8. Conclusion
So in conclusion We can say the reading of the mythology or understanding the very universal cultural qualities by which the mythological writings can be interpreted can be understood in details for literature students. it is a quite a principle study for literature students because in literature everywhere there is a myth lying. Everywhere through any literature, the sum total of the cultural values are represented. Myths can be represented in literature in different kind of forms. so locating those myths and identifying them with its proper meaning, proper understanding is a great critical study for any literature students .
References:
1. Myth - Wikipedia. (2017, November 6). In Myth - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myth
2. Lansford, Tyler. "Mythology." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.
3. Myth | Definition, History, Examples, & Facts. (n.d.). In Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/myth
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