Myths were traditionally created by ancient cultures to explain natural phenomena and human behavior. Over time, scholars have proposed different theories about the origins and evolution of myths. Myths come from many sources and serve various purposes such as providing dramatic stories, inspiration, and frameworks for understanding the world.

1. MYTHS
Myth – ancient story: a traditional story about
heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting
to explain the origins of natural phenomena or
aspects of human behaviour.
Mythology – body of myths: a group of myths
that belong to a particular people or culture and
tell about their ancestors, heroes, gods and
other supernatural beings, and history.
PURPOSE
To explain matters in the science of a
prescientific age.
HISTORY
EVOLUTION OF MYTHS
Euhemerus
 The ancient gods were patterned after
heroes who actually lived at one time.
Philologist
 That man repeating things their
ancestors said, understood them in a
different sense and because of that,
misunderstanding created myths.
Anthropologist
 Explain the cause of natural
phenomenon.
Emile Durkheim
 That people got so excited during their
tribal festivities that they thought that a
great power came to them from an
object in their camp.
WRITERS AND THEIR STORIES
Thomas Godwyn
 Romanae Historiae Anthologia (An
English Treatise on Roman Antiquities)
Samuel Boyse
 The New Pantheon: or, Fabulous
History of the Heathen Gods,
Goddesses, Heroes, etc.
Ahmad Bahgat
 The Hoopoe of King Solomon,
Illustrated by Hilmi Eltouni
Padraic Colum
 At the Gateways of the Day
M. Dorothy Belgrave & Hilda Hart
 Children’s Stories from Indian Legends,
Illustrated by Harry G. Theaker
Fiona French
 Lord of the Animals: A North American
Folk-tale
Jean Lang
 A Book of Myths, Illustrated by Helen
Stratton
Wilhelm Kaulbach
 The Heroic Life and Exploits of Siegfried
the Dragon Slayer
Rosemary Sutcliff
 Dragon Slayer: The Story of Beowulf,
Illustrated by Charles Keeping
Anon
 The Life of Saint Bridget
Henry Gilroy & Jan Duursema et al.
 Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the
Clones
SOURCES
Greek and Roman Mythology
 The Roman had no system of
mythology. They adopted the mythology
of the Greeks, but changed the name of
the gods. The Roman names are more
familiar than the Greek: the Greek
names have more beautiful sounds.
Norse Mythology
 The Norse myths came from the
Scandinavian countries. They are more
serious in tone and plot than the Greek
myths.
German Mythology
 The names of deities in German myths
differ only slightly from those of the
Norse. Odin becomes Wotan, Sigurd
and Brynhild become Siegfried and
Brunhilde as in the Wagnerian operas.
TYPES
 “Why” Story or Pourquoi Tale
 Allegory or Symbolic Story
 Ways of the Gods with other Gods and
with men
 Nature and other phenomena
VALUES
 Dramatic Quality
 Classical Allusions
 Subjects of sculpture and graphic arts
 Furnish background
 Origin and meaning
 Aid
 History and civilization
 Answers
ROLES
 Transcends the limitations of history and
science
 Provide maps for where we might want
to go in life
 Provide frameworks for how we might
live
 Inspire us to find moments of ecstasy in
the mystery of our own mortality
 Attempts to answer the unanswerable