EL 114 – MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE- SY.

2024-2025
WEEK 2-3
MYTHOLOGY o Gods and Goddesses: Odin,
Thor, Freya, Loki.
Mythology is a collection of myths, which
o Heroes: Sigurd, Beowulf.
are traditional stories or legends that are
o Key Myths: Ragnarok, the
rooted in the cultural and religious beliefs
of a particular society. These stories creation of the world from
typically involve gods, goddesses, Ymir, the adventures of Thor.
heroes, and supernatural events and are  Egyptian Mythology:
used to explain natural phenomena, o Gods and Goddesses: Ra,
cultural practices, human behavior, and Isis, Osiris, Anubis.
the origins of the world and humanity. o Key Myths: The creation myth
Here are some key aspects of mythology: involving Ra, the story of
Osiris and Isis, the journey of
Key Aspects of Mythology the soul in the afterlife.
 Traditional Stories: Myths are  Hindu Mythology:
ancient narratives passed down o Gods and Goddesses:
through generations, often orally Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva,
before being written down. Durga.
 Cultural Significance: Myths o Key Texts: The Mahabharata,
reflect the values, beliefs, and the Ramayana, the Puranas.
norms of the society from which  Roman Mythology:
they originate. They are an integral o Gods and Goddesses: Jupiter,
part of a culture's identity.
Juno, Neptune, Venus.
 Supernatural Elements: Myths
o Heroes: Aeneas, Romulus and
often involve deities, demigods,
Remus.
heroes with extraordinary abilities,
o Key Myths: The founding of
and mythical creatures. These
Rome, the adventures of
elements serve to illustrate the
Aeneas.
mysteries of the world and human
existence. Purpose and Function
 Explaining the Unexplained:  Cultural Identity: Myths help
Myths provide explanations for preserve and transmit cultural
natural phenomena (such as the heritage and identity.
changing seasons or the creation of  Religious Belief: They form the
the earth), life events (such as basis of religious beliefs and rituals.
birth and death), and social  Educational Tool: Myths are used
customs. to teach lessons about life,
 Moral Lessons: Many myths morality, and the human condition.
contain moral lessons or cautionary  Entertainment: They have been a
tales designed to teach people source of storytelling, drama, and
about virtues and vices, proper artistic inspiration throughout
conduct, and the consequences of history.
actions.
Mythology continues to influence modern
Examples of Mythological Systems literature, art, psychology, and popular
 Greek Mythology: culture, demonstrating the enduring
o Gods and Goddesses: Zeus, power of these ancient stories.
Hera, Athena, Apollo, etc.
COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY
o Heroes: Hercules, Perseus,
Theseus, Odysseus.
o Key Myths: The Trojan War,
the Labors of Hercules, the
Odyssey.
 Norse Mythology:
EL 114 – MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE- SY. 2024-2025
WEEK 2-3
Myths are tricky. Myths from around the One reason so many scholars have tried
world, from long ago and from recent pinning down the definition of myths is
times, often seem similar. Most myths that myths can be similar across cultures,
appear to fall into certain categories, even in distant cultures. For example,
regardless of whether different cultures Greece and Japan have stories about
had much to do with each other. men who visit the underworld to retrieve
their dead wives. The coincidence is
Theories about mythology freaky, as if some universal knowledge
Anytime scholars find several factors that resides in human memory from the days
appear to follow a pattern, they try to when all people lived in caves. Here are
find the rules that govern the pattern. some types that show up a lot all over
During the 20th century, several scholars the place:
tried to explain what myths were all
about and answer this age-old question: » Creation myths: Everybody
What’s the purpose of all these stories? wants to know where the world and
Because that truly is an unanswerable its creatures came from. Generally,
question, they devised several different the world emerges from primordial
theories, which gradually were darkness (the darkness before
incorporated into the fields of history and all human experience),
psychology, comparative literature, and often in the shape of an egg,
anthropology. through the work of a creator deity.
Here’s a quick summary of some of the » Cosmogeny: Many myths
more important theories about myths: describe the way the world, the
 Myths define social customs and heavens, the sea, and the
beliefs. underworld are put together and
 Myths are the same as ritual. how the sun and moon travel
 Myths are allegories, similar to around them.
parables like those in the Christian » The origin of humanity:
Bible. They use symbolism to Humans had to come from
describe general human somewhere, and many mythologies
experiences through fun, specific, describe their origin. They’re often
and memorable stories. the pet creation of a deity dabbling
 Myths explain natural phenomena. in mud.
 Myths explain psychological
phenomena such as love, sex, and »Flood stories: Many mythologies
anger toward one’s parents. have a story about gods who were
(Sigmund Freud bought into this unhappy with their first version of
theory big-time.) humans and destroyed the world
 Myths contain archetypes (basic with floods to get a clean start.
patterns of events) that reveal the Usually one man and one woman
collective unconscious of the survive.
human race, that is, stuff we think » The introduction of disease
about all the time without really and death: Myths often describe
noticing that we’re thinking about the first humans as living in a
it. (Carl Jung believed this theory. paradise that’s messed up when
 Myths are a way of communicating someone introduces unhappiness.
and helping people work together, The Greek story of Pandora’s box is
or they’re a way for people to talk one of the best-known myths (see
about things that cause anxiety. Chapter 3).
MAJOR TYPES OF MYTHS »Afterlife: Many people think that
the soul continues to exist after the
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body dies; myths explain what are called gods and goddesses — the
happens to the soul. word deity is a neutral term that means
god or goddess. Some cultures have
» The presence of supernatural
many deities, and some have only one.
beings: Every body of mythology
Generally, a culture has at least one
features deities and other
creator deity and several other divine
supernatural entities. Individual
beings who divide up jobs such as driving
deities often are in charge of
the sun and moon, herding the dead,
particular aspects of the world or
making crops grow, and so on. With this
human life. Some supernatural
division of labor, people automatically
beings are good, and some are evil;
knew which deity to ask for help; for
humans and the good gods fight
example, a woman seeking help in
the evil ones.
childbirth knew not to waste her time
» The end of the world: Although praying to the rain god.
the world has already ended at
Heroes
least once in most mythologies
(usually through a great flood), Many myths feature heroes, who perform
some myths also have a plan for amazing feats of daring, strength, or
how it will end in the future. cleverness. Some heroes are human,
some are gods, and some are half- and-
» The dawn of civilization:
half. One feature common of
Humans had to learn to live like
mythological heroes is that their
people, not animals, and often the
definitive characteristics are evident from
gods helped them. A common story
childhood.
tells of the theft of fire by a deity
who brings it to humans. Culture heroes appear in myths bringing
specific benefits to humans; for example,
» Foundation myths: People who
Prometheus was a culture hero to the
founded empires liked to believe
ancient Greeks because he gave humans
that historical reasons helped
fire.
explain why vanquishing their
enemies and building a city in a Tricksters
certain place was inevitable. A
Myths are full of trickster characters.
myth can help explain these
Tricksters are popular mythical
reasons as well as why the people
characters in myths from all cultures.
who lived there before don’t
Some of these tricksters are helpful to
deserve to live there anymore.
people by out- witting their enemies and
WHO’S WHO OF MYTHOLOGICAL bringing them gifts such as fire. The
PLAYERS Greek trickster- hero Prometheus is like
this. Others aren’t so nice; Loki in Norse
Myths have a standard cast of
myths is sometimes downright evil. The
characters. They always include divine
character Odysseus from Greek
beings, called deities or gods. Also
mythology tricks others for his own
present are humans who interact with
benefit. In the mythology of the
gods; some of the extra special humans
indigenous peoples of the Americas, the
get to be heroes. Magical animals and
trickster characters are often animals
tricksters, who live to stir things up,
that seem humanlike. Examples include
complete the list of players.
the Coyote in the Southwest, the Mink in
Deities the Pacific Northwest, and Wisakedjak, a
rabbit trickster hero known to Eastern
All bodies of myth have supernatural
tribes. African mythology has lots of
entities that hold power over the world
cunning characters: rabbits, deer, and
and the people in it. These entities often
humans. Tricksters subvert the social
EL 114 – MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE- SY. 2024-2025
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order and break the rules, stirring things theory, folktales were used to
up either to beat their enemies, save reinforce religious beliefs and
their own lives, or help other animals or provide moral lessons. This theory
was popularized by the British
humans.
anthropologist James Frazer.
THEORIES RELATED TO FOLK 3. DIFFUSIONISM: This theory holds
LITERATURE that folktales and myths spread
A. ANCIENT THEORIES: from one culture to another through
1. RATIONALISM: This theory posits migration and cultural exchange.
that folktales and myths were According to this theory, similarities
created to explain natural in folktales and myths across
phenomena in a way that was different cultures can be explained
understandable to the common by the diffusion of cultural
people. According to this theory, elements. This theory was
folktales were rational explanations popularized by the American
for events that were otherwise folklorist Alan Dundes.
difficult to comprehend. This theory 4. EVOLUTIONISM: This theory holds
was popular among ancient Greek that folktales and myths evolved
philosophers such as Aristotle. over time, reflecting changes in
2. ETYMOLOGICAL THEORY: This cultural attitudes and beliefs.
theory holds that folktales and According to this theory, folktales
myths were created to explain the were created and modified in
origins of words and names. response to changing societal
According to this theory, words and conditions. This theory was
names were thought to have popularized by the American
magical powers, and folktales were folklorist Carl Jung.
created to explain their origins. This 5. FREUDIANISM: This theory holds
theory was popular among ancient that folktales and myths are
Greek and Roman scholars. expressions of unconscious desires
3. ALLEGORICAL THEORY: This and fears. According to this theory,
theory holds that folktales and folktales reflect the deep-seated
myths were created as allegories, fears and desires of the human
using symbolic language to convey psyche. This theory was popularized
moral or religious teachings. This by the Austrian psychologist
theory was popular among ancient Sigmund Freud.
Greek and Roman philosophers, 6. JUNGIAN ARCHETYPES: This
such as Plato. theory holds that folktales and
4. EUHEMERISM: This theory posits myths are expressions of universal
that myths and legends were archetypes that exist in the human
created to explain historical events psyche. According to this theory,
and that the gods and heroes of these archetypes are represented in
mythology were once historical folktales and myths in different
figures who were later deified. This cultures. This theory was
theory was popularized by the popularized by the Swiss
ancient Greek historian Euhemerus. psychologist Carl Jung.
B. MODERN THEORIES: 7. STRUCTURALISM: This theory
1. NATURALISM: This theory holds holds that folktales and myths can
that folktales and myths were be analyzed using structural
created as a response to natural methods, such as the study of
events and the environment. narrative and character types.
According to this theory, folktales According to this theory, folktales
were created to explain and cope and myths have universal structural
with natural disasters, such as elements that can be studied to
earthquakes and floods. This theory gain insight into human culture and
was popularized by the American society. This theory was popularized
folklorist Stith Thompson. by the French anthropologist Claude
2. RITUALISM: This theory holds that Lévi-Strauss.
folktales and myths were created as 8. HISTORICAL-CRITICAL THEORY:
a part of religious rituals and This theory holds that folktales and
ceremonies. According to this myths can be studied as historical
EL 114 – MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE- SY. 2024-2025
WEEK 2-3
artifacts, providing insight into the This archetype is often depicted as a
cultural and historical context in god or king in mythology.
which they were created. This
theory was popular among These archetypes are not limited to
folklorists such as the Finnish specific cultures or mythologies, and they
folklorist Antti Aarne. can often be found in similar forms in
different cultures and traditions around
MYTH AND ARCHETYPES the world. Studying archetypes in
Archetypes are universal symbols, mythology can provide insight into
characters, themes, and patterns that universal human experiences and the
are found in the mythology and folklore workings of the collective unconscious.
of different cultures throughout the
world. The concept of archetypes was
first introduced by Swiss psychologist THE HERO’S JOURNEY
Carl Jung, who believed that these
universal symbols and patterns were
rooted in the collective unconscious of
humankind.
Some common archetypes in mythology
include:
 THE HERO: A brave and noble
character who embarks on a quest
or journey to achieve a great goal.
The hero archetype is often depicted
as overcoming obstacles and
defeating evil.
 THE WISE OLD MAN OR WOMAN:
An elderly figure who represents
wisdom and guidance. This
archetype is often depicted as a
mentor or advisor to the hero.
 THE TRICKSTER: A cunning and
mischievous character who often
uses wit and deception to achieve
his or her goals. The trickster The Hero's Journey, a concept
archetype is found in many cultures popularized by Joseph Campbell in his
and is often depicted as a figure who book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces,"
challenges societal norms and is a narrative framework that outlines the
conventions. typical adventure of a hero across
 THE MAIDEN: A young and innocent
various myths and stories. This journey
female character who represents
purity and innocence. This archetype consists of several stages that heroes
is often depicted as needing commonly pass through in their quest.
protection or rescue. Here are the main stages of the Hero's
 THE SHADOW: A dark and negative Journey:
aspect of a character's personality,
representing the unconscious desires 1. The Ordinary World - The hero's
and fears of the individual. The normal life before the adventure begins.
shadow archetype is often depicted It's a place of comfort and familiarity.
as a monster or evil figure.
 THE MOTHER: A nurturing and 2. The Call to Adventure - The hero
protective figure who represents receives an invitation to begin a quest or
maternal instinct and care. This faces a problem that must be solved.
archetype is often depicted as a
goddess or mother figure in 3. Refusal of the Call - The hero
mythology. initially hesitates or refuses the call to
 THE FATHER: A powerful and adventure due to fear, insecurity, or
authoritative figure who represents other reasons.
strength, protection, and guidance.
EL 114 – MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE- SY. 2024-2025
WEEK 2-3
4. Meeting with the Mentor - The hero defeats Voldemort aligns with the
encounters a mentor who provides Hero's Journey.
guidance, wisdom, and often magical
The Hero's Journey is a timeless narrative
tools or advice to assist in the journey.
structure that resonates across cultures
5. Crossing the Threshold - The hero and eras, reflecting universal themes of
leaves the ordinary world and enters the growth, struggle, and transformation.
unknown, embarking on the adventure.

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies - The

hero faces challenges, makes allies, and
encounters enemies in the new world,
which helps them grow and prepare for
greater ordeals.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave - The

hero approaches the central ordeal of the
journey, a place of great danger or inner
conflict.

8. The Ordeal - The hero faces the

greatest challenge yet, often confronting
death or their deepest fears.

9. The Reward - After overcoming the

ordeal, the hero receives a reward, which
could be an object, knowledge, or
reconciliation.

10. The Road Back - The hero begins

the journey back to the ordinary world,
often facing new challenges along the
way.

11. The Resurrection - The hero

undergoes a final test where they are
transformed by their experiences and
emerge stronger.

12. Return with the Elixir - The hero

returns home with the "elixir," which is
the knowledge, power, or reward gained
from the adventure, and uses it to
improve the ordinary world.

Examples in Pop Culture

 Star Wars: Luke Skywalker's

journey from farm boy to Jedi
Knight follows the Hero's Journey
stages closely.
 The Lord of the Rings: Frodo
Baggins' quest to destroy the One
Ring exemplifies the Hero's Journey.
 Harry Potter: Harry's transition from
an ordinary boy to the hero who