Unit 1Unit 1World Myths and FolktalesWorld Myths and Folktales

Myths and folktales are important in every Myths and folktales are important in every world culture. A society without stories about world culture. A society without stories about

its beginnings, its heroes, and its deepest its beginnings, its heroes, and its deepest values is like a person without a name or a values is like a person without a name or a

family without roots.family without roots.

What is a myth?What is a myth?

Stories about beginningsStories about beginnings an anonymous, traditional story that an anonymous, traditional story that

explains a belief, custom, or a mysterious explains a belief, custom, or a mysterious natural phenomenon.natural phenomenon.

Myth comes from the Greek root Myth comes from the Greek root muthosmuthos, , which means “story.”which means “story.”

7 Functions of a Myth7 Functions of a Myth

#1#1 To explain the creation To explain the creation

of the world and of the world and universe.universe.

#2#2 To explain the human To explain the human

condition: How and condition: How and why people were why people were created, why they are created, why they are flawed, why there is flawed, why there is still suffering in the still suffering in the world, why people world, why people must eventually die, must eventually die, and what happens to and what happens to people after deathpeople after death

# 3# 3 To explain natural To explain natural

phenomena, such as phenomena, such as the setting of the sun the setting of the sun and phases of the and phases of the moon.moon.

#4#4 To explain the nature To explain the nature

of gods and of gods and goddesses and how goddesses and how these deities and these deities and human beings interact.human beings interact.

# 5# 5 To explain the To explain the

meanings behind meanings behind religious rituals, religious rituals, customs and beliefs.customs and beliefs.

# 6# 6 To explain Historical To explain Historical

events.events. (Think: The Trojan (Think: The Trojan

War)War)

# 7# 7 To teach moral To teach moral

lessonslessons How should people How should people

behave? What is right behave? What is right and wrong?and wrong?

What is a Folktale?What is a Folktale?

A Folktale is a story that is created by the A Folktale is a story that is created by the “folk”- the common people- and passed “folk”- the common people- and passed along orally from generation to generation.along orally from generation to generation.

Oral TraditionOral Tradition

Oral TraditionOral Tradition is the is the practice of telling and practice of telling and retelling tales that retelling tales that passed down to each passed down to each new generation.new generation.

Examples of FolktalesExamples of Folktales

Folktales include:Folktales include:– LegendsLegends– FablesFables– Tall TalesTall Tales– Fairy TalesFairy Tales– Ghost StoriesGhost Stories

Folktales Differ from MythsFolktales Differ from Myths

# 1# 1 Unlike Myths, Folktales Unlike Myths, Folktales

are secular. are secular.

#2#2 Were created as much Were created as much

for entertainment value for entertainment value as for the teaching of as for the teaching of social or moral values.social or moral values.

#3#3 Folktales feature Folktales feature

magic, transformation magic, transformation and enchantments, and enchantments, just as myths do. But just as myths do. But although folktales although folktales features gods and features gods and goddesses as goddesses as characters, they are characters, they are not usually the central not usually the central characters in the story.characters in the story.

#4#4 Folktale heroes tend to Folktale heroes tend to

be common, everyday be common, everyday folk who don’t have folk who don’t have special powers, unlike special powers, unlike mythic heroes who are mythic heroes who are the superhuman the superhuman offspring of offspring of gods/goddesses and gods/goddesses and human parents.human parents.

#5 #5 Folktales are not Folktales are not

associated with associated with religious rituals.religious rituals.

What is an Origin Myth?What is an Origin Myth?

Origin Myths are Origin Myths are stories that explain stories that explain how things came to be. how things came to be.

Origin Myths are used to explainOrigin Myths are used to explain

1) How was the world created?1) How was the world created? 2) Why do people die?2) Why do people die? 3) Is there life after death?3) Is there life after death? 4) Why is evil allowed to exist in the world?4) Why is evil allowed to exist in the world? 5) How did various animals, plants and 5) How did various animals, plants and

geographical features come to be?geographical features come to be?– (We still are searching for answers to these (We still are searching for answers to these

questions today)questions today)

The Roles of Gods and GoddessesThe Roles of Gods and Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses play dual roles, they Gods and Goddesses play dual roles, they can create or DESTROY!can create or DESTROY!

PantheonsPantheons are family groups of Gods and are family groups of Gods and Goddesses. (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans)Goddesses. (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans)

What is an Archetype?What is an Archetype?

An Archetype is a recurring pattern/model An Archetype is a recurring pattern/model within a story such as a theme, character, within a story such as a theme, character, plot or image.plot or image.

Examples: The prophet, the hero, the Examples: The prophet, the hero, the damsel in distressdamsel in distress

Purpose of Origin MythsPurpose of Origin Myths

Origin myths answer Origin myths answer the the howshows and and whyswhys of of human exsistence.human exsistence.

Define: Motif

Recurring story features– Example: the “earth diver” motif – an animal is

sent to the depths of the ocean to recover soil. – Example: the turtle motif – recurring positive

figure in North America and Asia.– Example: the woman falling from the sky