CMLT316 Chapter 1: CH 1 Book Notes - Interpretation and Definition of Classical Mythology
3 Jun 2018
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Part 1, Ch 1: Interpretation and Definition of Classical Mythology
Myth: comes from the Greek word mythos, which means “word,” “speech,” “tale,” or “story”;
essentially is a story
● May be a story that is narrated orally, but usually it is eventually given written form
● Doesn’t have to be told with words
True myth or myth proper: used for stories primarily concerned with the gods and
humankind’s relations with them
Saga or legend: has a perceptible relationship to history, its roots are in historical fact
Folktales: often stories of adventure, sometimes peopled with fantastic beings and enlivened
by ingenious strategies on the part of the hero or heroine, who will triumph in the end; their goal
is primarily, but not necessarily solely, to entertain
● Characters are usually familiar
● Found in oral and written literature
● “Once upon a time” and “happily ever after”
Fairytales: may be classified as particular kinds of folktales; short, imaginative, traditional tales
with high moral and magical content
● Often created especially for the young
Myth and Truth
● In everyday speech the most common association of the words myth and mythical is
what is incredible and fantastic
● Myth in a sense is the highest reality and the thoughtless dismissal of myth as untruth,
fiction, or lie is the most barren and misleading definition of all
Myth and Religion
● Truth myth is primarily concerned with the gods, religion, and supernatural
● Most Greek and Roman stories reflect this universal preoccupation with creation, the
nature of god and humankind, the afterlife, and other spiritual concerns
● Mythology and religion are inextricably entwined
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Part 1, ch 1: interpretation and definition of classical mythology. Myth: comes from the greek word mythos, which means word, speech, tale, or story ; essentially is a story. May be a story that is narrated orally, but usually it is eventually given written form. Doesn"t have to be told with words. True myth or myth proper: used for stories primarily concerned with the gods and humankind"s relations with them. Saga or legend: has a perceptible relationship to history, its roots are in historical fact. Folktales: often stories of adventure, sometimes peopled with fantastic beings and enlivened by ingenious strategies on the part of the hero or heroine, who will triumph in the end; their goal is primarily, but not necessarily solely, to entertain. Once upon a time and happily ever after . Fairytales: may be classified as particular kinds of folktales; short, imaginative, traditional tales with high moral and magical content.
