GRS 200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Sappho 16, Mesopotamia, Bacchylides
Document Summary
Lecture ii: classical mythology in context chapter 1. The etruscans got a lot of stories from the greeks liked greek art: story of odysseus going to the underworld was known in several civilizations, etruscans tuscany. Myths aren"t intended to be taken literally. Bascom defines a myth as a prose narrative (only oral: tried to define a myth not only by the story itself but by the attitude of the audience. Analytical definition of a myth according to b. : Set in a different world other/earlier. Bascom"s definition excludes most of what is generally considered myth: no written down works, poems, epics, songs, art, or works with known authors. Useful for bascom to define by attitude of audience, but defining by content doesn"t work because of cultural differences. Eric csapo"s definition of myth: determined by social function, should use wittgenstein on games. Every culture has games and these games differ.