HI131 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Comparative Mythology, Otto Rank, Courtly Love
Document Summary
Joseph john campbell scholar of comparative mythology and religion often described mythology as having a fourfold function in society: The metaphysical function: awakening a sense of awe before the mystery of being. To create the idea that there is something more, encourage people to excel beyond average. The cosmological function: explaining the shape of the universe. The sociological function: validate and support the existing social order. They explain why things are the way they are. The pedagogical function: guide the individual through the stages of life. *another could be that the stories are entertaining. The stories we get in written form we get years after the story is started. Campbell"s view was that mythologies evolved over time, reflecting the realities in which each society had to adjust. The way of the animal powers: hunting and gathering societies: At this time religion was often animistic, nature was divine. Religion focused on the psychological tensions that came from having to kill.
