CLAS104 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Trojan War, Oedipus Complex, Collective Unconscious

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: CLAS104
• Professor: Ronald Kroeker

Document Summary

Classification of myth: myth proper, the subject is the gods; it focuses on the gods and their relationships with humans. Creation myths are also important: the function of myths is to, like science; explain the natural world and its origins. Etna is that zeus fought and defeated typhias, a fire breathing monster and buried his under the ground, hence. Another function of myth is to explain societal practice. Poseidon, and how athens was named after athena and she became the patron god of athens after growing an olive tree. This means heroes that are part-god part-human, born out of the liaison of a god and a mortal. The sagas are beautifully written stories of the deeds and feats of these heroes or demi-gods and tend to have tragic endings. Ex- achilles heel: the function of legends and sagas is that, like history, it explains the past and often has a connection (however tenuous) to historical events.