Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures

Cosmic Creation Myths Across Cultures

Demetrius Anderson

HUM/105

March 20, 2015

Cheryl Anderson

Comparing and Contrasting Creation Myths

In this paper I will compare and contrast two myths from different cultures. The two myths chosen for this paper are the Genesis creation (Hebrew origin) of the Christian culture, and the Norse culture of Iceland (the Vikings). Both of these creation myths start with an emptiness where conflict and chaos eventually develop. The Genesis conflict is between God, nothing, blackness, emptiness, loneliness, and the need to create something. The Norse conflict is between the dark cold realm of Niflheim, within the emptiness of ginnungagap, and the fiery realm of Muspell, where nothing can grow.

There are nine classifications of creation myths, which most include more than one motif. The Genesis cosmogonies applies both ex nihilo, and deus faber motifs. The story begins with the ex nihilo myth, which God creates the light, the dark, the sun, the moon, the earth, the stars, plants, animals, birds, and fish, within six days out of nothing. This account is told in Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament. Then God creates a man, Adam, in his own image from the dust of the earth and breathes life into him. When God realizes it is not good for man to be alone, he causes a deep sleep to come upon Adam. Then he takes a rib from Adams side and forms a woman. Therefore, combining deus faber (the "maker-God") with ex nihilo motifs.

The Norse creation myths combines secretion, sacrifice, and accretion/conjunction motifs. It combines fire and ice in a random conjoining of elements. The myth begins with Muspells warm breath meeting with Nieflheim, the frost of the arctic, and causing the ice to melt. The results produces water droplets that come to life, creating Ymir, the evil giant. As this giant sleeps, the sweat from his armpits creates the first man and woman. However, the other giants grow to...