Myth Short Answers

Foundations of Mythology Short Answers

Write a definition in your own words.

Myths are stories or folklore of our past; they were stories used to pass from generation to generation telling about human experiences whether they were culture, life or even religious values. They would tell about heroes, deaths and even those that were evil. They are a very important part of our ancestry or where we all came from even if as they were told from generation to generation the meaning may have changed some but it was believed that all myths had some form of truth to them. One of the main reason myths were created was to try and answer the question why am I here and how does this factor into the cultures and fit into the universe. (Ray, 2006)

Why do myths from different cultures around the world address such similar or universal themes?

Myths around the world often address similar themes, like the beginning of the world and the meaning of life, because these are the things that matter to people regardless of their background. Because of the times when one culture depended not only on their own culture but other cultures to survive and be productive, even today you see how the global impact has on business because of the need for different cultures to work together in order to survive. So because of this many of the myths may have been a little different with names but the meanings were the same. Example that there is only one god and he comes from the heavens it does not matter what religion or what they call their god they all seem to have come from the sky. So because of this interaction between cultures is why many of the myths are similar or carry a universal theme. (Ray, 2006)

What is the relationship between belief, knowledge, mythology, and religion? Where do mythology and religion intersect? Where do they diverge?

How would you defend mythology’s relevance in contemporary culture?

References

Leonard, S., & McClure, M. (2004). Myth and Knowing....