MYTH

- A myth is a well-known story which was made up in the past to explain natural events or to justify
religious beliefs or social customs.
- There is a famous Greek myth in which Icarus flew too near to the Sun.
- a story about superhuman beings of an earlier age taken by preliterate society to be a true account,
usually of how natural phenomena, social customs, etc, came into existence.
- "Myth" refers to colorful stories that tell about the origins of humans and the cosmos. Attitudes
towards myth vary greatly. Some regard it as a source of spiritual growth, while others see only
falsehood. Some see in myth the distinct character of particular cultures, while others see universal
patterns. Some regard myth as "contemporary" and "alive", while others think of it as "ancient"
and/or "dead."

A "myth" is a traditional story without an author that is usually intended to:

 teach a lesson
 explain one of the many mysteries of life
 explain a phenomenon of nature
 describe the customs, institutions, or religious rites of a people
In ancient times, something like a clap of thunder must've caused quite a fright. They didn't understand the
inner workings of meteorology. Imagine the panic a hurricane or earthquake would've incited.
In order to understand these phenomena and, perhaps, bring comfort to people, myths were created as
explanations for the many mysteries of life. Even our ancient ancestors contemplated the creation of earth,
natural disasters, flaws in humanity, death, and love.
From the Greek mythos, myth means story or word. Mythology is the study of myth. As stories (or narratives),
myths articulate how characters undergo or enact an ordered sequence of events. The term myth has come
to refer to a certain genre (or category) of stories that share characteristics that make this genre distinctly
different from other genres of oral narratives, such as legends and folktales. Many definitions of myth repeat
similar general aspects of the genre and may be summarized thus: Myths are symbolic tales of the distant past
(often primordial times) that concern cosmogony and cosmology (the origin and nature of the universe), may
be connected to belief systems or rituals, and may serve to direct social action and values.

Significance of Myth in Literature

Most cultures had origin myths, which is to say, an explanatory story for how the world was formed, and how
humans came into being. These are called either “creation myths” or “cosmogonical myths.” Many myths that
formed alongside early civilizations have survived for thousands of years and remained a part of different
cultural consciousnesses, informing our habits and understanding of morals and values. Myths are also very
popular to be rewritten by authors over the centuries, who either choose to update them or reimagine the
original story in a different way. Some authors also create their own sense of mythology in their writing in
order to make their works of literature seem that much more profound and timeless.

Common Examples of Myth

There are many myths that are popular enough to be a part of cultural knowledge. Here are some examples of
myths that are well-known:
 Icarus flying too close to the sun until his wax wings melted and he crashed into the sea.
 The Tower of Babel being created that led to the proliferation of different languages among humans.
  A great flood wiping all most or all of the humans at the time (prevalent in creation myths from around
the world).
Examples of Myth Stories
Egyptian Mythology: Ra
Ra was the sun god, often regarded as the most important of all Egyptian gods. Ra emerged from the chaos at
the beginning of time and created the world. As well as being a god, Ra also ruled as Pharoah. Many Egyptian
rulers claimed they were descended from Ra, to give credence to their seat on the throne.
According to the myth, Ra eventually began to grow weary of his duties. This made his people question
whether he should be their ruler. When Ra learned this, he sent his daughter, the ‘Eye of Ra,’ to kill those who
doubted him. She went on a rampage and Ra took pity on the humans. He tricked her into getting so drunk
she couldn’t continue killing. After this, Ra left the earth for the sky.
This myth can be interpreted as a reflection on the flaws of humanity.
Greek Mythology: Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, son of Kronos and Rhea. He became ruler of the sea when the universe was
divided after the fall of the Titans. Poseidon was bad tempered and when he became angry, he would cause
earthquakes. He managed to upset even Hades, the ruler of the underworld. Poseidon was most often
depicted with his trident, and sometimes riding a horse (he is sometimes claimed to be the creator of horses).
Natural disasters still leave us flummoxed, even today. So, how could earthquakes be explained in ancient
times? An angry god who shook the earth is one way.
Irish Mythology: Bean Sídhe
A bean sídhe was a fairy spirit, that would wail whenever a family member was about to die. (In English, we
refer to them as banshees.) The bean sidhe didn’t cause death but announced the death or warned loved ones
that death was near, so they could prepare. Some believed she escorted their loved ones safely to the
afterlife.
Death - like creation - is one of those inexplicable facets of life. Many cultures employed myths in order to
wrap their minds around how and why these things occurred.
Japanese Mythology: Izanagi and Izanami
Izanagi and Izanami are Shinto creator gods. Izanagi and Izanami created the Japanese islands and the deities
of the sea, wind, mountain, river, trees, and rice. When Izanami gave birth to a fire god, it fatally burned her.
Izanagi resolved to have his wife returned to him and sought her out in the underworld. Izanami could not
return because she'd eaten 'the dark food,’ but said she would beg the gods to let her go. After waiting a long
time Izanagi lit a torch to go find her and when he saw her rotting body he fled and sealed the door to the
underworld. Izanami then vowed to kill 1,000 people each day and Izanagi promised to create 1,500 to replace
them.
This myth would once been used to explain how everything came into being and the cycle of life and death.
Mayan Mythology: Huracán
Huracán was the god of the wind and storm, and could command the natural elements of the earth. He played
a large role in the three attempts to create humankind, destroying the second generation that displeased the
gods and creating the third and final version of the human race out of corn. The word 'hurricane' is derived
from the god Huracán.
Like earthquakes, hurricanes are often unpredictable. Eons before the advent of meteorology, gods like
Poseidon and Huracán were created to help people understand these phenomena.
Mesopotamian Mythology: Marduk
Marduk was possibly the most important god in Mesopotamian mythology. Marduk led the new gods in battle
against the old gods. Marduk and his army defeated the old gods and he became the supreme god. After this,
Marduk created the sky and earth, as well as the first human beings. Marduk decreed that humans would do
the work gods had no time for and in return the gods would care for them.
Even today, we debate the origins of the earth. This myth is another example of a culture's attempt to explain
how we all came to be and out purpose in life.
Norse Mythology: Thor
Thor is the hot-tempered god of thunder in Norse (Germanic, Nordic, or Scandinavian) mythology, the son of
the chief god, Odin, and goddess of the earth, Fjorgyn. As a strong and courageous warrior, Thor was
protector of both gods and humans. Lightening bolts flew from his hammer Mjöllnir as he slew enemies, but it
could also be used to heal and revive. Thor was so revered that when the Anglo Saxons adopted the Roman
calendar, they named the fifth day of the week 'Thursday', after him.
Thunder and lightening can be powerful and frightening. So, believing it was Thor defending his people
probably soothed some terrified souls.
Roman Mythology: Cupid
This is one we all know, illustrating the magnitude of mythology. Cupid was the god of love and desire. He was
the son of Venus and usually depicted as a winged child carrying a bow and arrows. His arrows could either
draw people together, or pull them apart.
This myth helps to explain why one person can be so intensely drawn to another and even why relationships
don’t always work out the way you hoped and shows that myths didn’t only cover natural events but also day-
to-day life.
Scottish Mythology: Cailleach
The Cailleach is the winter goddess who created the mountains and hills that speckle the Scottish Highlands.
Some myths say she created them as her stepping stones. Others say she accidentally created them when she
dropped rocks out of her apron. Her staff froze the ground but she kept the seeds safe for spring.
Her story encompasses the power and beauty of nature and the changing of the seasons. Of course, now we
have the benefits of science. But, back then, it might've been helpful to attribute such glory to the hands of a
god.