The Study Of Mythology
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Written by: conniemurray
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Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 |
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Mythology is a fascinating subject, and it is possible to spend a lifetime studying various creation myths, hero myths and other narratives and still not know everything there is to know about the subject. From the universal creation myths, which explain how the universe came to be, the popular trickster myths, which have fun with the tricks gods an heroes play on humans and each other, there is a lifetime's worth of material to discover and enjoy.
Whether you study mythology for the love of a good story or as a way to increase your understanding of history and humanity, chances are you are familiar with the name of Joseph Campbell. Joseph Campbell was considered by many to be the foremost authority on both mythology and the history of spirituality, and the book he wrote on the heroes journey, which used the Star Wars trilogy as a launching point, brought him to a whole new generation of readers.
Mythology serves many purposes in a culture, from explaining the origins of the universe to explaining what thunder and lighting are. One of the most common uses for mythology, however is to tell stories of historical events. Although many assume that myths are stories of events that never took place, some mythology seems to have its roots in historical events. In time, many of these historical events can become imbued with symbolic meanings, and they therefore become transformed into popular myths in the society.
The process of transforming actual historical events into mythology takes place in part because the historical events themselves face into memory and become detached from the original context in which they occurred. That original context is often substituted with current events, and the mythology is used to provide those modern events with new meaning.
For instance, some Greek myths have their origins in classical times, and were used to provide explanations for some of the more mysterious practices of the cults which were common at the time.
While most students think primarily of ancient Greek and Roman society when they think about mythology, the fact is that mythology has continued to provide influence in the modern world as well. There are mythic themes throughout such classic modern works as the Star Wars movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien and even the works of C.S. Lewis such as the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Although this last example is more overtly Christian than the other two, it is also shot through with plenty of classic mythological symbols and characters.
Even though novels, movies and other form of entertainment often include mythology as their base, such entertainments do not actually constitute mythologies on their own. In order to rise to the actual level of mythology, people would have to come to believe that those events actually took place. While there may be some who believe everything they see on the silver screen, before such films became myths they would have to be embraced by a large number of believers.
There are, however, some forms of modern mythology that you may not be aware of. For instance, the endurance of urban myths, from the tales of alligators in the sewers to the famed Mexican dog, constitute a sort of modern mythology, especially given the fact that these urban legends are able to endure even as they are debunked time after time. In addition, many new age beliefs can be considered modern myths, and their endurance is a testament to the overwhelming power of mythology.
From the ancient to the modern world, mythology is alive as well, both in the classroom and in our everyday life. Whether your study of mythology is academic or purely for fun, you will find a fascinating world to explore.
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