Mythology and Literature
Mythology and Literature are linked in that mythology is a form of literature.
The word literature means things that have been written down or recorded.
Famous myths include the Norse myths of Thor, the tale of the Minotaur of Knossos, and the Ancient Egyptian myths of Ra, the god of the sun.
A Brief History of Mythology and Literature
What is a myth, what is literature exactly, and what is the difference between mythology and literature? Here you’ll find the answers to these questions, intriguing facts, amazing stories, and other ideas for exploring these topics.
Poseidon, God of the sea.
What is mythology?
Mythology is a term that refers to a collection of Myths. The word Myth comes from the Greek Mythos, which means story. Myths are stories relating to religion and culture and come from a tradition of oral storytelling. Oral storytelling means using the spoken word to tell stories, and for thousands of years, stories were preserved and kept alive by people. They were often not written down. Instead, they were told repeatedly from one generation to the next. Because of this, the details of the stories slowly changed over time, and different parts of them were embellished or made more fantastical with each retelling. Often they featured mythical beasts and amazing, magical, or supernatural elements. They also frequently contained a moral lesson about how to live your life.
How is a myth different from a legend?
Legends are different from myths in that they are mostly thought to be about real people or events that occurred. One such example of a code is Robin Hood. It is believed that the story of Robin Hood is based on a real person, though historians now believe that he may be several people who had similar life stories. Over time they have been retold and reshaped until they have become part of the same story.
What does the term literature mean?
The term literature means things that have been written down. The word literature comes from the old Latin word Literra, which means letter, or to write. It is mostly used to describe fictional work, like stories and poems. Now that we have printed books, levels do not change over time as they used to when people relied on word of mouth and retelling stories to keep them alive. Nowadays, we can produce collections of myths relating to distinct cultures, times, or religions to make them available to anyone who would like to read them. Mythology and Literature have now become part of the same thing and can be easily preserved for future generations to discover, enjoy and learn from. We print literature that collects myths from cultures and religions that don’t exist in the world anymore, like the myths of Norse peoples or the Romans.
What are some of the earliest forms of literature?
The earliest form of written mythology in literature is believed to be Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics carved into stone. Some of the earliest known examples of these are carved into the walls of the pyramids in the form of writing known as hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics were not like the words you’re reading now; they took the form of small pictures like cartoons and joined together, would form sentences and telling stories.
What are some examples of amazing myths?
There are some incredible stories in mythology. Great stories are full of heroes, monsters, and unbelievable adventures, packed with magic and mystery.
- In Norse mythology, the god of thunder, Thor, is said to have baited a fishing hook with a whole Ox’s head. He rowed to sea, threw the baited hook into the water, and caught Jormungand, a giant serpent that encircled the world. However, his Hymir friend was so scared that, before Thor could pick up his magic hammer Mjöllnir and kill Jormungand, Hymir cut the fishing line and let Jormungand escape.
- In the Akan mythology from West Africa, the trickster god Anansi, who took the form of a spider, once owned a clay pot with all the wisdom in the world in it. He was supposed to share it but decided to keep it to himself. Wanting to hide the bank from a tree, he strapped it to his front, but it was so big that he kept slipping. His son, Ntikuma, suggested he tie the pot to his back. Anansi did this, but he dropped the bank, which smashed on the ground, causing all the wisdom to leak out. A huge storm came with heavy rain, which washed the knowledge into a river, carried it out to sea, and spread it throughout the world. This is why there is a little wisdom in all of us.
Learning about Mythology and Literature
Curriculum guidelines state that, for writing comprehension, children should be inspired by a wide range of narratives they have read, which can encompass everything from futuristic tales of science fiction to mythology and legends. They should be familiar with the traditional structure of a story, with a beginning, middle, and end, as well as an element of difficulty or some complication or obstacle which arises to impede the heroes. Children should also be familiar with concepts and themes like good versus evil. Mythology can provide a vibrant backdrop against which students can build their worlds and pit their characters against challenges and seemingly insurmountable odds.
