Intro to Greek Intro to Greek MythologyMythology

The Elements The Elements

and Purposes of Mythand Purposes of Myth

Myth DefinedMyth Defined

GreekGreek Mythos Mythos=“discourse” or =“discourse” or “speech”“speech”

Dictionary: A traditional story dealing Dictionary: A traditional story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that informs or or heroes that informs or shapes the shapes the world view of a peopleworld view of a people, by explaining , by explaining aspects of the natural world or the aspects of the natural world or the customs and ideals of that society.customs and ideals of that society.

Myth vs. Legend vs. FolktaleMyth vs. Legend vs. Folktale

LegendLegend = has a validated historical = has a validated historical basis unlike a myth or folktalebasis unlike a myth or folktale

FolktaleFolktale = a tale told for = a tale told for entertainment; does NOT try to entertainment; does NOT try to explain/describe human behaviorexplain/describe human behavior

Elements of Greek MythElements of Greek Myth

Interaction between gods and Interaction between gods and humanshumans

Gods as large and beautiful humansGods as large and beautiful humans Gods as flawed beingsGods as flawed beings Supernatural beings and monstersSupernatural beings and monsters Larger than life, godly “superheroes”Larger than life, godly “superheroes”

Best-known writers of Greek and Best-known writers of Greek and Roman mythologyRoman mythology

.. HomerHomer – One of the oldest known Greek literary sources, Homer's epic – One of the oldest known Greek literary sources, Homer's epic poems poems IliadIliad and and OdysseyOdyssey, focus on events surrounding the aftermath of , focus on events surrounding the aftermath of the Trojan War. He is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet.the Trojan War. He is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet.

HesiodHesiod- Was a poor farmer and a near contemporary of Homer. His two - Was a poor farmer and a near contemporary of Homer. His two poems, the poems, the TheogonyTheogony and the and the Works and DaysWorks and Days, contain accounts of , contain accounts of the genesis of the world, the succession of divine rulers, the succession the genesis of the world, the succession of divine rulers, the succession of human ages, the origin of human woes, and the origin of sacrificial of human ages, the origin of human woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices.practices.

OvidOvid - His poetry influenced European art and literature and remains as - His poetry influenced European art and literature and remains as one of the most important sources of classical poetry. One of his most one of the most important sources of classical poetry. One of his most famous epic poems is famous epic poems is MetamorphosesMetamorphoses. He is a Roman poet that did not . He is a Roman poet that did not really believe in the Gods, but used the myths as subjects for his really believe in the Gods, but used the myths as subjects for his writing.writing.

Continued.Continued. Pindar-Pindar- Greatest lyric poet, many versions of his poems still exists Greatest lyric poet, many versions of his poems still exists

today.today.

Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides-Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides- All tragic poets, Aeschylus was All tragic poets, Aeschylus was the oldest and Euripides was the youngest. The famous play, the oldest and Euripides was the youngest. The famous play, Oedipus Rex, came from Sophocles.Oedipus Rex, came from Sophocles.

Aristophanes-Aristophanes- Great writer of comedy. Great writer of comedy.

Plato-Plato- Famous philosopher . Famous philosopher .

Virgil-Virgil- Found human nature in the myths, and he brought Found human nature in the myths, and he brought mythological personages to life as no one had since the mythological personages to life as no one had since the tragedians.tragedians.

Purposes of MythPurposes of Myth

Hercules

Myths Explain Natural OccurrencesMyths Explain Natural Occurrences

Examples?Examples? Gaea and OuranosGaea and Ouranos Thunder and lightning Thunder and lightning

(Zeus)(Zeus) Earthquakes (Poseidon)Earthquakes (Poseidon) Seasons (Persephone & Seasons (Persephone &

Demeter)Demeter) The sun rises (Greece: The sun rises (Greece:

Helios’ chariot, Egypt: Ra Helios’ chariot, Egypt: Ra and Semektet) and Semektet)

Myths Explain Fundamental Myths Explain Fundamental Philosophical QuestionsPhilosophical Questions

Early Greeks as Early Greeks as proto philosophersproto philosophers Attempting to answer Attempting to answer

fundamental fundamental questionsquestions

Where did we come Where did we come from?from?

Who created the Who created the universe?universe?

Is there life after Is there life after death?death?

To explain is to To explain is to controlcontrol

Comfort in knowingComfort in knowing

Myths Explain Culture and Myths Explain Culture and InstitutionsInstitutions

Why womenWhy women

couldn’t votecouldn’t vote To explain is to To explain is to

controlcontrol

Athena and Poseidon both want to rule and protect Athena and Poseidon both want to rule and protect AthensAthens Gift contest Gift contest

Poseidon=saltwater well (useless)Poseidon=saltwater well (useless) Athena=olive tree (olive, wood, oil)Athena=olive tree (olive, wood, oil)

Men vote for Poseidon, women for AthenaMen vote for Poseidon, women for Athena Athena winsAthena wins Poseidon floods the Attic plain (region in Greece)Poseidon floods the Attic plain (region in Greece) Athenians blame the women, take away voteAthenians blame the women, take away vote

Myths as Means to InstructMyths as Means to Instruct

Myths often relay a Myths often relay a message or moralmessage or moral Teach cultural Teach cultural

traditions, valuestraditions, values Icarus—life has Icarus—life has

limitslimits Narcissus and the Narcissus and the

dangers of pride dangers of pride and self loveand self love

Myths to Explain HistoryMyths to Explain History

A biased version of A biased version of historyhistory

Reinforce Greek culture Reinforce Greek culture and power and power

Trojan War Trojan War Crete and King MinosCrete and King Minos Founding of RomeFounding of Rome

Founded by sons of Founded by sons of MarsMars

Gave tellers sense of Gave tellers sense of identity, sense of placeidentity, sense of place

Myths to EntertainMyths to Entertain

People were illiterate in People were illiterate in early Greeceearly Greece Couldn’t read or writeCouldn’t read or write

Entertainment in an oral Entertainment in an oral cultureculture Blood, shock, sex, exciting Blood, shock, sex, exciting

talestales The HeroesThe Heroes

Hercules, Odysseus, Theseus, Hercules, Odysseus, Theseus, JasonJason

Stronger, smarter, more Stronger, smarter, more handsome than mere mortals handsome than mere mortals

Nobility in humanityNobility in humanity Humans are better than gods Humans are better than gods

Cultural Supremacy Cultural Supremacy and Civil Orderand Civil Order

PersuasionPersuasion Greek superiority over Greek superiority over

non-Greeksnon-Greeks Other as “barbarians”Other as “barbarians”

Religion: Cult & RitualReligion: Cult & Ritual Maintained orderMaintained order Gave people reason to Gave people reason to

be loyal to a citybe loyal to a city Temples and sacrificesTemples and sacrifices Feared retribution of Feared retribution of

the godsthe gods

Apollo’s Temple at Delphi

PhaetonPhaeton

Myth DefinedMyth Defined

GreekGreek Mythos Mythos=“discourse” or =“discourse” or “speech”“speech”

Dictionary: A traditional story dealing Dictionary: A traditional story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that informs or or heroes that informs or shapes the shapes the world view of a peopleworld view of a people, by explaining , by explaining aspects of the natural world or the aspects of the natural world or the customs and ideals of that society.customs and ideals of that society.

Why Study Myth?Why Study Myth?

To Understand Literature and To Understand Literature and ArtArt

Mythical allusions Mythical allusions and referencesand references Keats and the

Romantics Shakespeare and

many others “Well, in that hit

you miss. She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow” (Romeo and Juliet)

Brueghel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (1555)

Archetypes and Mythic Archetypes and Mythic PatternsPatterns

Greek characters, places, themes Greek characters, places, themes have influenced (consciously or not) have influenced (consciously or not) Western literature and artWestern literature and art- Femme fatale, the trickster, the great Femme fatale, the trickster, the great

mother and fathermother and father- Great floods, virgin births, creation, Great floods, virgin births, creation,

paradise, the underworldparadise, the underworld Finding connecting patternsFinding connecting patterns

Myth and LanguageMyth and Language

Word originsWord origins Think of some Think of some

words that come words that come from Greek from Greek mythologymythology

Myth and LanguageMyth and Language

Word originsWord origins Volcano Volcano Herculean Herculean aphrodisiac aphrodisiac musicmusic atlasatlas tantalize tantalize EroticErotic NarcissismNarcissism

Myth and Cultural LiteracyMyth and Cultural Literacy

E.D. HirschE.D. Hirsch Knowledge of Knowledge of

myths makes us myths makes us literateliterate

Enriches our Enriches our understanding of understanding of the Western worldthe Western world

EmpoweringEmpowering Shared cultureShared culture

This is not a “G” rated classThis is not a “G” rated class Mythology is …Mythology is …

- violence- violence - death- death

- war- war - hideous injuries- hideous injuries

- love- love - sex- sex

- power- power - deceit- deceit

- ambrosia- ambrosia - and much more- and much more

- pride- pride

- hate- hate

- jealousy- jealousy

- impossible feats- impossible featsSo please be mature!!!

Journal #1—Intro to Myth Journal #1—Intro to Myth SummarySummary

What is mythology?What is mythology? Why should we study Greek Why should we study Greek

mythology in High School?mythology in High School? What are some of the purposes of What are some of the purposes of

myth?myth? ½ page minimum½ page minimum