Mythology and Allusion

Why are myths still relevant?

What is mythology?

• Myths are stories that were created

to answer the basic questions about

the world, the gods, and human life

• They tell about events from the

distant past and were considered

truthful and sacred

Three types of myths• “Origin” myths, or Creation myths,

answer questions about natural events: why voices echo, how mountains/deserts were formed, how spiders came to be, etc.

• “Alienation” myths answer questions about why things go wrong or why there is pain and suffering

• “Eschatological” myths are stories about the end of time and “after-life”

Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and Monsters

• Myths tell about the

adventures of gods or

humans who come into

contact with them

• Gods and goddesses

possess extraordinary

powers

• They usually have their

own special area of power

Why are they STILL relevant?• Myths, especially

Greek myths are popular and well-known across the world

• They are often used by artists, authors, comedians, etc. in ALLUSIONS.

What is an ALLUSION?

• An ALLUSION is a reference to an

outside work.

• Allusions can be made to a book,

song, poem, film, painting, even to

current events.

Mythological Allusion

• One of the most commonly alluded

to subjects is mythology

• There are mythological allusions in

our everyday lives

“Herculean Strength”• A very common

allusion, one that has

become cliché, is the

phrase, “Herculean

strength.”

• This phrase/cliché is

used to describe a

person of incredible

strength or possessing

amazing stamina.

“Pandora’s Box”

• When a person gets in

trouble for being so

curious about

something that it leads

to severe consequences

and punishment, we

say, “She opened

Pandora’s box.”

“The Midas Touch”

• When someone has

uncanny success,

especially

businessmen/wom

en, we say, “they

have the Midas

touch.”

“Sisyphean Task”

• Sisyphus’s story personifies a

modern man’s zeal to work

hard everyday to no avail.

• A task that is overwhelming

in its magnitude may be

referred to as “a Sisyphean

task.”

• A person that may have

been involved in fraudulent

transactions may be called a

“Sisyphus.”

Let us begin!

• We will begin with our “God Logs”

and continue with them through out

• We will put on three “readers’

theater” performances

• We will finish with an Allusions

Project