mythology, epic, and epic hero -...
TRANSCRIPT
Mythology, Epic, and Epic
Hero
Mr. Pettine
English 9
7 August 2015
Legend
• A traditional story sometimes popularly
regarded as historical, but
unauthenticated.
Folktale
• A tale circulated by word of mouth among
the common folk.
Fairy Tale
• A children’s story about magical and
imaginary beings and lands.
Myths
• Myths are stories which are usually religious in nature.
• They often include gods and other supernatural beings, and sometimes attempt to explain natural forces.
• Often, myths were passed by word of mouth.
• Myths often explain underlying biases and emphases of a culture.
Purposes of Myths
• Most cultures have myths that explain natural phenomena:
Seasonal Changes
Fire
Lightning
Drought
Floods
Death
Purposes of Myths
• Teach moral lessons
• Explain History
• Express the deepest fears and hopes of human race
• Explain national origin – Example: The Trojan Aeneas is purported to be the founder of the Roman people. Brute of Troy was the mythical first king of Britain. The myths gave legitimacy and “ancient history” to the new nations.
Purposes of Myths
• Some myths describe
rivalry among the
gods. They also
describe the
consequences of
disobeying higher
powers.
Mythic Characters
• In some myths, the characters have notable characteristics. For example, in Native American myths, the Coyote is often a “trickster” type who causes trouble.
• Some myths feature horrible animals and monsters with terrifying strength. Example: Theseus and the Minotaur
Comparison with Epic
• Myth – A myth is a fictional tale that
describes the actions of gods and heroes
or explains the causes of natural
phenomenon. Unlike legends, myths
emphasize supernatural rather than
historical elements. While most cultures
have myths, the most famous are those of
Greece and Rome.
Comparison with Epic
• An epic is a long narrative poem about the
deeds of gods or heroes. An epic is
elevated in style and usually follows
certain patterns. The poet begins by
announcing the subject and asking a muse
– one of the goddesses of the arts – for
help. This is called the invocation
Epics
• Sumerian: Epic of Gilgamesh
• Greek: Illiad and Odyssey (Homer)
• Roman: The Aeneid (Virgil)
• Early Medieval: Beowulf
• Medieval / Christian: Divine Comedy (Dante)
EPIC HERO
• An epic hero is the larger-than-life central
character in an epic. Through behavior
and deeds, the epic hero displays qualities
that are valued by the society in which the
epic originated.
Assignment
• Turn to page 757.
• Listen as I read the seventeen lines of the introduction.
• Paying close attention to lines 1-9, what are some of the conventions of the epic and epic hero which are seen. Write them down in your notebook.
The Greek Gods
• The Ancient Greeks were polytheists. They believed in many gods – some of them personified, some of them spiritualized.
• Polytheism is opposed to monotheism (belief in one god – Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism)
• The Greeks and Romans tended to be syncretistic. They accepted new gods into their “pantheon” of gods as they met new cultures. EXAMPLE: Romans accepted Greek gods and elevated them. They simply changed their names.
• Their religion gave them a history, a calendar, and a tradition. By 4th century BC, a rationalized pantheon (continued public belief, private doubt and trust in philosophical endeavors)
The gods of Mt. Olympus
• Quick recap of how the gods became the gods: The origin myths of the Greeks come from Hesiod, a poet working around the same time as Homer (800-750 BC)
• His stories in Works and Days and Theogony describe the creation of the world by a male sky god and female earth god. They are overthrown by their children, the Titans. The Titans are cruel, unnaturally large gods who roam the earth.
• The head Titan is Kronos (or Chronos). Kronos hears a prophecy that one of his children will overthrow him…
Cronos
• So…he does the natural thing and eats his
children.
• Rhea, his wife, hides one child – Zeus.
• Zeus grows up and either through a medical or
surgical procedure, forces Cronos to vomit up
his brothers and sisters.
• Zeus and his newly free siblings defeat the
Titans (Titanomachy) and imprison the Titans in
Hades.
Important Gods in the Odyssey
• Athena
• Zeus
• Poseidon
Journal
• Explain the difference between a legend,
folktale, fairy tale, epic, and myth. Give an
example of each. I will check these as you
leave.