Intro to Greek Intro to Greek MythologyMythology

The Elements The Elements

& Purposes of Myth& Purposes of Myth

PhaetonPhaeton

Myth DefinedMyth Defined

GreekGreek Mythos Mythos = ‘discourse’ or ‘speech’= ‘discourse’ or ‘speech’ Dictionary: A traditional story dealing Dictionary: A traditional story dealing

with supernatural beings, ancestors, or with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that informs or heroes that informs or shapes the shapes the worldview of a peopleworldview of a people by explaining by explaining aspects of the natural world or aspects of the natural world or delineating the customs or ideals of delineating the customs or ideals of society.society.

Elements of Greek MythElements of Greek Myth

Interaction between gods and Interaction between gods and humanshumans

Gods as hypertrophied humansGods as hypertrophied 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’

Purposes of MythPurposes of Myth

Herakles

THE TWELVE LABORS OF HERACLESWhat do you think Heracles' Roman name is?Possible Answers:

A) HeraB) HerculesC) HadesD) Hestia

Myths Explain Natural OccurrencesMyths Explain Natural Occurrences

Examples?Examples?Elements (Gaea and Elements (Gaea and Ouranos)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 proto Early Greeks as proto philosophersphilosophers Attempting to answer Attempting to answer

fundamental questionsfundamental questions Where did we come Where did we come

from?from? Who created the Who created the

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

To explain is to controlTo explain is to control Comfort in knowingComfort in knowing

Myths Explain Culture & Myths Explain Culture & InstitutionsInstitutions

Why women Why 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 plainPoseidon floods the Attic plain 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 Reinforce Greek

culture and power culture 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

Herakles, Odysseus, Herakles, Odysseus, Theseus, JasonTheseus, Jason

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

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

Cultural Supremacy :: Civil OrderCultural Supremacy :: 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

Why Study Myth?Why Study Myth?

Myths to Understand Myths to Understand Literature & ArtLiterature & Art

Mythical allusions and Mythical allusions and referencesreferences Keats and the RomanticsKeats and the Romantics Shakespeare and Shakespeare and manymany

othersothers ““Like Hyperion to a Like Hyperion to a

satyr” (satyr” (HamletHamlet))

Joseph Severn's miniature of Keats, 1819

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

Truth in MythTruth in Myth

Universal truthsUniversal truths Stories about the Stories about the

human conditionhuman condition

Archetypes :: Mythic PatternsArchetypes :: Mythic Patterns

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 Journeys to the underworldJourneys to the underworld Serpent figuresSerpent figures TemptressesTemptresses

Finding connecting patternsFinding connecting patterns

Myth :: LanguageMyth :: Language

Word originsWord origins volcano volcano Herculean Herculean aphrodisiac aphrodisiac musicmusic atlasatlas tantalize tantalize eroticerotic NarcissismNarcissism

Myth :: Cultural LiteracyMyth :: Cultural LiteracyAccording to E.D. Hirsch According to E.D. Hirsch (Core Knowledge (Core Knowledge Foundation), knowledge Foundation), knowledge of mythsof mythsMakes us literateMakes us literateEnriches our Enriches our understanding of the understanding of the Western worldWestern worldEmpowers usEmpowers usIllustrates shared Illustrates shared cultureculture

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

Summarize key details from this Summarize key details from this introduction (1/2-page minimum):introduction (1/2-page minimum): What is myth? What is myth? What are some of the purposes of myth?What are some of the purposes of myth?