2007-01-18 16:23:10 · 6 answers · asked by Rachel B 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
The cultural precedents, usually. They read differently in the original language, plus the whole plot can be echoed in an earlier civilisation.
I'm thinking of some tales as a public service announcement: Whether the "moral" made sense at the time, for example. Like avoiding a certain food out of season - might have been a good way of saving lives and getting the message across. And who they were aimed at. Children? Boys? Girls? Soldiers? Fathers? Mothers? Etcetera.
The back story, the source - and their politics, race and agenda in telling it. Who echoed the myth, whether, say the Romans blended an older Greek story into their reality & renamed the primary figures but twisted the plot to frame another culture as their villains.
How much the myth echoes those of other cultures fascinates me. And the coy imagery - giants loom larger in myth than in history or in retrospect.
I suppose it comes down to authenticity, originality; & after that, bias, validity & universality of their concerns and those of their audience. The poetry & imagery of expression, the linguistic quirks & clarities, the beauty or ugliness of the tales. I generally assume that cautionary myths are ugly in tone, and that we live in better times. What interests me is how they sometimes ring true if you imagine them in another, more modern context, which says more, I guess, about human psychology than about ogres!
And that they were translated correctly, instead of filtered through the translator's interpretations. I love the quirky ones which don't seem to match any imaginable human or animal scenario, until you see a real-life parallel & feel connected to someone of another time thereby : )
2007-01-18 16:57:34 · answer #1 · answered by WomanWhoReads 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In greek mythology I want to understand how it lost its relevance in society. Do you know the answer?
2007-01-22 05:25:29 · answer #2 · answered by allpossible 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anything by Edith Hamilton
2016-05-24 05:53:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How come all of the sudden it it politically incorrect and offensive to say a belief is a "myth" or part of folklore?
Not EVERY opinion or theory is a fact people....deal with it.
2007-01-19 01:55:36 · answer #4 · answered by Andreika 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What started it all! How did one incident or story morph into unicorns, fairies and Bigfoot? OOH, nd how did they travel so quickly, like dragons?
2007-01-18 16:32:23 · answer #5 · answered by sparklepup 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like why we need mytholgy what dose it really teach us and how do i aplly those attributes?
2007-01-18 16:31:07 · answer #6 · answered by jumanjisapikey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋