Can anybody define the difference between a myth and a legend?

Question

My niece came home from school one day with homework and this question was asked. Although I never did find out the answer, I am interested to find out.

Answer 1

Myth: a traditional story about heroes or supernatural beings, often attempting to explain the origins of natural phenomena or aspects of human behavior
Legend: a story that has been passed down for generations, especially one that is presented as history but is unlikely to be true

Answer 2

Technically, a myth is a series of inter-related tales that follow certain rules. The characters in the tales MUST include all of the three worlds -- the divine, the human, and the sub-human. Sub-human here is simply a category. It means plants, vegetables, birds, animals, etc. Each character must symbolize a certain aspect of the universe -- life, disease, creativity, leadership, beauty, etc. A myth has a very long timeline -- from the beginning of the universe to the end of the universe. A myth is the basis of the values of a certain society. Greek myths, for instance, taught the Greeks what Greek society (at that time) valued and what it punished. Myth is also used to teach religion, politics, sex, etc. The characters and incidents in a myth are purely symbolic. They are NOT based upon real people and/or events.

A legend is a story that is BASED upon the life of one or more persons. Usually, the people and the incidents in a legend are completely false. However, the legend is based upon similar events and/or people that may have existed. For instance, there were hundreds of thieves who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, a thousand years ago. However, there never was an actual person called Robin Hood. The legend of Robin Hood is based on the IDEA of someone stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. The other characters in the Robin Hood story are based upon certain TYPES of people who really did exist at the time.

However, legends are not told to teach morality, religion, etc. And legends do not include the divine and sub-human worlds. The main purpose of a legend is either to frighten people or to give them hope.

Answer 3

Although myth and legend are somewhat synonymous words (myth is acually used in one of the definitions of legend: a popular myth of recent origin), there are some differences. These days legend often refers to a person who is still living, hence the phrase "a living legend", while myth often refers to the story around the person, hence the phrase "mythic proportions". Myths tend to be more distant than legends and have to do more with the gods and characters of mythology (Greek, Roman, etc...) that most people tend to agree could not possibly exist or have not been witnessed, atleast in today's world. If someone says something is a myth, they mean that it probably isn't true, is unverifiable, or is imaginary. Legends tend to be more oriented towards stories about real people or atleast people who could have possibly existed at one time or still do exist.

There.
I hope this is enough information

Answer 4

Myths concern gods or demi-gods and generally tell how something originated, e.g. creation of the universe. Joseph Campbell has a precise definition that says religious rituals are associated with myths. Legends are about heroes or animals and have less lofty purposes than myths. We also have folk tales and fairy tales, among the old fictional stories that naive people believed were true.

Answer 5

I understand and use:

myth to mean 1. a modern misconception, 2. an ancient explanation of a world condition through stories about the actions and thoughts of unseen gods or spirits (eg. ancient Rome and Greece; the phoenix who rises from its ashes).

...And Legend to mean a possibly historical figure's story embellishing possible grains of truth so much as to commonly venture into myth in places but other places seem nearly or truly plausible, at least in suggesting the grains of truth (eg the legends of King Arthur and his court).

Four links below will help you choose your opinion on these.

Since these meanings are clearly based on debatable opinions and are matters of degree -- if your neice shows even the vaguest but sincere understandings of these terms and can express an opinion about them -- It would be no one but the teacher who is wrong if he/she returns anything less than full approval.

That is what I believe. I was fortunate to have been a teacher.

Answer 6

Myth: a tale with supernatural characters, untrue idea or explanation. Usually based on the creation of mankind.

Legend: traditional story of a famous person or event. Possibly based more on fact.

Answer 7

Mythology and faith are the comparable factor, fairly. some will see that as insulting, yet they are purely 2 diverse words for the comparable factor. Mythology (faith) is how a manner of life explains the beginning of the international and its human beings and in many situations gadgets out the elementary regulations of habit. in many situations fictional characters are in contact: a god or gods and different characters alongside with saints or lesser gods and different magical beings. Folklore is somewhat diverse. this is form of an oral custom; it improve into how human beings exceeded alongside know-how from one technology to a diverse earlier issues have been written down. Spirituality--i do no longer possibly understand what to do with that. this is not possibly like another 3 words. this is extremely obscure and particularly meaningless.

Answer 8

a myth is a story handed down and expanded.a legend is a story of a real person or event.

Answer 9

legend is applied to one who has performed some thing special , true or fictional. A myth is the figment of the imagination.

Answer 10

A legend comes from a point of truth in history and may have grown to become bigger or more important than it was.

A myth does not need to have any basis in truth at all.