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| example of a myth in literature: The Story of Myth Sarah Iles Johnston, 2018-12-03 Greek myths have long been admired as beautiful, thrilling stories but dismissed as serious objects of belief. For centuries scholars have held that Greek epics, tragedies, and the other compelling works handed down to us obscure the “real” myths that supposedly inspired them. Instead of joining in this pursuit of hidden meanings, Sarah Iles Johnston argues that the very nature of myths as stories—as gripping tales starring vivid characters—enabled them to do their most important work: to create and sustain belief in the gods and heroes who formed the basis of Greek religion. By drawing on work in narratology, sociology, and folklore studies, and by comparing Greek myths not only to the myths of other cultures but also to fairy tales, ghost stories, fantasy works, modern novels, and television series, The Story of Myth reveals the subtle yet powerful ways in which these ancient Greek tales forged enduring bonds between their characters and their audiences, created coherent story-worlds, and made it possible to believe in extraordinary gods. Johnston captures what makes Greek myths distinctively Greek, but simultaneously brings these myths into a broader conversation about how the stories told by all cultures affect our shared view of the cosmos and the creatures who inhabit it. |
| example of a myth in literature: Myth Robert Alan Segal, 2015 This Very Short Introduction explores different approaches to myth from several disciplines, including science, religion, philosophy, literature, and psychology. In this new edition, Robert Segal considers both the future study of myth as well as the impact of areas such as cognitive science and the latest approaches to narrative theory. |
| example of a myth in literature: Myth G. S. Kirk, 2023-09-01 This book attempts to come to grips with a set of widely ranging but connected problems concerning myths: their relation to folktales on the one hand, to rituals on the other; the validity and scope of the structuralist theory of myth; the range of possible mythical functions; the effects of developed social institutions and literacy; the character and meaning of ancient Near-Eastern myths and their influence on Greece; the special forms taken by Greek myths and their involvement with rational modes of thought; the status of myths as expressions of the unconscious, as allied with dreams, as universal symbols, or as accidents of primarily narrative aims. Almost none of these problems has been convincingly handled, even in a provisional way, up to the present, and this failure has vitiated not only such few general discussions as exist of the nature, meanings and functions of myths but also, in many cases, the detailed assessment of individual myths of different cultures. The need for a coherent treatment of these and related problems, and one that is not concerned simply to propagate a particular universalistic theory, seems undeniable. How far the present book will satisfactorily fill such a need remains to be seen. At least it makes a beginning, even if in doing so it risks the criticism of being neither fish nor fowl. Sociologists and folklorists may find it, from their specialized viewpoints, a little simplistic in places; and a few classical colleagues will not forgive me for straying far beyond Greek myths, even though these can hardly be understood in isolation or solely in the light of studies in cult and ritual. Others may find it less easy than anthropologists, sociologists, historians of thought or students of French and English literature to accept the relevance of Levi-Strauss to some of these matters; but his theory contains the one important new idea in this field since Freud, it is complicated and largely untested, and it demands careful attention from anyone attempting a broad understanding of the subject. The beliefs of Freud and Jung, on the other hand, are a more familiar element in the situation and have given rise to an enormous secondary literature, much of it arbitrary and some of it absurd. The author has tried to isolate the crucial ideas and subject them to a pointed, if too brief, critique; so too with those of Ernst Cassirer. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Greek Myths Robert Graves, 2011-05-05 'The Judges of the Dead showed Sisyphus a huge block of stone and ordered him to roll it up the brow of a hill and topple it down the further slope. He has never yet succeeded in doing so . . .'Classicist and poet Robert Graves's superb two-volume retelling of the Greek myths for a modern audience has been regarded for over fifty years as the definitive version. Drawing on the entire canon of ancient literature, Graves weaves together all the elements of every myth into a single harmonious narrative. Ideal for the first time reader, it is also accompanied by commentaries, cross-references, variants and explanations that make it equally valuable as a work of scholarly reference. The result is a dazzling and comprehensive account of the gods and monsters, the heroic feats and appalling tragedies of ancient Greece, many of them among the greatest stories ever told. Included in this first volume are the great creation myths, the heroic tales of Perseus and Theseus, the tragedies of Orpheus and Icarus, the stories of the gods Aphrodite, Hermes, Apollo and Dionysus, as well as many, many others. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Modern Myths Philip Ball, 2022-10-17 With The Modern Myths, brilliant science communicator Philip Ball spins a new yarn. From novels and comic books to B-movies, it is an epic exploration of literature, new media and technology, the nature of storytelling, and the making and meaning of our most important tales. Myths are usually seen as stories from the depths of time—fun and fantastical, but no longer believed by anyone. Yet, as Philip Ball shows, we are still writing them—and still living them—today. From Robinson Crusoe and Frankenstein to Batman, many stories written in the past few centuries are commonly, perhaps glibly, called “modern myths.” But Ball argues that we should take that idea seriously. Our stories of Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Sherlock Holmes are doing the kind of cultural work that the ancient myths once did. Through the medium of narratives that all of us know in their basic outline and which have no clear moral or resolution, these modern myths explore some of our deepest fears, dreams, and anxieties. We keep returning to these tales, reinventing them endlessly for new uses. But what are they really about, and why do we need them? What myths are still taking shape today? And what makes a story become a modern myth? In The Modern Myths, Ball takes us on a wide-ranging tour of our collective imagination, asking what some of its most popular stories reveal about the nature of being human in the modern age. |
| example of a myth in literature: Transformations of Myth Through Time Joseph Campbell, 1990-02-28 The renowned master of mythology is at his warm, accessible, and brilliant best in this illustrated collection of thirteen lectures covering mythological development around the world. |
| example of a myth in literature: Mythologies Roland Barthes, 2013-03-12 This new edition of MYTHOLOGIES is the first complete, authoritative English version of the French classic, Roland Barthes's most emblematic work-- |
| example of a myth in literature: Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction Helen Morales, 2007-08-23 From Zeus to Europa, to Pan and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome continue to pervade the numerous facets of our existence. The author explores the rich history and varying interpretations of classical myth in both high art and popular culture as well as its ongoing influence in modern society. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Greek Myths Robin Waterfield, Kathryn Waterfield, 2013-10-01 A highly readable and beautifully illustrated re-telling of the most famous stories from Greek mythology. The Greek Myths contains some of the most thrilling, romantic, and unforgettable stories in all human history. From Achilles rampant on the fields of Troy, to the gods at sport on Mount Olympus; from Icarus flying too close to the sun, to the superhuman feats of Heracles, Theseus, and the wily Odysseus, these timeless tales exert an eternal fascination and inspiration that have endured for millennia and influenced cultures from ancient to modern. Beginning at the dawn of human civilization, when the Titan Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and offered mankind hope, the reader is immediately immersed in the majestic, magical, and mythical world of the Greek gods and heroes. As the tales unfold, renowned classicist Robin Waterfield, joined by his wife, writer Kathryn Waterfield, creates a sweeping panorama of the romance, intrigues, heroism, humour, sensuality, and brutality of the Greek myths and legends. The terrible curse that plagued the royal houses of Mycenae and Thebes, Jason and the golden fleece, Perseus and the dread Gorgon, the wooden horse and the sack of Troy--these amazing stories have influenced art and literature from the Iron Age to the present day. And far from being just a treasure trove of amazing tales, The Greek Myths is a catalogue of Greek myth in art through the ages, and a notable work of literature in its own right. |
| example of a myth in literature: East of Eden John Steinbeck, 2002-02-05 A masterpiece of Biblical scope, and the magnum opus of one of America’s most enduring authors, in a commemorative hardcover edition In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden the first book, and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. The masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence. Adapted for the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan introducing James Dean, and read by thousands as the book that brought Oprah’s Book Club back, East of Eden has remained vitally present in American culture for over half a century. |
| example of a myth in literature: A Short History of Myth (Myths series) Karen Armstrong, 2010-10-29 What are myths? How have they evolved? And why do we still so desperately need them? A history of myth is a history of humanity, Karen Armstrong argues in this insightful and eloquent book: our stories and beliefs, our curiosity and attempts to understand the world, link us to our ancestors and each other. This is a brilliant and thought-provoking introduction to myth in the broadest sense–from Palaeolithic times to the “Great Western Transformation” of the last 500 years–and why we dismiss it only at our peril. |
| example of a myth in literature: Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable Thomas Bulfinch, 2022-05-28 Bulfinch's Mythology is a compilation of general audience works by Latinist Thomas Bulfinch. It delves into the roots and stories within classical mythologies all around the world. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Odyssey Homer, 2020-02-08T01:55:23Z The Odyssey is one of the oldest works of Western literature, dating back to classical antiquity. Homer’s epic poem belongs in a collection called the Epic Cycle, which includes the Iliad. It was originally written in ancient Greek, utilizing a dactylic hexameter rhyme scheme. Although this rhyme scheme sounds beautiful in its native language, in modern English it can sound awkward and, as Eric McMillan humorously describes it, resembles “pumpkins rolling on a barn floor.” William Cullen Bryant avoided this problem by composing his translation in blank verse, a rhyme scheme that sounds natural in English. This epic poem follows Ulysses, one of the Greek leaders that brought an end to the ten-year-long Trojan war. Longing for home, he travels across the Mediterranean Sea to return to his kingdom in Ithaca; unfortunately, our hero manages to anger Neptune, the god of the sea, making his trip home agonizingly slow and extremely dangerous. While Ulysses is trying to return home, his family in Ithaca is also in danger. Suitors have traveled to the home of Ulysses to marry his wife, Penelope, believing that her husband did not survive the war. These men are willing to kill anyone who stands in their way. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks. |
| example of a myth in literature: Hand of Isis Jo Graham, 2009-03-03 Following her acclaimed debut, Jo Graham returns to the ancient world with a novel that will captivate lovers of fantasy, history and romance. Set in Ancient Egypt, Hand of Isis is the story of Charmian, a handmaiden, and her two sisters. It is a novel of lovers who transcend death, of gods who meddle in mortal affairs, and of women who guide empires. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Myths That Made America Heike Paul, 2014-08-31 This essential introduction to American studies examines the core foundational myths upon which the nation is based and which still determine discussions of US-American identities today. These myths include the myth of »discovery,« the Pocahontas myth, the myth of the Promised Land, the myth of the Founding Fathers, the melting pot myth, the myth of the West, and the myth of the self-made man. The chapters provide extended analyses of each of these myths, using examples from popular culture, literature, memorial culture, school books, and every-day life. Including visual material as well as study questions, this book will be of interest to any student of American studies and will foster an understanding of the United States of America as an imagined community by analyzing the foundational role of myths in the process of nation building. |
| example of a myth in literature: Drive Daniel H. Pink, 2011-04-05 The New York Times bestseller that gives readers a paradigm-shattering new way to think about motivation from the author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That's a mistake, says Daniel H. Pink (author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others). In this provocative and persuasive new book, he asserts that the secret to high performance and satisfaction-at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world. Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose-and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action in a unique book that will change how we think and transform how we live. |
| example of a myth in literature: Gods and Robots Adrienne Mayor, 2020-04-21 Traces the story of how ancient cultures envisioned artificial life, automata, self-moving devices and human enhancements, sharing insights into how the mythologies of the past related to and shaped ancient machine innovations. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Myth of Quetzalcoatl Enrique Florescano, 2002-11-29 In this comprehensive study, Enrique Florescano traces the spread of the worship of the Plumed Serpent, and the multiplicity of interpretations that surround him, by comparing the Palenque inscriptions (ca. A.D. 690), the Vienna Codex (pre-Hispanic Conquest), the Historia de los Mexicanos (1531), the Popul Vuh (ca. 1554), and numerous other texts. He also consults and reproduces archeological evidence from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, demonstrating how the myth of Quetzalcoatl extends throughout Mesoamerica. |
| example of a myth in literature: Myth and Literature William Righter, 2024-05-01 First published in 1975, Myth and Literature considers three points at which the concept of myth has entered modern literary imagination: the use of myth – or atleast their understanding of myth -- as a creative opening by modern writers, its exploration by critics as an interpretive device, and the analogy between certain ‘sense-making’ functions of ‘myth’, ‘fiction’ and literature itself. All three of these roles show the gradual movement from a point of precise demand to a diffuse and variable concept which is more pervasive because less distinct. The paradox of myth is shown to lie in its simultaneity of its corruption with the growth of its power over the modern literary mind. This book will be of interest to students of literature and history. |
| example of a myth in literature: Chronicles of the Mortal Vishnu , 2019 |
| example of a myth in literature: We Have Never Been Modern Bruno Latour, 2012-10-01 With the rise of science, we moderns believe, the world changed irrevocably, separating us forever from our primitive, premodern ancestors. But if we were to let go of this fond conviction, Bruno Latour asks, what would the world look like? His book, an anthropology of science, shows us how much of modernity is actually a matter of faith. What does it mean to be modern? What difference does the scientific method make? The difference, Latour explains, is in our careful distinctions between nature and society, between human and thing, distinctions that our benighted ancestors, in their world of alchemy, astrology, and phrenology, never made. But alongside this purifying practice that defines modernity, there exists another seemingly contrary one: the construction of systems that mix politics, science, technology, and nature. The ozone debate is such a hybrid, in Latour’s analysis, as are global warming, deforestation, even the idea of black holes. As these hybrids proliferate, the prospect of keeping nature and culture in their separate mental chambers becomes overwhelming—and rather than try, Latour suggests, we should rethink our distinctions, rethink the definition and constitution of modernity itself. His book offers a new explanation of science that finally recognizes the connections between nature and culture—and so, between our culture and others, past and present. Nothing short of a reworking of our mental landscape, We Have Never Been Modern blurs the boundaries among science, the humanities, and the social sciences to enhance understanding on all sides. A summation of the work of one of the most influential and provocative interpreters of science, it aims at saving what is good and valuable in modernity and replacing the rest with a broader, fairer, and finer sense of possibility. |
| example of a myth in literature: Journey to the West (2018 Edition - PDF) Wu Cheng'en, 2018-08-14 The bestselling Journey to the West comic book by artist Chang Boon Kiat is now back in a brand new fully coloured edition. Journey to the West is one of the greatest classics in Chinese literature. It tells the epic tale of the monk Xuanzang who journeys to the West in search of the Buddhist sutras with his disciples, Sun Wukong, Sandy and Pigsy. Along the way, Xuanzang's life was threatened by the diabolical White Bone Spirit, the menacing Red Child and his fearsome parents and, a host of evil spirits who sought to devour Xuanzang's flesh to attain immortality. Bear witness to the formidable Sun Wukong's (Monkey God) prowess as he takes them on, using his Fiery Eyes, Golden Cudgel, Somersault Cloud, and quick wits! Be prepared for a galloping read that will leave you breathless! |
| example of a myth in literature: Circe Madeline Miller, 2018-04-10 This #1 New York Times bestseller is a bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times). In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world. #1 New York Times Bestseller -- named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider. |
| example of a myth in literature: Greek Mythology Explained Marios Christou, David Ramenah, 2019-01-15 A unique retelling of Greek mythological tales featuring love, betrayal, murder and ruthless ambitions—for fans of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. Discover six classic Greek myths in this exciting retelling that paints both famous and lesser-known characters in a whole new light. Follow the likes of Odysseus, Lamia, Bellerophon, Icarus, Medusa and Artemis as their fates are revealed through bloody trials, gut-wrenching betrayals, sinister motives and broken hearts. With an accessible writing style that delves into the thoughts, feelings, desires, and motivations of every character, these mythical figures and their compelling stories will resonate with readers as they are guided through perilous and tragic adventures. Greek Mythology Explained provides an in-depth analysis of each story told as it unravels the greater themes and valuable lessons hidden within each chapter. Inside these pages, you’ll . . . Sail with Odysseus as he navigates through the straits of Messina with a terrifying monster on each side, intent only on killing him and his crew. Witness Lamia’s world turned upside down as she loses her kingdom, her children and her humanity. Journey with Bellerophon as he battles the Chimera and becomes the hero that he was destined to be. Take flight with Icarus and Daedalus as they escape their confinement and the Cretan navy. Follow Medusa as she loses faith in the gods and becomes the monster she so adamantly wished to protect her people from. Experience the love between Artemis and Orion, as well as the bitter jealousy it spawns at the core of her brother Apollo. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Centaur John Updike, 2012-06-05 WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND THE PRIX DU MEILLEUR LIVRE ÉTRANGER The Centaur is a modern retelling of the legend of Chiron, the noblest and wisest of the centaurs, who, painfully wounded yet unable to die, gave up his immortality on behalf of Prometheus. In the retelling, Olympus becomes small-town Olinger High School; Chiron is George Caldwell, a science teacher there; and Prometheus is Caldwell’s fifteen-year-old son, Peter. Brilliantly conflating the author’s remembered past with tales from Greek mythology, John Updike translates Chiron’s agonized search for relief into the incidents and accidents of three winter days spent in rural Pennsylvania in 1947. The result, said the judges of the National Book Award, is “a courageous and brilliant account of a conflict in gifts between an inarticulate American father and his highly articulate son.” |
| example of a myth in literature: Theorizing about Myth Robert Alan Segal, 1999 A collection of essays analyzing the leading theories of myth. It surveys the contours of this ongoing discussion, comparing and evaluating the theories of Edward Tylor, William Robertson Smith, James Frazer, Jane Harrison, Sigmund Freud, C.G. Jung, and others. |
| example of a myth in literature: A Child's Introduction to Norse Mythology Heather Alexander, 2018-10-23 Packed with action, intrigue, trickery, and love, A Child's Introduction to Norse Mythology acquaints kids with the original North Germanic and Scandinavian folklore behind characters like Thor and Loki, plus other gods, goddesses, giants, dwarves, and more. The newest book in the best-selling, award-winning A Child's Introduction series explores the popular and captivating world of Norse mythology. Organized into two parts, part one introduces characters like Odin, the leader of the Norse gods; Thor and his mighty hammer Mjollner; Frigg, weaver of the destinies of humans and gods; frost and fire giants; cunning dwarves like Brokk and Eitri; and many more. Part two tells the stories of the suspenseful myths themselves including The Creation of the Cosmos, The Aesir-Vanir War, Loki Bound, Thor's Hammer and many more. Full of charming and witty illustrations from Meredith Hamilton, a Norse name pronunciation guide, and a removable Norse Family Tree, A Child's Introduction to Norse Mythology is the perfect way for kids to learn the historic stories behind today's popular mythical characters. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Book of Greek and Roman Folktales, Legends, and Myths William Hansen, 2019-10-29 The first anthology to present the entire range of ancient Greek and Roman stories- from myths and fairy tales to jokes Captured centaurs and satyrs, talking animals, people who suddenly change sex, men who give birth, the temporarily insane and the permanently thick-witted, delicate sensualists, incompetent seers, a woman who remembers too much, a man who cannot laugh-these are just some of the colorful characters who feature in the unforgettable stories that ancient Greeks and Romans told in their daily lives. Together they created an incredibly rich body of popular oral stories that include, but range well beyond, mythology-from heroic legends, fairy tales, and fables to ghost stories, urban legends, and jokes. |
| example of a myth in literature: Enraged Emily Katz Anhalt, 2017-01-01 An examination of remedies for violent rage rediscovered in ancient Greek myths Millennia ago, Greek myths exposed the dangers of violent rage and the need for empathy and self-restraint. Homer's Iliad, Euripides' Hecuba, and Sophocles' Ajax show that anger and vengeance destroy perpetrators and victims alike. Composed before and during the ancient Greeks' groundbreaking movement away from autocracy toward more inclusive political participation, these stories offer guidelines for modern efforts to create and maintain civil societies. Emily Katz Anhalt reveals how these three masterworks of classical Greek literature can teach us, as they taught the ancient Greeks, to recognize violent revenge as a marker of illogical thinking and poor leadership. These time-honored texts emphasize the costs of our dangerous penchant for glorifying violent rage and those who would indulge in it. By promoting compassion, rational thought, and debate, Greek myths help to arm us against the tyrants we might serve and the tyrants we might become. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Epic of Gilgamish R. Campbell Thompson, 2022-10-26 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. |
| example of a myth in literature: Greek Gods, Human Lives Mary R. Lefkowitz, 2003-01-01 Insightful and fun, this new guide to an ancient mythology explains why the Greek gods and goddesses are still so captivating to us, revisiting the work of Homer, Ovid, Virgil, and Shakespeare in search of the essence of these stories. (Mythology & Folklore) |
| example of a myth in literature: Antigone Rising Helen Morales, 2020-04-14 A witty, inspiring reckoning with the ancient Greek and Roman myths and their legacy, from what they can illuminate about #MeToo to the radical imagery of Beyoncé. The picture of classical antiquity most of us learned in school is framed in certain ways -- glossing over misogyny while omitting the seeds of feminist resistance. Many of today's harmful practices, like school dress codes, exploitation of the environment, and rape culture, have their roots in the ancient world. But in Antigone Rising, classicist Helen Morales reminds us that the myths have subversive power because they are told -- and read -- in different ways. Through these stories, whether it's Antigone's courageous stand against tyranny or the indestructible Caeneus, who inspires trans and gender queer people today, Morales uncovers hidden truths about solidarity, empowerment, and catharsis. Antigone Rising offers a fresh understanding of the stories we take for granted, showing how we can reclaim them to challenge the status quo, spark resistance, and rail against unjust regimes. |
| example of a myth in literature: Myths of the Underworld in Contemporary Culture Judith Fletcher, 2019-04-11 Myths of the Underworld in Contemporary Culture: The Backward Gaze examines a series of twentieth and twenty-first century fictional works that adapt Greco-Roman myths of the catabasis, the heroic journey to the underworld. Covering a range of genres - including novels, comics, and children's culture, by authors such as Elena Ferrante, Salman Rushdie, Neil Gaiman, A. S. Byatt, Toni Morrison, and Anne Patchett - it reveals how an enduring fascination with life after death, and fantasies of accessing the world of the dead while we are still alive, manifest themselves in myriad and varied re-imaginings of the ancient descent myth. The volume begins with a detailed overview of the use of the myth by ancient authors such as Homer, Aristophanes, Vergil, and Ovid, before exploring the ways in which the narrative of a return trip to Hades by Odysseus, Aeneas, Orpheus, and Persephone can be manipulated by contemporary storytellers to fit themes of social marginality and alterity, postmodern rebellion, the position of female authors in the literary canon, and the dislocation endured by refugees, exiles, and diasporic populations. It also argues that citations of classical underworld stories can disrupt and challenge the literary canon by using media - such as comic books, children's culture, or rock music - not conventionally associated with high culture. |
| example of a myth in literature: Myths of Babylon J.K. Jackson, 2018-12-15 Babylonian myths, inherited in Mesopotamia from Sumeria, influenced by the ancient Assyrians represent a pinnacle of human achievement in the period around 1800 BC. Here we find humankind battling with the elements in their Flood myth, a grim creation story and the great Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest recorded literary treasures. Babylon, a powerful city state at the time of the ancient Egyptians was a centre of profound spiritual, economic and military power, themes all represented in the fragments and myths of this book of classic tales. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Priory of the Orange Tree Samantha Shannon, 2019-02-26 The New York Times bestselling epic feminist fantasy perfect for fans of Game of Thrones (Bustle). NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY: AMAZON (Top 100 Editors Picks and Science Fiction and Fantasy) * CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY * BOOKPAGE * AUTOSTRADDLE A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction--but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. |
| example of a myth in literature: Myth, Literature and the African World Wole Soyinka, 1990-09-13 Wole Soyinka, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, here analyses the interconnecting worlds of myth, ritual and literature in Africa. |
| example of a myth in literature: Legends of Charlemagne Thomas Bulfinch, 2012-06-01 Travel back in time with this collection of fables and legends set in medieval France. Famed folklorist Thomas Bulfinch brings together a carefully curated compendium of stories that are sure to delight. A bevy of damsels in distress and courageous knights populate these pages in tales that veer from action-adventure to romance and back again. |
| example of a myth in literature: Aphrodite and the Gods of Love Jacqueline Karageorghis, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, San Antonio Museum of Art, 2011 Published in conjunction with the exhibition organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Oct. 26, 2011-Feb. 20, 2012, J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, Mar. 28-July 9, 212, and San Antonio Museum of Art, Sept. 15, 2012-Feb. 17, 2013. |
| example of a myth in literature: How to Read Literature Like a Professor 3E Thomas C. Foster, 2024-11-05 Thoroughly revised and expanded for a new generation of readers, this classic guide to enjoying literature to its fullest—a lively, enlightening, and entertaining introduction to a diverse range of writing and literary devices that enrich these works, including symbols, themes, and contexts—teaches you how to make your everyday reading experience richer and more rewarding. While books can be enjoyed for their basic stories, there are often deeper literary meanings beneath the surface. How to Read Literature Like a Professor helps us to discover those hidden truths by looking at literature with the practiced analytical eye—and the literary codes—of a college professor. What does it mean when a protagonist is traveling along a dusty road? When he hands a drink to his companion? When he’s drenched in a sudden rain shower? Thomas C. Foster provides answers to these questions as he explores every aspect of fiction, from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form. Offering a broad overview of literature—a world where a road leads to a quest, a shared meal may signify a communion, and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just a shower—he shows us how to make our reading experience more intellectually satisfying and fun. The world, and curricula, have changed. This third edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect those changes, and features new chapters, a new preface and epilogue, as well as fresh teaching points Foster has developed over the past decade. Foster updates the books he discusses to include more diverse, inclusive, and modern works, such as Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give; Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven; Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere; Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X; Helen Oyeyemi's Mr. Fox and Boy, Snow, Bird; Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street; Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God; Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet; Madeline Miller’s Circe; Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls; and Tahereh Mafi’s A Very Large Expanse of Sea. |
| example of a myth in literature: The Hero with a Thousand Faces Joseph Campbell, 1988 A study of heroism in the myths of the world - an exploration of all the elements common to the great stories that have helped people make sense of their lives from the earliest times. It takes in Greek Apollo, Maori and Jewish rites, the Buddha, Wotan, and the bothers Grimm's Frog-King. |
Mythology in Modern Literature: An Exploration of - IJELS
symbolic comment on modern events (White, 1971). According to White (1971), novelists can prefigure myth in their works in four ways: (1) by re-narrating a classical myth, (2) by …
The Influence of Mythology on Modern English Literature
Abstract: This review paper examines the profound influence of mythology on modern English literature. It traces the historical evolution of mythology in literature, from its origins in ancient …
Exploration of Mythological Elements in Contemporary …
Mythology, as social memory, also carries within it certain information that is available and useful for societies. For example, while writing a novel or story, an author can benefit from …
Myth, Creativity and Repressions in Modern Literature ... - JCLA
The essay explores distinctive features of these processes through selected modern case studies that map how myth can be adapted in different literary and performance genres, including new …
Archetypal/Mythological Criticism
icism LITERARY CRITICISM THEORIES Archetypal/Mythological Criticism argues that archetypes determine the form and function of literary works, that a text's meaning is shaped by.
MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN LITERATURE - JSTOR
Ulysses as the grand example of myth-in-novel in the twentieth century, with major discussion of Thomas Mann's Doktor Faustus, Hermann Broch'sZ)er Tod des Vergil, Albert Moravia's II …
A Study on Myth, Religion and Philosophy in Literature
"Myth Criticism: Limitations and Possibilities," E.W. Herd throws considerable light on the different ways in which myths are put to use in literature. Herd differentiates between five kinds of …
Myth and literature: The example of modern drama - Springer
In The Mythological Novel, J. White has hown that the modern novelist's imagination will create mythical equiv-alents (and with greater aesthetic success and communicative power for the …
EUROPEAN ACADEMIC RESEARCH, VOL
The word „myth‟ has been constantly used in the literature of the world. This term is also used in a variety of meanings in sociology, anthropology, psychology and in comparative religion—each …
Topic: Literature Sub-Topic: Myths and Legends - FCT EMIS
MPLES OF NIGERIAN MYTHS Topic: Literature Sub-Topic: Myths and Legends 1. Myth A myth is a narrative or a story usually of an unknown o. igin which is mostly traditional, that explains …
WOLE SOYINKA’S MYTH, LITERATURE AND THE AFRICAN …
WOLE SOYINKA’S MYTH, LITERATURE AND THE AFRICAN WORLD Shola Balogun ABSTRACT: Since its first publication in 1976, Myth, Literature and the African world has …
The Role of Myth and Folklore in Kenyan Anglophone Literature
The role of myth and folklore in shaping identity is a central theme in Kenyan Anglophone literature. These narrative forms are not mere stories; they are vital tools for understanding …
Myth and Fairy Tale in Contemporary Fiction
national literature and cultural identity. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859), can be numbered among the earliest and most prominent collectors of German …
Comparative Study on the Mythological Archetypes of the …
number of scholars have mentioned mythology in their interpretation of the concept of “archetype”. Baldick (2001), for example, defines “archetype” as the symbol or theme that recurs in …
The Arachne Myth in Oral and Written Literature
In this paper, I discuss and examine the Arachne myth in selected versions from Ovid and García Márquez to the story told by the Bubi people of Equatorial Guinea.
MEDUSA FIGURES AND SACRIFICES IN THE POETRY OF …
the myth which unites the beautiful and monstrous versions of Medusa into one character, and which provides her rape as the reason for her transformation. Currie observes that “The issues …
Myth, History and Literature in Africa
Myth and history operate on different levels consciousness : the first being poetic, métonymie and perceptual, based primarily on emotion ; the second cognitive and conceptual, derived from …
Entrenching Legendary and Mythic Resources in Modern …
This is the lacuna this paper seeks to fill by advocating for the reinventing and entrenching of mythical and legendary characters in contemporary and future African writings.
Myth: Ideologies, Symbolic Forms and the ‘Mythical Present’
Myth is about the gods, but often also the ancestors and sometimes certain men. It is ‘Genesis’ and ‘General Strike’, ‘Twentieth Century’ and ‘Cowboy’, ‘Oedipus’ and ‘Frankenstein’, ‘Master …
Literary Terms #2 Mythology: Fiction or Nonfiction
itious, they are written as a fact of our history. For example, Edith Hamilton’s book, Mythology, published in 1942 is a considered an example of a nonfiction text o the subject of Greek, …
Mythology in Modern Literature: An Exploration of - IJELS
symbolic comment on modern events (White, 1971). According to White (1971), novelists can prefigure myth in their works in four ways: (1) by re-narrating a classical myth, (2) by …
The Influence of Mythology on Modern English Literature
Abstract: This review paper examines the profound influence of mythology on modern English literature. It traces the historical evolution of mythology in literature, from its origins in ancient …
Exploration of Mythological Elements in Contemporary …
Mythology, as social memory, also carries within it certain information that is available and useful for societies. For example, while writing a novel or story, an author can benefit from …
Myth, Creativity and Repressions in Modern Literature ... - JCLA
The essay explores distinctive features of these processes through selected modern case studies that map how myth can be adapted in different literary and performance genres, including new …
Archetypal/Mythological Criticism
icism LITERARY CRITICISM THEORIES Archetypal/Mythological Criticism argues that archetypes determine the form and function of literary works, that a text's meaning is shaped by.
MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN LITERATURE - JSTOR
Ulysses as the grand example of myth-in-novel in the twentieth century, with major discussion of Thomas Mann's Doktor Faustus, Hermann Broch'sZ)er Tod des Vergil, Albert Moravia's II …
A Study on Myth, Religion and Philosophy in Literature
"Myth Criticism: Limitations and Possibilities," E.W. Herd throws considerable light on the different ways in which myths are put to use in literature. Herd differentiates between five kinds of …
Myth and literature: The example of modern drama - Springer
In The Mythological Novel, J. White has hown that the modern novelist's imagination will create mythical equiv-alents (and with greater aesthetic success and communicative power for the …
EUROPEAN ACADEMIC RESEARCH, VOL
The word „myth‟ has been constantly used in the literature of the world. This term is also used in a variety of meanings in sociology, anthropology, psychology and in comparative religion—each …
Topic: Literature Sub-Topic: Myths and Legends - FCT EMIS
MPLES OF NIGERIAN MYTHS Topic: Literature Sub-Topic: Myths and Legends 1. Myth A myth is a narrative or a story usually of an unknown o. igin which is mostly traditional, that explains …
WOLE SOYINKA’S MYTH, LITERATURE AND THE AFRICAN …
WOLE SOYINKA’S MYTH, LITERATURE AND THE AFRICAN WORLD Shola Balogun ABSTRACT: Since its first publication in 1976, Myth, Literature and the African world has …
The Role of Myth and Folklore in Kenyan Anglophone …
The role of myth and folklore in shaping identity is a central theme in Kenyan Anglophone literature. These narrative forms are not mere stories; they are vital tools for understanding …
Myth and Fairy Tale in Contemporary Fiction
national literature and cultural identity. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859), can be numbered among the earliest and most prominent collectors of German …
Comparative Study on the Mythological Archetypes of the …
number of scholars have mentioned mythology in their interpretation of the concept of “archetype”. Baldick (2001), for example, defines “archetype” as the symbol or theme that recurs in …
The Arachne Myth in Oral and Written Literature
In this paper, I discuss and examine the Arachne myth in selected versions from Ovid and García Márquez to the story told by the Bubi people of Equatorial Guinea.
MEDUSA FIGURES AND SACRIFICES IN THE POETRY OF …
the myth which unites the beautiful and monstrous versions of Medusa into one character, and which provides her rape as the reason for her transformation. Currie observes that “The issues …
Myth, History and Literature in Africa
Myth and history operate on different levels consciousness : the first being poetic, métonymie and perceptual, based primarily on emotion ; the second cognitive and conceptual, derived from …
Entrenching Legendary and Mythic Resources in Modern …
This is the lacuna this paper seeks to fill by advocating for the reinventing and entrenching of mythical and legendary characters in contemporary and future African writings.
Myth: Ideologies, Symbolic Forms and the ‘Mythical Present’
Myth is about the gods, but often also the ancestors and sometimes certain men. It is ‘Genesis’ and ‘General Strike’, ‘Twentieth Century’ and ‘Cowboy’, ‘Oedipus’ and ‘Frankenstein’, ‘Master …
Literary Terms #2 Mythology: Fiction or Nonfiction
itious, they are written as a fact of our history. For example, Edith Hamilton’s book, Mythology, published in 1942 is a considered an example of a nonfiction text o the subject of Greek, …
