The Stories of Our Lives:

Myths and Folk

Literature
World Myths and Folktales
Myths and folktales are the worlds oldest
stories.
They are a part of the oral tradition.
The stories are important because they help us
understand human experience.
Joseph Campbell states that myths and folktales
are truer than history.

What are Myths?
From the Greek muthos, meaning story
Traditional story
Explains aspects of life and/or the natural world
Reflects religious beliefs
Involves gods and/or goddesses
What are the Purposes of Myths?
Explain the creation of the world/universe
(creation myths)
The Beginning of Things
The Creation of Man
How the World Was Made
The Wooden People
Explain the human condition:
How and why we were created
Why we are flawed
Why we suffer
Why we die
What happens after death

What are the Purposes of Myths?
Cont.
Explain natural phenomena (origin myths)
Origin myths show a rudimentary understanding of natural phenomena (like saying thunder is the
sound of God bowling)
Sirens/Lorelei explained sailors who would get lulled into a hypnotic state (highway hum) and
end up crashing into rocks/islands
Charybdis explained whirlpools
Echo explained echoes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echo_(mythology))
Explain the nature of the gods and goddesses and
their interactions with humans
Explain the meanings behind religious rituals,
customs, beliefs, etc.
Immersion baptism
Explain historical events
Teach moral lessons

What are Folktales?
Stories passed from one generation to the next
Passed through oral tradition
Reflect the values of a given society
Can be for entertainment and/or moral
purposes
What are the Types of Folktales?
Legends
Stories of extraordinary deeds
Based in historical fact
Fairy Tales
Folktales containing supernatural elements
Fables
Brief story
Uses animals and/or inanimate objects
Teaches a moral/lesson
Tall Tales
Often centers on the storyteller
Exaggerated events
Ghost Stories
Involves ghosts and/or the belief in ghosts
How do Myths and Folktales Differ?
Myths
Religious
Always have a
moral/lesson
Gods and goddesses are
central characters
Involves above average
characters
Associated with religious
rituals
Folktales
Secular/non-religious
Can be purely for
entertainment
Gods and goddesses are
not central characters
Involves common folk

Not associated with
religious rituals
What Elements are Common?
Archetypes
Heroes
Quest
Symbolism
What are Archetypes?
Pattern or model
Basis for different, but related, versions of
characters, plots, themes, etc.
Can be referred to as stereotypes
Examples:
The Willing Hero
The Helper
The Golden Age
The Coming of Age Story
Other Archetype Examples
Plot archetypes:
Betrayal by best friend
Heros journey
Archetypes for women:
Seductress/betrayer
Mother figure/caretaker
Victim
Sorceress

What are Heroes?
Mythical (ex: Hercules)
Remarkable birth/childhood
Offspring of a god/goddess and a human (possess both mortal
and immortal qualities)
Unaware of origins/raised by foster parents
Born under unusual circumstances
Shows signs of being special
Legendary (ex: King Arthur)
Idealized figure
Based in fact
Embodies qualities admired by the culture
Folktale (ex: Paul Revere, Joan of Arc)
Ordinary person (possibly a step-child/neglected youngest child
scoffed at by parents and/or older siblings)
May be out of the ordinary (exceptionally kind, clever
resourceful, etc.)
What is the Quest?
A journey for something of value
The main plot of the story
Involves 5 stages
Introducing
Joseph Campbells 5 Stages
of the Heros Journey
Impulse to
embark on the
journey
Encounters a
helper
Sometimes
receives a
magical charm
to aid the
journey
Pass from the
safety of the known
world to the
dangerous unknown
Shadow
presence guards
the entrance
Only enters
unknown by
defeating the
presence or
confronting death
Ends in heros
transformation
and/or resurrection
Series of difficult
tasks
Climaxes with the
Supreme Test
Must pass the
Supreme Test to
progress









#1: Call to
Adventure
#2: Crossing
the Threshold
#3: Test
Hero receives a reward
Rewards can be marriage,
recognition by a deity,
transformation into a deity,
or gets a magic elixir








Hero leaves the
dangerous unknown
Brings his reward back to
the known world
Reward brings restoration
to the known world










#4: Reward
#5: Return
What is Symbolism?
Person, place, activity, or object that stands for
something beyond itself
Can be universal
Means the same thing/similar thing regardless of where it
appears
Spring
rebirth
Winter
death
Rainbows
promise
Can you think of any universal
symbols?