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34 Cards in this Set
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Malinowski |
Charter myths - Myths are used to justify social norms/institutions - Advance the agenda of story-tellers who support the people in power - Myths were often produced/consumed by elites - Greek gods/heroes often conquer a strong female monster to gain status and power |
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Propp |
Structuralism "Morphology" of the folktale Identified an underlying structure for the common folktale Focuses on 'narrative functions'; building a sequence Different motifs are variables of the same function ex. "the hero acquires a magical agent" Identified 31 functions, 7 types of characters Pros: interesting, in-depth readings Cons: overly simplistic |
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Levi-Strauss |
"Savage" mind has the same structures as "civilized" mind; human characteristics are the same throughout history - Universal principles (ex. opposition vs. resolutoin) - Myths consist of opposing elements and elements that resolve those oppositions Pros: careful attention to context along with content, non-obvious connections Cons: can be tendentious |
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Campbell |
"The Monomyth" / "The Hero's Cycle" - Hero's cycle operates cyclically, consists of three large stages broken down into smaller events - All stories are the same at base level because all stories come from humans, and all humans have the same basic desires and fears - Campbell's Hero's Cycle has influenced modern media Cons: Tendentiousness, flattening of detail |
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Origins |
Times of creation; when important things were at their purest/most essential |
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Creation by acretion/conjunction/accident |
Birth of order comes from mingling of primal elements Not prompted by a consciousness |
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Creation by secretion |
Divine emissions (vomit, sweat, urine) create divine/godly human beings, usually resembling their creator |
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Creation by sacrifice |
A being (either a god or someone else) is sacrificed to complete the creation |
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Creation by division/separation/consumation |
Associated with discrimination of primal matter types "Cosmic egg" mytheme included in this; present on every continent Consummation/marriage of earth + stars • Derived from common human experience • Modeled on natural reproduction |
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Creation by Earth Diver |
God dives to the bottom of vast primeval sea, brings back small amount of sand/dirt from which the whole world grows • Derived from common human experiences • Sea = womb, followed by growth/maturation |
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Creation by Emergence |
First people emerge successively from a cramped place into this world • Derived from admiration of women's capacity to give birth |
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Creation by Deus Faber |
"God the Maker" Creator is a clever craftsman, sense of plan and purpose is present |
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Creation Ex Nihilo |
"From nothing" Creator brings the world into being through some accident Connection between creator & the world remains present but invisible |
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Prose Edda |
Odin & brothers create the world using a Frost Giant's body (Secretion, sacrifice) Myth includes travel by water + violent fighting, both important to Norse culture |
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African (Bumba) |
Creation by secretion from Bumba Bumba vomits up demigods who finish Creation |
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China (Pan Gu/Nu Wa) |
A giant (Pan Gu) sacrifices himself for creation A goddess (Nu Wa) creates humans in her image |
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India (Vishnu Purana) |
A God assumes the form of a boar and dives into the ocean Other gods bless him/assist him in creation The Universe is still in the form of a boar, with the Earth balanced on one tusk |
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Native American (Out of the Blue) |
Creator is a woman (Grandmother) and creation occurs through pregnancy and delivery Tree of Light impregnates Grandmother, and she carries it into another world and delivers it Grandmother is sacrificed at the end after purpose is fulfilled Animals act as demigods/guiding agens |
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Native American (how the Hopi Indians Reached their World) |
People emerge from the cramped cave-worlds (Underworld/afterlife) into the current world Along the journey they gain mortality and understanding of the world Roles of femininity/masculinity are enforced Animals act as demigods/guiding agents |
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Mesopotamia (Enuma Elish) |
Two parties at war, both divine A winner (lord of both Gods and men) is declared from the battle and organizes the universe (time, stars) Appoints other Gods (heavenly bodies) to keep order Man is created to do the work of the Gods on Earth to free up their time; shrines are built by the Gods so man will worship them Female character ("Mother") later becomes betrayer/villain and must be overcome by male hero |
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Genesis |
Actually written in two parts • J source; God = Yahweh - God creates the Earth in 7 days • P source; God = Eloheim - Adam and Eve story |
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Typical traits of origin myths |
- Humans created in God's image/elevated somehow - Myths relate to/are inspired by human experience (birth, sex) - Myths mimic a culture's important values - Gender roles are enforced or purposely reversed |
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Mythic spaces |
May be literally present in the world, purely imaginary, or somewhere in between May be formed by human agency, a miracle, or an epiphany Are defined by several tropes |
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Mythic spaces + miracles |
Miracle = coming together of divine + human agency Ex. Shrine of Lourdes --> Virgin Mary witnessed here, created mythic site of healing |
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Mythic spaces + human agency |
Ex. Gettysberg --> Battle here helped shape national identity, created mythic site of remembrance |
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Mythic spaces + epiphany |
Divine force breaks through into the real world Ex. Mecca --> Qua'ran was revealed to Mohammad here, created mythic site of pilgrimage |
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Mythic spaces + tropes |
Sacred waters Sacred landforms Sacred trees, gardens, forests Blessed isles/magic realms |
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Sacred waters |
Life-giving; sea as womb Connect different places |
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Sacred landforms |
ex. Mt. Fuji Connect Earth and sky; homes of the Gods Secret/hidden places of protection or danger |
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Sacred trees, gardens, forests |
ex. Yggdrasil, Cedar Forest Contained/walled-off spaces Point of connection between Earth and Heaven Sexual symbol = sacred trees within mythic gardens |
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Blessed isles/magic realms |
ex. Oz Separated from everyday life Journey through hardship to reach them Places of beauty, fulfillment, happiness |
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Yosoji and the Goddess Fuji |
- Young boy is led by a girl to a shrine on a mountain; elongates mothers life with water from here - Girl turns out to be the Goddess Fuji, departs from the boy when he attempts to thank her; leaves behind token of love |
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Fuji-san and Yatsu-ga-take |
Two mountains call down Buddha to decide who is mightier Buddha rules Yatsu-ga-take mightier than Fuji, and she beats his head with a stick and splits him into 8 peaks |
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Mt. Fuji as a mythic space |
A real mountain; revered by many for its beauty/majesty A site of many mythical happenings, represented by a goddess Example of the blurred lines between reality/myth that occur in mythic spaces |
