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Greek and Roman mythology's influence
Greek and Roman mythology's influence
Impact of greek mythology on modern stories
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Recommended: Greek and Roman mythology's influence
Become a Part of a Fantasy in Mythology Inspired Games
One of the biggest sources of inspiration known to a man is mythology. Mythology (especially Greek and Roman) is a great material for those who are writing fantasy fiction, making movies or TV shows, or developing games.
A lot of today's games are based on books or movies, but bear in mind that many of the most beloved hardcore videogames have found their inspiration somewhere else. Games, such as Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, Smite or Age of Mythology found their inspiration in Japanese literature, Greek and Roman myths and Persian folklore.
Tolkien and Mythology
The work of J.R.R. Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (January 3, 1892 to September 2, 1973), without doubt, had the most influence on the fantasy genre of videogames and he is considered to be the father of the fantasy genre in any form of media today. Can we connect Tolkien and mythology? Yes we can. In creating languages and eventually a universe in which mythic archetypes and figures were grounded with histories and lives of their own Tolkien found his inspiration in English, Greek, Roman, Norse and German mythology. Tolkien's work largely based on myths has inspired the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing board game and overall growth of the fantasy genre in books, comics, movies, video and board games. Games
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When it comes to video games, the developers are creating “god like” characters and giving them looks described in stories from Greek or Roman era. Two games mostly influenced by a Greek mythology lately are God of War and
Pop culture’s mythology theory is used in many forms of media today, from The Legend of Zelda in video games to “Harry Potter in books. One example of usage of the mythology theory is the 1996 movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? directed by Joel Coen. This movie is based off Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey.” There are many similarities between the two, yet at the same time, there are many differences.
In conclusion, mythology has played such an influential role in art because the epic tales over hundreds of years, still to this day, give us many life lessons. Not only are these tales still relevant today, but they will continue to be important in the years to come. Myths help people learn from past mistakes, just like history. Mythology offers many morals and themes that can apply to anyone no matter the current life situation. Myths also show heroes, underdogs, and villains realistically even if the people aren’t particularly
The multiple narrative of this epic encapsulates the tradition of oral storytelling and the fictional world of Greece culture. It also demonstrates the multiple heroic and noble men of the times. Storytelling was a form of entertainment during the ancient times and The Odyssey, along with the Iliad, became the backbone for which the fictional Greek literature was based upon.
Even though some names have survived, whole stories are are still being told today in games, books or movies. Games like Smite, Total War Rome II and Ryse: Son of Rome, all have Roman myths buried in the gameplay. In Smite you even get to play as the gods. In the ‘Heroes of Olympus’ series, some kids are born demi-gods, since one of their parents is a god and the other is a human. The story follows many different demigods. Movies like Spartacus and Gladiator have Roman Mythology imbedded within them.
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) gained a reputation during the 1960’s and 1970’s as a cult figure among youths disillusioned with war and the technological age. His continuing popularity evidences his ability to evoke the oppressive realities of modern life while drawing audiences into a fantasy world.
It is always important to look to the past in order to move towards the future. This was done in the formation of Western Society, and more specifically the formation of American society. The Greek culture served as a frame of reference for many aspects of Western life including government, architecture, math and the arts. Ancient Greek culture served as a very broad base for our society to be built upon.
· Urang, Gunnar. "J. R. R. Tolkien: Fantasy and the Phenomenology of Hope" Religion and Fantasy in the Writing of C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and J. R. R. Tolkien. United Church Press, 1971
Their stories are what make Greek mythology one of the most interesting topics out there.
Mythology is constantly being reincarnated into new mediums. It began centuries ago as oral stories being passed from generation to generation and has weathered the test of time to present day. Mythology influences current day literature, movies, and even video games. One video game that heavily draws on mythological themes is The Legend of Zelda created by Japanese video game designer and producer Shingeru Miyamoto. Through Zelda, gamers are exposed to and are able to play through a hero’s journey filled with mythological motifs such as the idea of creation and destruction, the struggle between light versus darkness, the subconscious in relation to reality, and the idea and distortion of time.
They had similar beliefs, but also immeasurable differences. It was composed of many meaningful gods and goddesses that all played a part in the everyday life of the average Roman and Greek person of that time.
J.R.R Tolkien’s work of fiction The Lord of the Rings, have with the advent of Peter Jackson’s film adaptation brought the series to newfound heights of fame. As with many works of it’s kind, The Lord of the Rings depicts a battle between good and evil, with the main characters in the books striving to thwart evil’s plan. In many other works, the author’s personal belief system or worldview drives the narrative, with the message being paramount and the characters the vehicles of conveyance for the point of the story. C.S Lewis, a friend and contemporary of Tolkien’s, is a prime example of this. Lewis’ popular series The Chronicles of Narnia is an allegorical work, teaching Christian principles through the use of fiction. While raised as a Catholic himself, Tolkien does not explicitly promote his religious background, nor does he engage in allegory. However, Tolkien’s views of morality can be found throughout the work, specifically in the way in which evil is portrayed, the use of power and moral freedom of choice. Randel Helms writes in his book, Tolkien’s World, “Tolkien’s particular myth parallels his Christianity, … positioning a malevolent and corrupting outside influence, spiritual and probably eternal, against which man is doomed to fight, but which he has no hope of conquering” (67).
Mythology is an essential part of all cultures. Through myth, ancient cultures attempted to explain the world and make sense of their daily lives. Myth helps us to live in the minds and time period of people who lived many centuries ago with no technology, no running water, and a basic education. Greek myth is possibly the most commonly recognized myth simply because it is likely the most developed and best recorded. Modern Greek myth originated around 1000 B.C. in the writings of the famous Greek poet Homer in the Odyssey and the Illiad. Although early Greek myths are often vague and contain many primitive elements regarding their understanding of death, sacrifice, and fate, later myths show Greek culture developed and changed over time.
The most famous work in the epic fantasy genre is The Lord of the Rings, written by J. R. R. Tolkien over the course of ten years and published in 1954. Over the last few decades, there has been a lot of controversy over whether or not a story in this genre could be considered a valuable literary work. It was suggested that fantasy was clichéd and too unrealistic to be in touch with the daily life. However, when one reads between the lines, one can find a different interpretation within the same story; an interpretation that might not be as clichéd and farfetched as one might think. While it is often claimed that literary works in the genre fantasy cannot have any literary value, the The Lord of the Rings-trilogy contains the beautiful, the true and the good (Flood) and therefore is original, is historical or ethical relevant and has human truth value, which are necessary qualities for a literary work to be valuable.
Mythology, which promotes violence and stray ideals, is present in most works of literature and greatly affects children. Ares, the god of war, is known for causing trouble and leading to cruel ticks and violent deaths. In the book Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Ares stole Zeus’s lightning bolt to start a war so that he could gain more power, (Riordan, Ch. 15, 20). The. Ares is selfish, cruel and vindictive.
In conclusion, myths reflect show us the Greeks view on the world, religion, and nature. Their understanding of the world is both similar and different compared to modern society. Myths also reflect the importance of gods in the Greek society and how each god represented something different. In addition, we can see the role of monsters in myths, what they represent and how were they important. Myths also show us the role of women in society and whether they were as important as men or not.