The Purpose of Myths and Legends

1432 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Myth Folktales and Legends

Myths and legends have definitely made their way through history everyone knows. They represent the world around us and our ideas and stories. There are all different types of mythology around the world and a lot of things today are based on it. Almost every region in the world has some mythology to it. We pass myths and legends down through history and through all types of people for an explanation of something. Myths exactly the same as legends though. Majority of legends are based on true events that took place in the past, while myths are usually stories created to teach people about something or explain why something happens. Both myths and legends have been passed from person to person over huge time periods. Eventually around 700 BC we wrote them out rather than just telling them to others. Greek mythology is something almost everyone is familiar with; you might not know everything about all the gods and goddesses, but I am sure you have heard something about it.
Myths and legends have been around for hundreds of thousands of years, and to a lot of people it’s very interesting to know what kinds of myths or legends came from specific time periods. 1 BC and before was a long time ago and yes, myths and legends were around then. People would tell them to others; they were passed just like we pass stories today to each other. Most of us have all heard of the Odyssey even if we don’t know exactly what it was. The Odyssey was a poem written by Homer around 800-700 BC. The poem is about Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. The poem was read in the Homeric Greek and eventually was translated to the vernacular of the people in different places around the world. Some scholars believe that the poem was composed oral...

... middle of paper ...

...aria Kannon Zen Center » The Grail Legend Part 1: Seeking the True Grail. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
"Myths and Legends." - from E2BN. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
"Myths and Legends." Origins of A Witch in a Bottle. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
N.p., n.d. Web.
"Oban's Myths & Legends." Why Bat Has No Friends. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
"Oban's Myths, Legends and Fables." Myths, Legends, Fables & Folklore. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
"The Ten Chinese Suns." - Windows to the Universe. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

Show More
Related

  • 'The Odyssey And' O Brother, Where Art Thou?

    1413 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Odyssey” is an epic written by Homer between 750 and 650 B.C. It is the tale of the main hero’s, Odysseus’s, journey home to Ithaca from Troy. It takes place after the Trojan War and is the sequel to “The Iliad.” Odysseus and his men set sail from Troy and come across the lair of the lotus eaters. After escaping, they run into the cyclops,

    Read More

  • Comparing Odysseus And The Bard In Homer's The Odyssey

    650 Words  | 2 Pages

    Storytelling is rampant in The Odyssey. The primary sources of these stories are the Bards and Odysseus. The Bards are representatives of the oral tradition valued by the Ancient Greeks. They were, in

    Read More

  • The Oddessy Vs. O Brother Where Art Thou

    957 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Odyssey is one of the oldest stories ever written and it's amazing how it has stuck around for so many years. It's very cool to see such an old tale be interpreted into

    Read More

  • Mnemonic Elements In The Odyssey

    928 Words  | 2 Pages

    The fall of Troy in the 12th or 13th century BCE and the pursuit of historical/documentation gave inspiration for the composition of Homer’s the Odyssey. Epic poetry is seen by many historical scholars as Homer’s forte. His use of Odysseus as a centralized heroic figure, the heavy involvement of the Greek Gods, plentiful examples of repetition/enumerations, and Homer’s invoking of Zeus’ nine daughters the Muses are all glaring characteristics of epic poetry. These characteristics incidentally make excellent mnemonic devices. Evidence such as the way Athena speaks to Zeus: “Father of us all, thou son of Cronos, high above all lords…” in (Homer, Odyssey Book 1 line 45) which is repeated throughout the text is indicative of the poem’s auditory

    Read More

  • Important Role of Women in Homer's Odyssey

    1720 Words  | 4 Pages

    For the Greeks, Homer's Odyssey was much more than just an entertaining tale of gods, monsters, and men, it served as a cultural paradigm from which every important role and relationship could be defined. This book, much more so than its counterpart The Iliad, gives an eclectic view of the Achean's peacetime civilization. Through Odyssey, we gain an understanding of what is proper or improper in relationships between father and son, god and mortal, servant and master, guest and host, and—importantly—man and woman. Women play a vital role in the movement of this narrative. Unlike in The Iliad, where they are chiefly prizes to be won, bereft of identity, the women of Odyssey are unique in their personality, intentions, and relationship towards men.

    Read More

  • Comparing Gilgamesh and Odysseus

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Odyssey was also very popular in it’s time. It was set in ancient Greece where in its culture; mythology was the heart of everyday life. The Greek Culture turned to mythology to explain different phenomena for which they had no scientific explanation and this was prominent in the epic the Odyssey.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ancient Greeks have brought upon numerous ideas, inventions, and stories to the world. Greek mythology influences modern day literature and life. The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer, which tells the story of Odysseus's journey home after the Trojan War. Odysseus does not achieve his goal of reaching home so easily; monsters and gods come in his way and hinder him. The Odyssey expresses Greek values of hospitality from the customs of Ithaca, humility from Odysseus’s reform, and loyalty from Odysseus’s family.

    Read More

  • The Character Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Odyssey" is an epic story that has been a significant piece of literature since it was first composed and will remain so for ages to come. One of the reasons it has been so is because of the hero, Odysseus.

    Read More

  • EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY

    2116 Words  | 5 Pages

    Mythology is defined as a collection of interrelated stories of a given culture. Myths are intended to explain and describe the mysteries of nature and give understanding about the world that surrounds us. Each culture has their own mythology that reflects their values and beliefs. Myths were also generated to tell the story of the first people to inhabit the earth. The Egyptian mythology elevated these people to the level of Gods and Goddesses by giving them supernatural and special powers. These myths of creation were passed from one generation to the next, either orally or by hieroglyphs painted in sacred temples, pyramids, and sanctuaries.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    2061 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Odyssey is one of the two great epic poems written by the ancient Greek poet Homer. Due to its antiquity, it is not known when or where it was first written, nevertheless, the approximate date and place is 700 BC Greece. Later publications are widespread as the text is transcribed in modern English with no deviation from the original story.

    Read More

  • The Gods in Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    The stories told in the Iliad and Odyssey are based on stories handed down over several generations, for they preserve (as we have seen) memories of an already quiet far distant past. The two pomes show clear connection in their language and style, in the manner in which their incidents presented, and in the combination of agreement with level, which distinguish their creation.

    Read More

  • Pathological Liar In The Odyssey

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odyssey sings the journey of a pathological liar. It celebrates the man who killed dozens of his countrymen. Despite all this, the Ancient Greeks quoted snippets of Homer`s stories while arguing about the ideal ways to live one`s life. They considered Homer to be the greatest among all other poets and praised his works. As a result, we can predict that there is more to his story than that meets the eye.

    Read More

  • John N. Oswalt's The Bible Among The Myths

    1022 Words  | 3 Pages

    The writer acquaints the reader with the idea of myth. While recognizing that researchers contrast enormously on the exact definition, Oswalt demands that this should not discourage the single person from looking for a decent meaning of the saying. While trying to help characterize the saying, he records four essential qualities of a myth. These qualities conclude that people have practically zero natural worth, they are relatively absence of enthusiasm toward history, they are fascinated with magic and the occult, and they refuse to acknowledge obligation regarding individual

    Read More

  • The Classical Mythology

    1184 Words  | 3 Pages

    Morford Mark, Lenardon Robert, and Sham Michael. Classical Mythology, International Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011. Print. 830 pages.

    Read More

  • How Has Greek Mythology Changed Over Time

    1157 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about The Purpose of Myths and Legends

Open Document