Enter the Worlds of Myth and Legend!
What is Myth? Myth is defined as ...
1 a: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon; b: parable, allegory
2 a: a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone; especially:one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society
What are the Characteristics of Myth?
The characteristics of a myth are very interesting. A myth is a story that is told to be a true explanation of how the world came to be. Characteristics include gods, goddesses, supernatural beings, and non-human creatures. The plot may involve two worlds, this one or some other world. Myths also depict events that bend, warp, or break natural laws. They evoke mystery and the unknown and are formed of differences such as good vs. bad, light vs. dark, and so on. Myths seek to answer questions such as Why we are here?, Where did we come from? What is our purpose?
1 a: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon; b: parable, allegory
2 a: a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone; especially:one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society
What are the Characteristics of Myth?
The characteristics of a myth are very interesting. A myth is a story that is told to be a true explanation of how the world came to be. Characteristics include gods, goddesses, supernatural beings, and non-human creatures. The plot may involve two worlds, this one or some other world. Myths also depict events that bend, warp, or break natural laws. They evoke mystery and the unknown and are formed of differences such as good vs. bad, light vs. dark, and so on. Myths seek to answer questions such as Why we are here?, Where did we come from? What is our purpose?
Myth –Story – Legend – Saga: What is the Difference?
In the scholarly field called history of religions, “myth”means a story about the god or gods in a particular culture. One way of talking about myth is to think of it as a special form of literature. From this point of view, a myth is first of all a story – that is, it tells of actions that are done by someone. Myth speaks of things that have to do with the god or gods, and everything is different, more important, timeless and mysterious when it is touched by the divine. Therefore, it is pointless to ask if the things really happened as they are described in a myth. When we say “really happened,” we usually mean happened in the everyday way that common things happen. This is not the case with myth.
Myths are more than just bits of literature. They speak of the important things that lie at the very heart of a religion. They are not just stories about things long ago, even very mysterious things long ago. They describe the deepest matters of life at any time. The point is not that long ago something happened that caused the world to be here; the point is that the world and all that is created (and is being created even as we read this) stand in a particular relationship to the god or gods, and that relationship is described in the myth. Thus, the myth says something that is true about the world now, or at least something that the myth claims is
true.
Usually after we have read a myth, we begin to talk about what it “means.” A myth, like a poem, says many things at the same time and on different levels of meaning. There may be a plain meaning, but there are also many shades of feeling: words may be used that bring to mind other shades of our common experience, and these make slight but important differences in the way we understand the meaning. A myth can be reread after you think you understand it, and new, deeper meanings continue to come to light.
All this is said to overcome the modern idea that myths are nothing more than childish stories. They are rather the deepest expressions of truth that a culture or a people can speak. These truths cannot be simply restated in everyday street language without losing something from their meaning.
It is also a good idea to think about the differences between“fact” and “truth.” A fact is, of course and by definition, true. But can everything that is “true” be reduced to factual statements? No, not at all. Our love for our family cannot be proved in such a way as to make it a scientifically valid fact. This truth, which is not a “fact,” is much more important to my life than the verifiable fact that light travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second. As another example, although the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, as well as the Quran contain innumerable facts, they are much more books of truth.
Analogies have been widely used in religious language. “Father” is an example of a word used analogously of God. In an analogy, we are saying that God is like something in our human experience, but God is not just like it. That is, an analogy both affirms and denies at the same time. God is like a human parent but also not like one. God as“father” is loving, authoritative, life-giving, supporting and directing, but not, as a human father might be, the husband of a woman, a wage-earner, or someone who may require care and support from his children as he grows old and infirm. Additionally, when using the word “father” for God, many people do not intend thereby to exclude any and all feminine qualities.
Symbols are also used to speak of God. They may be words, actions, pictures, carvings, or anything else that expresses something. A symbol is a subtle thing. It needs no explanation, for there is something about it that points you to the mystery of which it is a symbol. In fact, if a “symbol” requires explanation, that is evidence that it does not “work” as a symbol for you. “Motherhood” can be a powerful symbol for a noble and mysterious aspect of human womanhood, but for some people it has become an empty expression; the “meaning” of motherhood would have to be explained to such people, because its symbolic dimension has been lost for them.
All of this, and much more, is involved in the issue of how we can speak of God. Of all the means of expression that humankind has developed, the use of myths is probably the richest. Most of the religions of the world have used them. The Greek myths about the gods and heroes of ancient Greece were more than interesting stories when they were part of the living religion of the Greek people. They described the way the
Greeks perceived themselves in relation to all that is powerful, awesome, and unreachable in a universe in which they lived. The thunder and lightning; the sea; the course of events in human life which moves inexplicably and yet seems to have a pattern of birth, growth, maturity, and death; the fertility of the land and of animals and humans – all these were perceived as functions of relations with divine forces, and human life was ordered in accordance with these perceptions. The myths expressed all of this. So also do the myths
of other cultures.
Quite apart from the question of whether or not the gods of any myths are “true gods,” the myths describe how people perceive their own lives and actions under the conditions of their existence in the world. Is the world a fearful place in which we must always be on our guard? Is it a kind of playground for vast powers beyond our knowledge or control? Are we important or simply playthings for powers superior to us? Are we
part of nature or somehow above it? Is the world a prison from which we must escape to some higher world that is our true home? Is everything, ourselves included, some vast accident, without any meaning at all?
Mythic stories state the basic attitudes toward such questions as these. They describe the terms under which life is lived within the culture of a particular people – the terms of life under God.
A mythic story is a story about a god or gods (or their equivalents) that sets the terms of human existence before these deities. Even if a culture has many gods, or if it does not speak of gods at all but only of the nonhuman powers in relation to which we must live, its myths will always do this. The myth that describes the point of view out of which you live your life, make your decisions, and hold your values, will express the most important depths of your life.
We have seen that myths should not be read raising the question of whether or not “it really happened that way”; they are to be taken seriously because they speak of great issues in human life. There are other kinds of stories, however, about which we may sometimes raise questions, wondering if they describe “what really happened.”
A legend is such a story. It is not a myth, because it does not speak of the work of God or the gods in creation, though the wonders and activity of the deity may play an important role. Legend usually involves a hero (e.g. King Arthur, Robin Hood), a human figure who is important in the memory of his or her people.
There is often a core of fact in the story, but the story has grown in its telling of it particularly to the glorification of the hero or heroine, appealing to admiration, awe, and to imitation of his or her moral values. Sometimes things that have happened to whole tribes are told as though they had happened to one person.
As a result of modern discoveries about the ancient peoples of the Middle East, we are beginning to take the accuracy of their stories more seriously than we sometimes have in the past, but we still know that much legend is mixed into them. Still, the stories tell us important things about the people who told them. The legends that a people tell show what sorts of things they value. If a hero in a legend is cruel but clever, it would suggest that the people who saw him as a hero liked cruelty and cleverness, or at least were willing to put up with cruelty if the person was clever enough. If the hero is noble and courageous, we assume that the people prized these virtues. When we read stories that are obviously legendary, we should not simply cast them aside as unimportant, but seem them as good signposts to an understanding of the people who told them.
A saga is a lengthy series of stories, many of which may be legendary, forming a single unit. It is usually about a single person. When we study a saga we look at the individual stories in it, in order to see what we can learn from them. We also try to hear what the saga taken as a whole tells us.
In summary, myths provide the framework within which to reflect on the meaning of our own life and times and on our individual and collective practices as a society (beliefs turned into action). We might think about the questions raised in the study of a myth in terms of ourselves rather than of the ancient peoples who told them. How do we answer those same questions now? Are the answers we think of as “right” the ones we really act on?
Welcome to the intriguing world of myth, legend and saga!
Myths are more than just bits of literature. They speak of the important things that lie at the very heart of a religion. They are not just stories about things long ago, even very mysterious things long ago. They describe the deepest matters of life at any time. The point is not that long ago something happened that caused the world to be here; the point is that the world and all that is created (and is being created even as we read this) stand in a particular relationship to the god or gods, and that relationship is described in the myth. Thus, the myth says something that is true about the world now, or at least something that the myth claims is
true.
Usually after we have read a myth, we begin to talk about what it “means.” A myth, like a poem, says many things at the same time and on different levels of meaning. There may be a plain meaning, but there are also many shades of feeling: words may be used that bring to mind other shades of our common experience, and these make slight but important differences in the way we understand the meaning. A myth can be reread after you think you understand it, and new, deeper meanings continue to come to light.
All this is said to overcome the modern idea that myths are nothing more than childish stories. They are rather the deepest expressions of truth that a culture or a people can speak. These truths cannot be simply restated in everyday street language without losing something from their meaning.
It is also a good idea to think about the differences between“fact” and “truth.” A fact is, of course and by definition, true. But can everything that is “true” be reduced to factual statements? No, not at all. Our love for our family cannot be proved in such a way as to make it a scientifically valid fact. This truth, which is not a “fact,” is much more important to my life than the verifiable fact that light travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second. As another example, although the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, as well as the Quran contain innumerable facts, they are much more books of truth.
Analogies have been widely used in religious language. “Father” is an example of a word used analogously of God. In an analogy, we are saying that God is like something in our human experience, but God is not just like it. That is, an analogy both affirms and denies at the same time. God is like a human parent but also not like one. God as“father” is loving, authoritative, life-giving, supporting and directing, but not, as a human father might be, the husband of a woman, a wage-earner, or someone who may require care and support from his children as he grows old and infirm. Additionally, when using the word “father” for God, many people do not intend thereby to exclude any and all feminine qualities.
Symbols are also used to speak of God. They may be words, actions, pictures, carvings, or anything else that expresses something. A symbol is a subtle thing. It needs no explanation, for there is something about it that points you to the mystery of which it is a symbol. In fact, if a “symbol” requires explanation, that is evidence that it does not “work” as a symbol for you. “Motherhood” can be a powerful symbol for a noble and mysterious aspect of human womanhood, but for some people it has become an empty expression; the “meaning” of motherhood would have to be explained to such people, because its symbolic dimension has been lost for them.
All of this, and much more, is involved in the issue of how we can speak of God. Of all the means of expression that humankind has developed, the use of myths is probably the richest. Most of the religions of the world have used them. The Greek myths about the gods and heroes of ancient Greece were more than interesting stories when they were part of the living religion of the Greek people. They described the way the
Greeks perceived themselves in relation to all that is powerful, awesome, and unreachable in a universe in which they lived. The thunder and lightning; the sea; the course of events in human life which moves inexplicably and yet seems to have a pattern of birth, growth, maturity, and death; the fertility of the land and of animals and humans – all these were perceived as functions of relations with divine forces, and human life was ordered in accordance with these perceptions. The myths expressed all of this. So also do the myths
of other cultures.
Quite apart from the question of whether or not the gods of any myths are “true gods,” the myths describe how people perceive their own lives and actions under the conditions of their existence in the world. Is the world a fearful place in which we must always be on our guard? Is it a kind of playground for vast powers beyond our knowledge or control? Are we important or simply playthings for powers superior to us? Are we
part of nature or somehow above it? Is the world a prison from which we must escape to some higher world that is our true home? Is everything, ourselves included, some vast accident, without any meaning at all?
Mythic stories state the basic attitudes toward such questions as these. They describe the terms under which life is lived within the culture of a particular people – the terms of life under God.
A mythic story is a story about a god or gods (or their equivalents) that sets the terms of human existence before these deities. Even if a culture has many gods, or if it does not speak of gods at all but only of the nonhuman powers in relation to which we must live, its myths will always do this. The myth that describes the point of view out of which you live your life, make your decisions, and hold your values, will express the most important depths of your life.
We have seen that myths should not be read raising the question of whether or not “it really happened that way”; they are to be taken seriously because they speak of great issues in human life. There are other kinds of stories, however, about which we may sometimes raise questions, wondering if they describe “what really happened.”
A legend is such a story. It is not a myth, because it does not speak of the work of God or the gods in creation, though the wonders and activity of the deity may play an important role. Legend usually involves a hero (e.g. King Arthur, Robin Hood), a human figure who is important in the memory of his or her people.
There is often a core of fact in the story, but the story has grown in its telling of it particularly to the glorification of the hero or heroine, appealing to admiration, awe, and to imitation of his or her moral values. Sometimes things that have happened to whole tribes are told as though they had happened to one person.
As a result of modern discoveries about the ancient peoples of the Middle East, we are beginning to take the accuracy of their stories more seriously than we sometimes have in the past, but we still know that much legend is mixed into them. Still, the stories tell us important things about the people who told them. The legends that a people tell show what sorts of things they value. If a hero in a legend is cruel but clever, it would suggest that the people who saw him as a hero liked cruelty and cleverness, or at least were willing to put up with cruelty if the person was clever enough. If the hero is noble and courageous, we assume that the people prized these virtues. When we read stories that are obviously legendary, we should not simply cast them aside as unimportant, but seem them as good signposts to an understanding of the people who told them.
A saga is a lengthy series of stories, many of which may be legendary, forming a single unit. It is usually about a single person. When we study a saga we look at the individual stories in it, in order to see what we can learn from them. We also try to hear what the saga taken as a whole tells us.
In summary, myths provide the framework within which to reflect on the meaning of our own life and times and on our individual and collective practices as a society (beliefs turned into action). We might think about the questions raised in the study of a myth in terms of ourselves rather than of the ancient peoples who told them. How do we answer those same questions now? Are the answers we think of as “right” the ones we really act on?
Welcome to the intriguing world of myth, legend and saga!
Urban Legends
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true. As with all folklore and mythology, the designation suggests nothing about the story's veracity, but merely that it is in circulation, exhibits variation over time, and carries some significance that motivates the community in preserving and propagating it.
Despite its name, an urban legend does not necessarily originate in an urban area. Rather, the term is used to differentiate modern legend from traditional folklore in pre-industrial times. For this reason, sociologists and folklorists prefer the term contemporary legend.
Urban legends are sometimes repeated in news stories and, in recent years, distributed by e-mail. People frequently allege that such tales happened to a "friend of a friend"; so often, in fact, that "friend of a friend" ("FOAF") has become a commonly used term when recounting this type of story.
Despite its name, an urban legend does not necessarily originate in an urban area. Rather, the term is used to differentiate modern legend from traditional folklore in pre-industrial times. For this reason, sociologists and folklorists prefer the term contemporary legend.
Urban legends are sometimes repeated in news stories and, in recent years, distributed by e-mail. People frequently allege that such tales happened to a "friend of a friend"; so often, in fact, that "friend of a friend" ("FOAF") has become a commonly used term when recounting this type of story.