Introduction to Myth and Folklore

Myths are neither relics nor quaint stories once told by ancient or primitive people. Myths are defining stories of our humanity. In this course we will be looking at myth as something alive in us and among us--a means by which we make sense of our lives and the workings of the cosmos.

For example, an ancient myth such as Gilgamesh once held great cultural value. But the culture that spawned this story no longer exists and the belief system that formed this story is no longer active. Gilgamesh ceases to have any religious significance. It also holds little cultural weight in shaping how people think about being with one another. The story is read and received as a secular story, in a sense, it has become a folktale.

On the other hand, Cinderella is a ubiquitous story in Western culture. The rags to riches, poor girl gets wealthy and unattainable boy or poor boy gets wealthy and unattainable girl story holds immense power in our cultural imagination. Most Hollywood movie romances fit this pattern. Two Julia Roberts' movies are good examples. In Pretty Woman Roberts plays a prostitute to Richard Gere's extraordinarily wealthy businessman. She wins her "prince" by being "good." There's also an element of Rapunzel in the movie with the final scene being one where Gere climbs the fire escape to reach Roberts. The gender roles are reversed in Notting Hill. In that film Roberts plays a well known movie star who, quite by accident, comes into a love relationship with a humble book store owner, played by Hugh Grant.

Many of us like to think that in life if we are good enough, true enough, sincere enough, patient enough, and work hard enough, we also will someday have our "prince," no matter what station in life we come from. Cinderella is a powerful story that helps shape how we believe human life ought to be lived. Its power is mythic, because the story and all its variations help shape how we think about ourselves and other people.

Fundamental Questions myths address:

• Where did I come from?
• Why is there something rather than nothing?
• Why is there evil in the world?
• What happens to me when I die?
• With whom do I belong?
• How close should I be to my mother, father, brother, sister, wife, husband, cousin, son, daughter, lover, or friend?
• What are my duties and obligations?
• What is taboo, and what should I avoid?
• What is the purpose of my life, my vision?
• Whom should I imitate?
• Who are heroes and heroines?
• Who are the villains?
• Who is our enemy?
• What are the stages along life's way?
• Who are my helpers, guides, allies?
• What is disease?
• How can I be purified, healed?
• What should we do with bounty, wealth, and surplus?
• What is our relationship with animals, plants, water, and the rest of the cosmos?

At this point, you should review the PowerPoint presentation "Traditional Literature - Overview". It presents the definitions of some literary terms, such as motif, monogenesis, and polygenesis, and lists the main categories of traditional literature and some common characteristics of folktales. The categories, including myth, legend, epic, fable, wonder tale, beast tales, trickster tales, pourquoi tales, will give you a better understanding of what constitutes traditional stories. Keep in mind that scholars never agree on category names or whether certain stories belong to a certain category. This list is mostly a tool for introducing you to the stories constituting this genre. Please note that it will only be available online during the week of this lesson, so please print the pages in order to keep a copy.