GOVERNOR GENEROSO COLLEGE OF ARTS SCIENCES AND

TECHNOLOGY
Poblacion, Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental

Mythology and Folklore

by: GRETCHEN C. TAJARAN, MAEd
 ENG 11

Mythology and Folklore

(Module 1)

This course explores mythology and folklore from different countries to gain insights into
people’s origin, desires, fears, instincts and needs.

Units/Credit Equivalent: 3

Course Outcomes:

At the end of the term students must have:

1. read and interpret myths that left significant marks in the respective cultures they
belong;

2. formulated logical conclusions about life from the selected literary pieces read;

3. appreciated similarities, differences in the beliefs, ideas, attitudes and values of

people from the oral and written literary pieces taken; and

4. expressed relevant and sound opinions about literary pieces in relation to national
and international problems and issues.
 Lesson 1

Introduction
Since the beginning of time, people have gathered around fires to tell stories of
angry gods, harrowing journeys, cunning animals, horrible beasts, and the mighty heroes
who vanquished them. Mythology and folklore have provided a way for these colorful
stories to spring to life for thousands of years.

Mythology and Folklore: Legendary Tales will illustrate how these famous
anecdotes have helped humans make sense of the world. Beginning with an overview of
mythology and different types of folklore, you will journey with age-old heroes as they
slay dragons, outwit gods, defy fate, fight endless battles, and outwit clever monsters
with strength and courage. You’ll explore the universality and social significance of myths
and folklore and see how these powerful tales continue to shape society even today.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, students must have:

1. read myths and some of the ways they function in societies and cultures;
and

2. interpreted mythic metaphors symbols, and analogies.

Mythology
Is a collection of myths or stories about a specific person, culture, religion, or any
group with shared beliefs. Most people don’t consider mythology to be entirely true,
but they still take it seriously.

Myth stories usually address the origins of a people or culture, or explain events.
In many instances, myths are built around the lives of gods and goddesses. If humans
were involved, they were usually larger than life with tremendous heroic prowess.

Folklore
It refers to the tales people tell – folk stories, fairy tales, “tall tales,” and even urban
legends. Folklore is typically passed down by word of mouth, rather than being written in books
(although sometimes people write down collections of folklore in order to preserve the stories
of a particular community). The key here is that folklore has no author – it just emerges from the
culture and is carried forward by constant retelling.
 It’s interesting to notice the way common themes run through the folklore of various
cultures. For example, the story of the frog prince is of unknown western European origin; but
there are many other similar stories, such as the Finnish tale “Mouse Bride.” In these stories,
someone is looking for a spouse, but only finds a small animal. After showing kindness and love
to the animal, the main characters are rewarded when the animal changes back into a human and
reveals that their animal form was simply the result of a witch’s curse.

Types of Myths

1. Aetiological Myths (sometimes spelled etiological) explain the reason why something is
the way it is today. The word aetiological is from the Greek word aetion (αἴτιον) meaning
“reason” or “explanation”. Please note that the reasons given in an aetiological myth are NOT
the real (or scientific) reasons. They are explanations that have meaning for us as human beings.
There are three subtypes of aetiological myths: natural, etymological, and religious.

A natural aetiological myth explains an aspect of nature. For example, you could explain
lightning and thunder by saying that Zeus is angry.

An etymological aetiological myth explains the origin of a word. (Etymology is the study
of word origins.) For example, you could explain the name of the goddess, Aphrodite, by saying
that she was born in sea-foam, since aphros is the Greek word for sea-foam.

A religious aetiological myth explains the origin of a religious ritual. For example, you
could explain the Greek religious ritual of the Eleusinian Mysteries by saying that they originated
when the Greek goddess, Demeter, came down to the city of Eleusis and taught the people how
to worship her.

All three of these explanations are not true: Zeus’ anger is not the correct explanation for
lightning and thunder; Aphrodite’s name was not actually derived from the Greek word aphros;
and Demeter did not establish her own religious rituals in the town of Eleusis. Rather, all of these
explanations had meaning for the ancient Greeks, who told them in order to help them
understand their world.

2. Historical Myths are told about a historical event, and they help keep the memory of that
event alive. Ironically, in historical myths, the accuracy is lost but meaning is gained.

The myths about the Trojan War, including the Iliad and the Odyssey, could be classified
as historical myths. The Trojan War did occur, but the famous characters that we know from
the Iliad and the Odyssey (Agamemnon, Achilles, Hector, etc.) probably did not exist.

3. Psychological Myths try to explain why we feel and act the way we do. A psychological
myth is different from an aetiological myth because a psychological myth does not try to explain
one thing by way of something else (such as lightning and thunder can be explained by Zeus’
anger).

In a psychological myth, the emotion itself is seen as a divine force, coming from the
outside, that can directly influence a person’s emotions. For example, the goddess, Aphrodite, is
sometimes seen as the power of erotic love. When someone said or did something that they did
not want to do, the ancient Greeks might say that Aphrodite “made them” do it.
Kinds of Mythology
Creation Mythology

Creation myths didn't necessarily emerge so civilizations could provide detailed accounts
of their history. They were used as a means of understanding their current condition. How did
they get there? Where did this all begin?

In many ways, it was easier for ancient civilizations to believe that the world was created
by unseen gods or creatures, than face a series of unknown questions.

Here are some examples:

 The Pueblo believed they began life underground and were guided by a spirit to climb up
through a hole into the Earth. Once there, they found suitable land where the gods taught
them how to farm, build houses, and create communities.

 The Inuit believed first there were giants. Two giants had a baby named Sedna, who
became so large they could no longer feed her. Because of this, they threw her into the
ocean, cutting off her fingers when she tried to cling to the kayak. Each finger became a
sea creature. Sedna became a powerful spirit who controlled the sea and its animals.

 In a Filipino myth the Children of the Limokon, the Limokon were powerful birds that
could talk. On the banks of the Mayo River, they laid two eggs. These eggs became the
first man and woman who married and had many children.

 In southern Nigeria, the Ekoi believed there were two gods in the beginning: Obassi Osaw
of the sky and Obassi Nsi of the land. Osaw created the first man and woman. Nsi taught
them how to survive. When they died, Nsi took them down into the earth.

 In Norse mythology, Odin, the father of all gods, and his brothers Vili and Ve slew the
first giant Ymir and made the world out of his body and the first humans out of tree
trunks.

 In Papago mythology, First Born came to the world when it was only darkness and water
and completed the creation of the world. After he prepared the earth, I'itoi (Elder
Brother) was created, then Coyote and Buzzard, and together they finished the world, its
people and creatures.

Death or Underworld Mythology

How did ancient people cope with destruction, death and dying? The idea of an afterlife
could help rationalize life's sometimes brutal occurrences and lives suddenly cut short. Myths
around the world contain an "underworld," which could be good or bad and from which a lucky
few returned, symbolizing rebirth as much as death.

Here are some examples:

 In Norse mythology, Baldr was immune from harm, so the gods had fun throwing things
at him. One day, trickster Loki gave the blind god Hodr mistletoe to throw at Baldr - the
only thing that could hurt him - and he died. Baldr could return from death if everyone in
the world cried for him. Only the giantess Thökk, actually Loki in disguise, refused to shed
tears, so Baldr had to stay in the underworld.
  In Aztec mythology, Quetzalcoatl created mankind in its current incarnation, "the Fifth
Sun," by journeying to Mictlan, the underworld, and using his blood to give new life to
the bones of those who had lived in the previous eras.

 In Egyptian mythology, Ma'at was the goddess who decided who would enter the
underworld. When people died, their hearts were placed on one side of a scale. The other
side of the scale held Ma'at's feather of truth. If their heart was heavier than the feather,
they were sent to their "second death."

 Hades was the ruler of the Greek underworld. Hades rarely left his kingdom but did not
want to rule alone so he kidnapped Persephone to be his queen. Distraught, her mother
Demeter, goddess of agriculture, let the crops die until Zeus intervened. Persephone was
then destined to spend six months of the year with Hades and six months with Demeter.

Hero Mythology

Hero myths are, perhaps, the most entertaining of all forms of mythology. They don't
necessarily explain any natural phenomenon or major life occurrence. They might, however,
illustrate admirable human traits, such as valor or morality.

In these tales, a hero would be tasked with a lofty assignment. The gods would often step in,
either to aid the hero or interfere and, thus, a myth was born.

Here are some examples:

 The most famous hero is probably Hercules (Herakles in Greek). To pay for a crime he
had to complete a set of heroic tasks. He also helped the Olympians arise victorious in
their battle against the giants. He was the last mortal son of Zeus, but also the only mortal
to become a god upon death.

 Achilles was also a Greek hero. He was the son of a king and a nymph. When he was
born, his mother wanted him to be immortal, so she dipped him in the river Styx.
However, she was holding him by his heel, mistakenly leaving that part of his body
vulnerable. Achilles went on to command legions of men in the Trojan War. He died
when a poisoned arrow struck that one part of his body which remained mortal.

 Karna was the greatest Hindu warrior ever known. His martial arts were, indeed, epic,
and he went on to conquer the entire world. He single-handedly carried out a military
campaign, defeating every king in the world.

 Beowulf was a Scandinavian hero, immortalized in a medieval poem, a brave warrior

who fought and conquered the monsters that terrorized Denmark and Sweden. He not
only depicted moral virtues but also lived an adventure-filled life.

 Perseus is another central character in Greek mythology. He was considered the greatest
Greek hero, as on an epic journey he slew Medusa and saved Andromeda from the sea
monster.

Indeed, life confounds every generation. One element of the human condition that never
changes is our quest for knowledge. We want to know how we got here, what our purpose is,
and how everything around us functions.

Although we can't explain everything, we've certainly come a long way from the days
when angry gods had to be appeased. Yet, mythology served an important purpose for our
ancestors. It helped them make sense of the world they lived in. We can all relate to that. And
mythology continues to serve an important function today. It helps us better understand the rich
culture and traditions of our innovative ancestors.

Ways of Interpreting Myth

1. As a Belief System (literal)
 "The Myths Are True" - An Expression of Religious Experience
 Based on Personal, Familial, or Local Beliefs

2. As History (literal)
 Euhemerus - (4th Century B.C.)
 Attempts to rationalize fantastic events in myth by claiming that they were distortions of
historical fact.
 Example - Zeus was an ancient tribal hero who gradually took on attributes of a god.
 Historical Troy

3. As Philosophy or Allegory (symbolic)

 Homer and Hesiod attribute "all the things that are shameful and scandalous" to the gods.
 Myths hide "deep [philosophical] truths behind their improbable exteriors" (Webster 2).
 eg. Zeus swallowing Metis.

4. As Fables to Illustrate Moral Truth (symbolic)

 Used for moral instruction
 Reductive - channels meaning
 eg. Daealus and Icarus, Phaeton
 Modern faerie tales as an example.

5. As Allegory for Natural Phenomenon (symbolic)

 Pre-scientific explanation of action
 The gods act as symbols of natural processes. i.e. Zeus
 Are gods an explanation for nature, or a personification of it?
 The gods often function differently in worship v. appearance in myth

6. To Explain 'Cause'; Aetiological Approach (symbolic)

 Myths 'illustrate' how things came to be - i.e.: "Why do men only offer the bones and fat
to the gods in sacrifice?"
 Pre-scientific explanation of cause

7. As a Charter for Customs, Institutions, or Beliefs (symbolic or literal)

 Myths validate social practices
 Cultural indoctrination
 Considers function of myth rather than myth as an explanation.

8. To Recreate Religious Power, or as Metaphor for the Unknown (symbolic)

 The use of the myth re-establishes it vitality. eg. the act of creating a myth about the gods
power reifies that power.
 Connects the spiritual realm to the human psyche.

9. As Expressions of Religious Rituals (symbolic)

 Myths and rituals are directly connected. Their relationship between the two is complex.
 Four categories of ritual: sacrifice, initiation, purification, seasonal renewal
10. As Examples of Psychological Archetypes (symbolic)
 Myths are a product of "myth forming elements in the unconscious psyche" - Carl Jung
 Myths are the heroes exploration of the supernatural world. The hero encounters
fabulous forces and learns about his true inner nature - Joseph Campbell.

11. As Entertainment (symbolic)

 Humans find pleasure in familiar structures
 Characters and archetypes in myth appeal to our cultural memory
 Cross-cultural parallels, i.e. "trickster" figure.

12. As an Embodiment of Irreconcilable Structural Conflicts in Society (symbolic)

 Myth allows us to grapple with elementary contradictions
 Illustrate binaries
 Achilles and "fate v. free-will.

Significance of Myth and Folklore

Mythology is important for quite a few reasons. For one thing, it makes up a major part
of anybody’s heritage. It is a constant reminder of who we are and where we come from. Every
culture has their own legends, folktales, and myths – whether it may be Celtic by way of
Scotland, Ireland, or Wales for example, or Germanic by way of Gothic tales.

To understand mythology, one has to define what comprises a myth. One good
definition comes from the American Heritage Dictionary, in which it is “a fiction or half-truth,
especially one that forms part of an ideology.” Another good dictionary defines myth as “a story
presented as historical, dealing with traditions specific to a culture or a group of people.” These
stories can be either cosmological, like battles between deities, or mundane, which can be an
average, ordinary person doing superhuman things under certain circumstances.

Another reason mythology plays an important role is because it becomes a foundation for
a lot of religions that are practiced. These particular myths are stories that tell us about battles
between good and evil. Every religion has stories like that, both ancient and modern. The
protagonist, or hero, has to go through struggles against the antagonist, or villain. During that
journey, that hero learns important values and morals that are important and necessary to defeat
that villain. One notices it a lot in the Christian Bible, as well as in ancient classics, like the
Odyssey by Homer.

Furthermore, the reason why mythology is still important is that it is pure storytelling.
Everybody either likes to tell a good story or listen to someone tell a good story. As a longtime
scholar of mythology myself, I love to do both. I enjoy listening to a good story, so I can pass it
on to somebody else, whether it may be my younger relatives or a community of fellow writers
or other scholars.

Post-Discussion Activity
Write the answers on your notebook.

1. Analyze a myth of your choice. Explain the context in not less than 500 words. (Include
the myth in your notebook)
 References

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