Unit 1 Mythology Flashcards
What are myths in mythology?
Stories by which ancient Greeks attempted to account for things like, which they experienced, and passed down orally
What are 3 things myths are made up of?
- They told supernatural beings, who looked human, but were stronger than humans
-early myths were simple and developed from Greeks and their experiences
-attempted to explain natural phenomenon
What are the 4 forms of myths in mythology?
Myths, legends, epics and dramas
What are legends?
-deals with supernatural beings found in myths
-contains a fraction of actual history passed down orally
-central character: hero-a mortal man who preforms wonderful deeds
what are Epics?
Long narratives with a noble hero, who performs great deeds of Valor
-designed to arouse in its readers or listeners to give inspiration
-written by 1 person
What are dramas?
-Linked as a classical drama
-the first dramatization of mythology
-focused on the authors attempt to find understanding of human situations
-wrote and was the product of 1 author
What is a summary of forms?
-the evolution of the forms of mythology illustrate man’s “rational thinking”.
-the focus shifted from supernatural beings to an analysis and explanation of human nature
-shifts from many authors to 1 author
True or False: Myths are always based on historical facts.
False
Fill in the blank: Myths in Greek is _____.
Mythos
Ancient Greeks:
-made up some of the most fascinating tales
-attempted to explain the origins of man, earth and the gods
-the gods/goddesses had to be treated well
What purpose do myths serve in today’s society?
Myths now refers to a particular kind of story, one intended to explain how people used to think
How do myths differ from legends?
-Myths are traditional stories that try to explain natural phenomenas or cultural beliefs
-Legends are stories mostly based on historical events or figures.
Why did people in the past tell myths?
-to help explain what they couldn’t understand
-to account for natural phenomenon
-to teach mortal value
-to re-tell the glory of heroes
-to explain human nature
Why do we study myths in school?
- Broadens our understanding of ancient cultures
- Visible impact on that development of English Literature, as well as the arts
- Learn about values/morals
- entertainment value
Our relation to mythology:
- Forms the basis of modern advertising
- Integrated with popular music
- Provides clearly defined characters
(Heroes/villians) - helps children understand their own confusion about things they don’t understand
What is the umbrella definition of architypes?
Architects are typical characters, actions, or situations that represent a universal pattern of human nature
What is the function of archetypes?
-The function of archetypes can give literacy works a universal acceptance and also, by using common archetypes, writers attempt to impact realism into their work.
(When readers can Identify and relate with the characters and situations, it makes it more universally accepted)
Type of archetypes:
-Character
-Situational
-Symbolic
What are the different types of character archetypes? (12)
(12)
The innocent youth
The hero (Warrior/ tragic)
Friendly Beast
loyal retainers
the mother figure
the Earth mother
The villain
the devil figure
The trickster
the damsel in distress
the temptress
the star-crossed lovers
What is the innocent youth?
And inexperienced/naive character who will experience a coming of age
What is the hero?
The character who must fulfill a necessary task to restore harmony / justice to a community
What are the 2 types of heroes?
Warrior: Faces physical challenges and enemies
Tragic: A tragic hero who flaw brings about his downfall
What is the friendly Beast?
An animal companion who assists the hero and reflects that nature is on their side
What is the group of companions/loyal retainers?
Individuals who help the hero
What is the mother figure
May guide and direct or create suffering
What is the Earth mother
A symbolic of futilement, London’s, and fertility
What is the villain
The character who opposes the hero
What is the devil figure
The evil incarnation
Trickster:
A character who tricks others or is full of slide jokes and malicious pranks
What is the Damsel in distress
Is a vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the hero
What is the temptress
Is characterized by sensual Beauty and can bring about the heroes downfall
What are the starcross lovers
2 characters engaged in a love affair faited to end tragically
What is a situational architype
Universal situations people can recognize and relate to
What are the types of situational architypes? (8)
(8)
The quest
the task
the journey
the initiation
the ritual
the battle between good and evil
the fall
death and rebirth
What is the quest
The hero must go on a journey to accomplish something in order to revive the wasteland
What is the task
The nearly superhuman feats the hero must perform to accomplish his quest
What is the journey
The main character takes a journey (physical or emotional) to understand his or her personality and the nature of the world
What is the ritual
The actual ceremonies that indicates experiences that will mark his passage into another state
What is the battle between good and evil
The clash of forces of good fighting evil
What is the fall
The main character falls from grace and consequences of his own actions
What is death and rebirth
Is the cycle of nature and the cycle of life
What are symbols archetypes
An object, place, color, or numbers that symbolize a universal feeling or idea
What are the different types of symbolic architypes? (8)
(8)
Light vs darkness
Supernatural intervention
Fire and ice
Underworld
Heaven versus wilderness
Heaven verse hell
the crossroads
Fog
What does Light versus darkness represent
Light suggests hope and renewal or intellectual illumination While darkness implies the despair and Ignorance
What is supernatural Intervention
Spiritual Beings intervene for or against the hero
Fire and ice
Fire represents knowledge, light, life, and rebirth
Ice represents ignorance, darkness and death
What does the Underworld represent
A place of death or an encounter with the dark side or the self
Havan verse wilderness
Places of safety contrast sharply against a dangerous wilderness
Heaven versus hell
Skies house of gods while the bulls of the Earth contain diabolic forces
What is the crossroads
A place or time of decision when a realization is made and change results
What does fog symbolize
It’s symbolizes uncertainty
What does the color red represent
Blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder
What does the color blue represent
Highly positive, security, tranquillity, spiritual purity
What does the color green represent
Hope, growth, envy
What does the color black represent
Darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, evil
What does the color white represent
Positively:
Light, purity, innocence
Negatively:
emptiness, shallowness
What does the color yellow represent
Enlightenment, wisdom
What does the number 3 represent
The holy Trinity, light, spiritual awareness
What does the number 4 represent
The life cycle, 4 elements, mankind (4 limbs)
What does the number 6 Represent
The devil, evil
What does the number 7 represent
Divinity (3) + mankind (4) = relationship between man and God
7 deadly sins, 7 days of the week, 7 gifts of the holy spirit
What is an origin myth
Attempts to explain how the world came into being
What is the definiton of the heroic pattern?
It is the pattern a hero story follows
What is the pattern of a heroic pattern
The birth: there is a fate, favored by a God or Gods, destined to do amazing feats
Destiny: destined to be great, begins naïve, bestowed with a gift or gifts
Quest: hero ventures forth in search of something valuable/important
Journey home: has to do another challenge
Romantic element: in love with female figure and is almost always royalty
Reward: rewarded by the people, gets the gift of immortality in memory
Who is gaea?
The mother of all gods Zeus, Uranus and mother of the earth
