Ways of Interpreting Myths Flashcards
theories of myth interpretation may be roughly divided into
two major groupings: literal and symbolic.
Literalists tend to seek factual or historical bases for a given
mythological narrative, while advocates of one the many
symbolic approaches prefer to regard the narrative as a
code requiring some mode of decipherment. It is important to
realize that the literal and symbolic exegeses [interpretations]
of myths are not necessarily mutually exclusive”
Alan Dundes
puts it, “a myth may have different emphases or
levels of meaning.” Since it often serves more than one
purpose, “a tale about human actions [can] contain more than
a single aspect and implication” (39).
G.S KIRK
myth stories were once all believed to be “true”
- true in what sense since belief is so personal and
individualistic
As a belief system
distortions of historical fact
As a disguised history
(c. 300 BC), who gave his name to any theory that
claims that the gods were originally historical heroes who were deified
Euhemerus
theory that gods arose out of the deification of historical
heroes
- considered naive for some, look for historical truths
Euhemerism
states that the allegorizing of myth “was
in harmony with one of the basic characteristics of Greek
religious thought: the belief that the gods express themselves
in cryptic form–in oracles, in mysteries”
Ernst Robert Curtius
Ernst Robert Curtius states that the allegorizing of myth “was
in harmony with one of the basic characteristics of Greek
religious thought: the belief that the gods express themselves
in cryptic form–in oracles, in mysteries”
As a disguised philosophy or allegory
moral lesson and applicabilities to human nature
- Anthropomorphism
E.g. The Grasshopper and the Ant”
fables
supernatural elements/abilities (wizards, witches, fairies,
magical beings)
tales of magic
