What the Myth?

The following are the quotes used during today's discussion about mythology in the Mythology class.  Latin students may choose to disregard.  Or not.  ;)

}  Definitions from the board:

◦      “Teachings too old to know whether or not they are true, so they are experimented with and investigated.”

◦      “Big scary gods.”

◦      “Mythical, folklore, creatures, stories.

Quotes:

}  “Myth [is] a dramatic presentation of the moral wisdom of the race.  The myth uses the totality of the senses rather than just the intellect.”—Rollo May

}  “Myth is the secret opening through which inexhaustible energies of the cosmos pour into human cultural manifestations.”—Joseph Campbell

}  “Myths are things which never happened but always are.”—Carl Sagan

}  “Myth… is the distilled essence of human experience, expressed as metaphoric narrative.”—John Alexander Allen

}  “Myth is whatever a people believe or behave as though they believe.”—Richard Guches

}  “Any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic.”

The functions of mythology (according to Campbell):

1. Awakens and perpetuates a sense of wonder and participation in the mystery of the universe.
2. Gives a deep and mystical importance to the shared image of the universe.
3. Validates and maintains moral systems and customs.
4. Conducts individuals through the cycles of their lives.
1. i.e. birth, childhood, maturity, old age and death.