What do myths do

The myths of a golden age give people hope that there are great leaders who will improve their lives. The hero's quest is a model for young men and women to follow, as they accept adult responsibilities. Some myths simply reassure, such as myths that explain natural phenomena as the actions of gods, rather than arbitrary events of nature. The subjects of myths reflect the universal concerns of mankind throughout history: birth, death, the afterlife, the origin of man and the world, good and evil and the nature of man himself.

A myth taps into a universal cultural narrative, the collective wisdom of man. An excellent illustration of the universality of these themes is that so many peoples who have had no contact with each other create myths that are remarkably similar. Unlike fairy tales, myths are not always optimistic. True to the nature of life, the essence of myths is such that they are as often warnings as promises; as often laments as celebrations. 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.

Rather, all of these explanations had meaning for the ancient Greeks, who told them in order to help them understand their world. 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. Psychological myths try to explain why we feel and act the way we do.

For example, the goddess, Aphrodite, is sometimes seen as the power of erotic love. Skip to content There are actually many different types of myth, not just three. They did not see them as perfect, but just like people. In the Greek myths the gods argue, fall in love, get jealous of each other and make mistakes.

There are many famous Greek myths and legends. Some of them are reused in stories and films today! Free learning resources from arts, cultural and heritage organisations. Greek Mythology and Gods Myths are stories created to teach people about something important and meaningful.

Some of the most important Greek gods were: Zeus , the leader of the gods, in charge of rain and the sky Hera , Zeus's wife, was the goddess of marriage and childbirth Poseidon, the god of the sea Aphrodite , the goddess of love Hades , the god of the Underworld, where the dead lived Ares , god of war and battle There are many famous Greek myths and legends. In one, a woman called Pandora opens up a box full of all the bad things in the world, and lets them out. Theseus and the Minotaur tells the story of a prince who chases a monster through a labyrinth to save the woman he loves.