Foundation of Mythology

Foundation of Mythology

Cielz del Mundo

HUM/105

August 24, 2015

Joan Canby

The meaning of the word “myth”

        There is no one satisfactory definition, since myths serve many different purposes. The first purpose was to explain the mysterious. Since the beginning of humankind's existence, myths have functioned as rationalizations for the fundamental mysteries of life, questions such as: Who made the world? How will it end? Where do we come from? Who was the first human? What happens when we die? According to Merriam-Webster, “Myth means to refers to something that is not fully true, but it is claimed to be true. If someone were to tell you a story that something to them because of what they believe in, in reality no one couldn’t answer and if it actually happened or not” (Merriam-webster, 2015).

History

        Throughout the history, people always wanted to know who created the earth, animals, mankind etc. There are different beliefs and different ways on which makes mythology important from then until now. It is important because it’s our major part of life where it always reminds us that where we come from and how to treat people around us no matter whom we are.  Like the word story, the word myth has a wide range of sometimes-contradictory meanings and connotations.  A traditional story whose author is unknown and that is accepted as factual history serving to explain the worldview of a people (Cabrera, 2013).

Relationships

        Many different human relationships can be characterized by love: family love, the love of friends, and romantic love all lead people to do things with and for their beloveds that they would not otherwise do to the point of great feats of skill and strength, on the one hand, or murder on the other hand. The gods sometimes love one another in similar ways. When gods and humans love one another, complications often ensue. When love is one-sided, moreover, other complications ensue. Myth for example; cupid can make people fall in love, or people can fall instantly in love with one another. To account for something in nature that people do not yet understand, they tell a story about a being whose actions or life has caused in what can be observed.

Common themes in myths and legends across culture

        Shimane, mythology from Japaanese, “Until now, there are many themes in Japanese mythology share striking similarities with other world mythology. The idea of the world being formless and chaotic is quite common like Izanagi and Izanami’s creation of the world is similar to the story of Adam and Eve, in the sense that a male and female pair was necessary for creation, be it of the world itself or the people who would populate it.” Similar themes can be found throughout mythology and religion the world over (Shimane, 2014)