The Function Of A Myth Essay
, Research PaperThe Function of a Myth To understand the map of a myth, it is of import to hold a common apprehension of what the word myth means. A myth is a traditional, frequently ancient narrative, covering with supernatural existences, ascendants, or heroes that serves to depict an recognized cardinal position of a people.
These positions are communicated by explicating facets of the natural universe or sketching the psychological science, imposts, or ideals of society. In the universe that we live in today, myths have been replaced by our advanced scientific disciplines. Many old ages ago, when scientific discipline had yet to make the degree that it has today, the people of our universe searched for replies to inquiries that they could non reply. In their clip there was no manner for them to research and analyze the creative activity of life, our works or even our existence. Not holding replies to these inquiries make it hard for human existences to happen a intent for life or a rulebook to use to the manner in which they live.When I read the myths Creation, Death and Rebirth of the Universe, The Quarrel between Sagbatta and Sogbo, Raven and the Beginnings of Light every bit good as How the Kangaroo got its Legs a point that I found common between all these narratives is that they all explain how something that people have ever known to be, was created. Evidence of this is the undermentioned: I ) In the myth Creation, Death and Rebirth of the Universe, the character Gangleri, directs his inquiries to the Gods about events that are prior to the creative activity of worlds. An obvious illustration of this is when Gangleri asks how all things came to be ( intending creative activity of the existence ) .
i ) In the myth The Quarrel between Sagbatta and Sogbo the myth communicates that the great goddess Mawu created the universe.ii ) Although the narrative of Raven and the Beginnings of Light illustrates that worlds were non ever with light. It is of import to understand that the reader of this narrative did non cognize how light in his universe came to be.iii ) In the myth How the Kangaroo got its Legs once more the reader is non cognizant that the Kangaroo has changed from one signifier to another. This narrative explains points that the reader was non able to detect or explicate. The facts above cause me to believe that one of the maps of a myth is to inform worlds of events that they were unable to detect and explain.Three of the myths that I read had besides covered subjects of hierarchal values.
When I read the myths I found that the hierarchal values did non merely use to category construction, but besides to genders, races, folks and religions.i ) In the myth The Creation, Death and the Rebirth of the Universe, it shows that category construction is of import to the Norse people. This myth topographic points Gods foremost, giants 2nd and worlds 3rd in the category system. Furthermore, the myth displayed gender values bespeaking that work forces are superior to adult females. This is demonstrated by the fact that goddesses are ever listed 2nd and do non keep as of import places as the Gods do. When the two worlds, Lif ( intending life ) and his married woman Lifthrasir ( intending wanting life ) , are to transport on the human race, Lif is mentioned before his married woman, and the significances behind Thursdayeir names are besides ranked in importance, life being more of import than wanting it. This myth besides shows how races are besides a portion of the hierarchal system.
Giants are superior to worlds, as Gods are superior to giants.two ) In the myth the Quarrel between Sagbatta and Sogbo category construction is shown when the female parent God instructs her two boies to govern the existence in peace.iii ) In the myth Raven and the beginnings of Light the fact that Raven is viewed as superior to the worlds because he has visible radiation is besides an illustration of category construction. Myths build positions of hierarchal values, another map of myths. The values that are illustrated are values that were accepted by the society in which these myths were created.
The myths frequently are based on the political orientation of a people. The Creation, Death and Rebirth of the Universe was created in line with the political orientation of the Norse peoples.All of the myths included subdivisions that communicated the importance of good moralss among the people of the society.
Another point that is demonstrated by all the myths is punishments for non obeying the Torahs that have been passed on through generations.i ) This point is good demonstrated in the myth the Quarrel between Sagbatta and Sogbo. The greed of Sagbatta is punished, he has to give up the wealths that he truly inherited from his female parent, so that he is able to assist the people of Earth and enable them last. two ) In the myth Raven and the beginnings of Light, the old adult male that has kept the visible radiation for himself, is deceived by the Raven, and loses the visible radiation to the people of the universe. This leads me to believe that another map of a myth is to represent values that the Gods or supernatural existences feel are of import. They besides frequently show the penalty possibilities that semen from non obeying these values.
A value that is taught by many myths is the importance of obeisance. Myths illustrate obeisance by exemplifying the result of being disobedient. I believe that myths concentrate on demoing the importance of obeisance to younger readers to press them to be obedient. An illustration of this occurs in The Quarrel between Sagbatta and Sogbo. By non being obedient to his female parent, Sagbatta ends up losing much of the luck that he inherited to his younger brother in return for favors.Therefore another map of a myth is to make a sense of importance of obeisance in people. Obedience is besides an political orientation that is passed on from one coevals to the following.
Having myths that express political orientations insures that the political orientation is non lost from coevals to generation.Another map of a myth is to give a group of people cohesiveness with each other. Myths are portion of the civilization and tradition of a people group that serve to give them a sense of belonging to the group.
The myths can besides give hope to take down category peoples, such as provincials in a land ruled by a male monarch. They create a sense of worthiness among people, at the same clip maintaining the highest persons in line.For these grounds, myths were a really of import portion of people s lives. They give people purpose for life, explain the unexplained and give them a rulebook on which to establish their lives.
