Activator

INSTRUCTIONS: Respond to the following questions, drawing on any previous knowledge you have about these terms. What do you think qualifies as a myth?

Provide some examples.

What do you think qualifies as a folktale? Provide some examples.

Myths and FolktalesStories from the Beginning of Time

MythsThe World’s Oldest Stories

Myth: A Definition

A myth is an ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, and heroes.

The word mythology is Greek in origin (etymology). Mythos= story

Logo= speech or argument

Myths often explain the view of a group of people, and may have represented religious beliefs at first.

Myths attempt to explain the mysteries of life.

Cultures that have Myths Every culture has its

own mythology. Universal symbols

and themes appear in different cultures’ myths.

Greek, Roman, Native American, Celtic, South American, African, and Norse mythology are examples of myths from different cultures.

Characteristics of Myths Contain heroes

and heroines Characters are

often animals Supernatural

elements Told orally

(spoken)

Gods and goddesses Explain a natural phenomena Often associated with the religion or

rituals of the culture

The Reasons for Myths To explain the

creation of the world and universe

To explain natural phenomena

To tell about a culture’s heroes

To explain the nature of the culture’s gods and goddesses

To explain human nature

To explain the meaning behind religious rituals

To explain historical events

To teach morals and values

FolktalesThe Human Experience

Folktales Emerge Folktales arose as myths transformed

over generations. They were stories which were created

from the “folk” – the common people. They were passed along from

generation to generation.

Characteristics of Folktales

Nonreligious stories Meant for entertaining, but also for

teaching values Feature magic, transformations,

enchantments, and gods and goddesses, but they are not the center of the story

Heroes are common, everyday folk without special powers

Are not associated with rituals

Types of Folktales There are three types of folktales:

Legends Fairy Tales Fables

Both Myths and Folktales Both reveal different kinds of truths:

Truths about life

Truths about society

Truths about human nature

By analyzing the following details, you can determine a great deal about the story’s culture of origin: Language (dialect)

Setting (location and region—sometimes)

Religious beliefs, rituals, and customs

Behavior

Clothing

Food

Summarizer On the following TRUE OR FALSE quiz,

two are marked incorrectly. Which two are incorrect?

False 1. Every culture has its own mythology.

False 2. Both myths and folktales explain natural phenomena.

False 3. The three types of folktales are legends, fairy tales, and epics.

True 4. A myth is an ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, and heroes.

False 5. Folktales are nonreligious stories.