Claude LeviClaude Levi--Strauss Strauss 1908190819081908—— (yep, he’s 98)(yep, he’s 98)

“The Structural Study of Myth” 1955

Presented by Elliott S. StegallPresented by Elliott S. Stegall

Nope, he’s not the guy who makes jeansNope, he’s not the guy who makes jeansp , g y jp , g y j

Claude LeviClaude Levi--StraussStraussClaude LeviClaude Levi StraussStrauss

Born in Brussels,Born in Brussels,Born in Brussels, Born in Brussels, Belgium; educated in Belgium; educated in Paris Paris

Major figure of Major figure of SSocial Anthropologyocial AnthropologySSocial Anthropologyocial Anthropology

The branch of anthropology that deals with the The branch of anthropology that deals with the social customs, beliefs, and practices of people, social customs, beliefs, and practices of people, p p pp p p

especially in primitive and isolated societies.especially in primitive and isolated societies.

mythmythn.n.

1. a. 1. a. A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society: delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society: the myth of the myth of

Eros and Psyche; a creation myth.Eros and Psyche; a creation myth.b. b. Such stories considered as a group: Such stories considered as a group: the realm of myth.the realm of myth.

2. 2. A popular belief or story that has become associated with a person, A popular belief or story that has become associated with a person, institution, or occurrence, especially one considered to illustrate a institution, or occurrence, especially one considered to illustrate a

cultural ideal:cultural ideal: a star whose fame turned her into a myth; the pioneera star whose fame turned her into a myth; the pioneercultural ideal: cultural ideal: a star whose fame turned her into a myth; the pioneer a star whose fame turned her into a myth; the pioneer myth of suburbia.myth of suburbia.

3.3. A fiction or halfA fiction or half--truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology.truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology.3. 3. A fiction or halfA fiction or half truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology.truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology.

4. 4. A fictitious story, person, or thing: A fictitious story, person, or thing: "German artillery superiority on "German artillery superiority on the Western Front was a myth"the Western Front was a myth" Leon Wolff.Leon Wolff.

[New Latin mythus, from Late Latin mythos, from Greek muthos.][New Latin mythus, from Late Latin mythos, from Greek muthos.]

Levi-Strauss begins with a gripe

* Anthropologists have moved away from religion, creating a void

* Amateur psychologists have moved into the field

* Study of mythology is lagging behind

Various Interpretations of MythsVarious Interpretations of MythsVarious Interpretations of MythsVarious Interpretations of Myths

* Collective dreams* Collective dreams* Outcome of an aesthetic play* Outcome of an aesthetic play

* B i f it l* B i f it l* Basis of ritual* Basis of ritual* Fundamental feelings common to mankind: * Fundamental feelings common to mankind:

love, hate, revengelove, hate, revengelove, hate, revengelove, hate, revenge* Explanations for unexplained phenomena: * Explanations for unexplained phenomena:

astronomical, meteorologicalastronomical, meteorological

Purpose: to provide a logical modelPurpose: to provide a logical modelPurpose: to provide a logical model Purpose: to provide a logical model capable of overcoming a contradiction, capable of overcoming a contradiction, that contradiction being: “If the content of athat contradiction being: “If the content of athat contradiction being: If the content of a that contradiction being: If the content of a myth is contingent (unpredictable), how myth is contingent (unpredictable), how are we going to explain the fact that mythsare we going to explain the fact that mythsare we going to explain the fact that myths are we going to explain the fact that myths throughout the world are so similar? (861)throughout the world are so similar? (861)

Solution: Linguistics!Solution: Linguistics!

1eu·re·ka1eu·re·ka

Solution: Linguistics!Solution: Linguistics!

1eu re ka1eu re kaPronunciation: yuPronunciation: yu--'rE'rE--k&k&

Function: Function: interjectioninterjectionEtymology: Greek Etymology: Greek heurEkaheurEka I have found, from I have found, from

heuriskeinheuriskein to find or discover; from the to find or discover; from the l ti tt ib t d t A hi dl ti tt ib t d t A hi dexclamation attributed to Archimedes on exclamation attributed to Archimedes on

discovering a method for determining the purity discovering a method for determining the purity of goldof gold ---- more atmore at HEURISTICHEURISTIC ---- used to expressused to expressof gold of gold ---- more at more at HEURISTICHEURISTIC ---- used to express used to express

triumph on a discoverytriumph on a discoveryp s see Saussurep s see Saussurep.s. see Saussurep.s. see Saussure

Brief Primer on SaussureBrief Primer on SaussureBrief Primer on SaussureBrief Primer on Saussure

It i th bi ti f d t thIt i th bi ti f d t thIt is the combination of sounds, not the It is the combination of sounds, not the sounds themselves, which provides the sounds themselves, which provides the

i ifi t d ti ifi t d tsignificant data.significant data.

D d P ’ S iD d P ’ S iDead Poet’s SocietyDead Poet’s Society

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCn6CZ4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCn6CZ4d24kd24k

“Myth “Myth isis language: to be known, myth has to be language: to be known, myth has to be yy g g , yg g , ytold; it is a part of human speech…[however] it is told; it is a part of human speech…[however] it is both the same thing as language, and also both the same thing as language, and also something different from it ” (861)something different from it ” (861)something different from it. (861).something different from it. (861).

“For language itself can be analyzed into things“For language itself can be analyzed into thingsFor language itself can be analyzed into things For language itself can be analyzed into things which are at the same time similar and yet which are at the same time similar and yet different” (861).different” (861).

"langue" and "parole" :"langue" and "parole" :

These terms were coined by Saussure himself. These terms were coined by Saussure himself. "Langue" is a language system, a set of options "Langue" is a language system, a set of options g g g y , pg g g y , por possibilities, whereas "parole" is a particular or possibilities, whereas "parole" is a particular utterance or statement. Saussure, as a linguist, utterance or statement. Saussure, as a linguist, cares more for "langue" than "parole": he wants cares more for "langue" than "parole": he wants to discover and then to determine the set of to discover and then to determine the set of rules or conventions that govern the productionrules or conventions that govern the productionrules or conventions that govern the production rules or conventions that govern the production of particular utterances.of particular utterances.

If myth is both of these it is alsoIf myth is both of these it is alsoIf myth is both of these, it is also If myth is both of these, it is also something else. Myth is timeless; it something else. Myth is timeless; it

explains the past the present and theexplains the past the present and theexplains the past, the present, and the explains the past, the present, and the future.future.

Unlike poetry which loses something inUnlike poetry which loses something inUnlike poetry, which loses something in Unlike poetry, which loses something in the translation, “the mythical value of the the translation, “the mythical value of the myth is preserved even through the worstmyth is preserved even through the worstmyth is preserved even through the worst myth is preserved even through the worst translation…a myth is still felt as a myth by translation…a myth is still felt as a myth by any reader anywhere in the world Itsany reader anywhere in the world Itsany reader anywhere in the world. Its any reader anywhere in the world. Its substance does not lie in its style, its substance does not lie in its style, its original music or its syntax but in theoriginal music or its syntax but in theoriginal music, or its syntax, but in the original music, or its syntax, but in the storystory which it tells” (862).which it tells” (862).

Summary so far:Summary so far:

Meaning in myth resides not in its isolated Meaning in myth resides not in its isolated l t b t i th th l tl t b t i th th l telements but in the way those elements are elements but in the way those elements are

combined.combined.

Language in myth exhibits specific properties.Language in myth exhibits specific properties.

Those properties are above the ordinary Those properties are above the ordinary linguistic level. linguistic level. gg

Myth is made up of constituent [parts ofMyth is made up of constituent [parts ofMyth is made up of constituent [parts of Myth is made up of constituent [parts of a whole] units, which Levia whole] units, which Levi--Strauss terms Strauss terms mythemes and make up or “bundles ofmythemes and make up or “bundles ofmythemes, and make up or bundles of mythemes, and make up or bundles of relations” rather than individual relations. relations” rather than individual relations.

His point is illustrated by comparing the myth of Oedipus to an origin myth of the Zuni (a member of a tribe of Pueblo Indians living in western New Mexico)western New Mexico).

More imagesMore imagesMore imagesMore images

An Oedipal dilemmaAn Oedipal dilemmaAn Oedipal dilemmaAn Oedipal dilemma

"diachronic" and "synchronic":diachronic and synchronic :

A diachronic relationship is temporal; it's the relationship a word or phrase or event might have with words or phrases or events that come before or after it. By contrast, a synchronic relationship has nothing to do with time or sequence; it's the relationship that a word or phrase or event might have with all other words, phrases, or events in a language or a narrative Diachronic relationships areor events in a language or a narrative. Diachronic relationships are often described as horizontal, and synchronic relationships as vertical. To see why, you might think of the horizontal and vertical columns in Levi-Strauss's account of the Oedipus myth. If you

d h i t ll ki i th f th l f iread horizontally, skipping the fourth column, you are focusing on diachronic relationships--that is, on temporal relationships: first Cadmos seeks his sister, then he kills the dragon, then the Spartoi kill one another, and so on. Now, if you read vertically, you are , , y y, ybeginning to move towards the synchronic. See why? You're no longer concerned simply with events that directly precede or succeed each other, but rather with events that may be distant from each other in timefrom each other in time.

S h 864 f Ri htS h 864 f Ri htSee graph, page 864 of RichterSee graph, page 864 of Richter

Column one (up and down view) contains three mythemes associated Column one (up and down view) contains three mythemes associated by an “overrating of blood relations.”by an “overrating of blood relations.”

Column two contains three mythemes associated by an “underrating Column two contains three mythemes associated by an “underrating of blood relations.”of blood relations.”

Column three contains two mythemes associated with “monsters Column three contains two mythemes associated with “monsters being slain.”being slain.”

Column four contains two mythemes demonstrating the “remarkableColumn four contains two mythemes demonstrating the “remarkableColumn four contains two mythemes demonstrating the remarkable Column four contains two mythemes demonstrating the remarkable connotation of the surnames in Oedipus’ fatherconnotation of the surnames in Oedipus’ father--line.” = Difficulties in line.” = Difficulties in walking upright.walking upright.

See footnote 9 (Richter 865)See footnote 9 (Richter 865)See footnote 9 (Richter 865)See footnote 9 (Richter 865)

"chthonian" and "autochthonian":"chthonian" and "autochthonian":chthonian and autochthonian :chthonian and autochthonian :

These terms are crucial to LeviThese terms are crucial to Levi--Strauss's Strauss's analysis of the Oedipus myth Somethinganalysis of the Oedipus myth Somethinganalysis of the Oedipus myth. Something analysis of the Oedipus myth. Something is "chthonian" if it lives in the ground; it's is "chthonian" if it lives in the ground; it's "autochthonian" if it springs up out of the"autochthonian" if it springs up out of theautochthonian if it springs up out of the autochthonian if it springs up out of the ground or is somehow born from the ground or is somehow born from the ground (binary opposition)ground (binary opposition)ground (binary opposition).ground (binary opposition).

ConclusionsConclusions

Oedipus has to do with the inability to transition Oedipus has to do with the inability to transition f t hth t th d k l df t hth t th d k l dfrom autochthonous to theory and knowledge from autochthonous to theory and knowledge that human beings are actually born from the that human beings are actually born from the union of man and woman.union of man and woman.union of man and woman.union of man and woman.

Different interpretations are also valid.Different interpretations are also valid.pp

Myth’s Myth’s growthgrowth is a continuous process, whereas is a continuous process, whereas yy gg ppits its structurestructure remains continuous.remains continuous.

TelosTelosTelosTelos