Characteristics Of Myths

The myths are traditional tales full of fantastic facts and fabulous characters, with which ancient peoples tried to explain facts and phenomena that they could not understand; using characters such as gods, demigods, heroes and other beings with supernatural or exceptional faculties or powers. Mythical tales are closely related to religions, and unlike tales they are not intended to entertain, but rather seek give an explanation to phenomena that primitive man could not understand, such as lightning and thunder, earthquakes, or the creation of the universe.

Types of myths:

The historical-magical-religious myths and the myths that refer to circumstances or events that for some reason or another are of doubtful reality. An example of this is the myth that the moon makes people go crazy (lunatics) due to the effects of the full moon.

Types of myths by theme:

1. Cosmogonics: that are tending to explain the origin of the world.

2. Theogonic: they are the ones who narrate and explain the origin of the deities.

3. Anthropological: They are those that explain the origin of the human being.

4. Morales: They are aimed at explaining good and evil, as well as trying to create a certain behavior in the person.

5. Foundational: They are those that try to explain the origin of cities, kingdoms or royal dynasties, either through divine intervention or carried out by men themselves.

6. Mythification of real events: As in the case of the mythologization that is made of the deeds and feats that some men did (who are often called heroes) etc.

• Related Examples of myths

Characteristics of myths:

Universality

Myths exist in all cultures in different countries and times; Through the generations myths are created and transmitted seeking to give an explanation to all those phenomena that human beings observe, but cannot understand. Each culture has its own myths that are the result of the search for an explanation for everything they do not know, developing over time, adding new myths or new facets to the myth through the generations. Being a fundamental part of some religions, they tend to spread through different peoples just like religions, such as This is the case of Greek myths, which were assimilated by peoples such as the Roman, although taking on characteristics own.

Arise from the human mind

They originate in the mind of the human being; They are the product of the imagination and inventiveness of people, who cannot explain the phenomena and facts that happen or that they observe in the daily life of life, they invent an explanation of them through stories fantastic.

Tradition

They are traditionally transmitted orally, being an integral part of the traditions of the peoples, in them several of the customs that are typical of a certain people have their origin.

Real bases

A good part of the myths are based on real events that have been distorted by tradition; adding different things such as the realization of other events or other abilities to the characters over time, as well as changing or modifying the places making them more impressive to the minds of the listeners, such as the descriptions of the different idyllic paradises in which the gods lived in myths such as the Greek or the Norse, where the gods and heroes ate and drank, in the company of nymphs, valkyries or women beautiful.

Symbolism

The use of symbolism is common within myths with which different things are represented, such as the use of analogies, and different types of symbolism with which personify things like storms, the sea, mountains, trees, wind, fire or water, giving them names or giving them characters similar to those of people.

Purpose

In addition to having the purpose of explaining what is not known, in a way that is easily understood by the peoples who create them, they are instruments for religion and moral norms or rules; It is through them that rules of conduct are established to be followed, as well as trying to demonstrate what is good and what is evil, through stories.

Fantasy

They are stories that, although they may be based on real events, always have a large proportion of imagination, either in distortions of the events and places or in the characters, who are often given fantastic characteristics, such as supernatural powers, be it superhuman strength, speed, or mastery of the elements or Magic. As well as describing the real places on which they are based, utopian places, such as the myth of the promised land that spills milk and honey, being in reality simply a place in which agricultural, pastoral and marine. Or as in the case of the islands of the Hesperides, it could well be a real place that was exaggerating the abundance it had.

Outstanding Characters

The protagonists and other characters of the myths are usually gods, demons, and other supernatural beings (good or bad) such as witches and sorcerers, as well as heroes who, although They can be human, they have outstanding abilities, such as superhuman strength, great speed, magic, or an intelligence and sagacity that leads them to succeed in some trances. This is the case of Odysseus (Ulysses for the Romans), who due to his great intelligence manages to devise a way to defeat the Trojans, or of the hero Heracles (Hercules for the Romans), who had a strength superior to that of other men rivaling that of the gods and titans.

Myths are traditional stories full of fantastic facts and fabulous characters, with which ancient peoples tried to explain facts and phenomena that they could not understand; using characters such as gods, demigods, heroes and other beings with supernatural or exceptional faculties or powers. Mythical tales are closely related to religions, and unlike tales they are not intended to entertain, but rather seek give an explanation to phenomena that primitive man could not understand, such as lightning and thunder, earthquakes, or the creation of the universe.

More in:

• Examples of myths
• Myths of gods
• Difference between myth and legend