Mythology-Children and Adolescent Literature

MYTHOL
OGY
borrowed from the compound of the
Greek words mythos (story) + logos
(speech), in itself tells a story of ancient
times, as myths were once passed from
person to person only through the
spoken word.
WHO INVENTED MYTHS?
The earliest known versions of these myths date back
more than 2,700 years, appearing in written form in the
works of the Greek poets Homer and Hesiod. But some
of these myths are much older. Indeed,
the Greeks borrowed some of their best material from
other, more ancient stories
CHARACTERISTICS
MYTHS TEACH A LESSON OR
EXPLAIN THE NATURAL WORLD
o The striking of Thor's hammer caused thunder
o Winter came when Persephone was forced to spend
part of the year underground
MYTHS HAVE MANY GODS
AND GODDESSES
Many myths had a huge cast of characters
that had specific jobs:
oZeus controlled the heavens
oPoseidon controlled the seas
oHades ruled the underworld
THE GODS AND GODDESSES
ARE SUPER-HUMAN
oJason won the golden fleece by performing
impossible tasks
oAtlas held up the world
THE GODS AND GODDESSES
HAVE HUMAN EMOTIONS
oPandora was curious
oLoki and Eros were mischievous
oHera was jealous
oVenus got intimidated
MYTHS CONTAIN MAGIC
oThe sons of the North Wind and Pegasus could fly
oCirce transformed men into pigs
oAthena was born from Zeus' head.
oCap of invisibility (also Cap of Hades), a cap that
turns a person invisible
GODS AND GODDESSES
OFTEN APPEAR IN DISGUISE
Zeus and Hermes disguises as wayfarers where they
were hospitably received by the poor couple Baucis
and Philemon
Hera appeared to Jason as an old woman
Aphrodite becomes a hunter
GOOD IS REWARDED AND
EVIL IS PUNISHED
oBaucis and Philemon were rewarded for their
generosity to Zeus
oPrometheus was punished for stealing fire
from the gods
MYTHS CAN BE VIOLENT
oThor killed Thrym with his hammer
oPrometheus' liver was eaten by vultures!
ELEMENT
S
oCharacters
oSetting
oPlot
oTheme
CHARACTERS
Often non-human and are typically

Gods, goddesses, supernatural beings or
mystical “fist people.”
SETTIN
GS
o Typically ancient, or prior to the time
when actual records were kept. Myths
are typically set in a world very
similar to our own, but with
supernatural monsters or areas.
PLOT
The plot of a myth may take place between a

supernatural world and our present day world. Myths
do this to highlight the basic human behaviors that
are essential in any setting.
THEORIES
RATIONAL MYTH THEORY
myths were made to better understand natural events and
forces that occurred in the everyday lives of people.
This theory also explains that the gods and goddesses
controlled all of these happenings of nature. Examples of this
type of myth are creation myths from different cultures
FUNCTIONAL MYTH THEORY
how myths were used to teach morality and

social behavior. It states that myths told about what
types of things should and shouldn't be done, and
the consequences for those wrong doings
STRUCTURAL MYTH THEORY
Particularly the work of Ferdinand de Saussure.

There are several different structuralist
approaches to myth, but they share a common
view that a myth cannot be interpreted in
isolation but only has meaning within an entire
cultural system or structure of myth
PSYCHOLOGICAL MYTH THEORY
States how myths are based on human emotion and

that they come from the human subconscious mind.
Cultures all around the world had similar fears,
questions, and wishes which, to them, were
unexplainable
FAMOUS
AUTHORS
oEdith Hamilton :Greek mythology, Roman
mythology, and Norse mythology
oHomer: Iliad and Odyssey
oMadeline Miller: Song of Achilles
oRobert Graves: The White Goddess
oThomas Bulfinch: The Legend of Charlemagne
oStepehn Fry: Troy
oOvid: The Metamorphoses
Dennis Santos Villegas- You shall be as gods
“Ang Tikbalang Kung Kabilugan ng Buwan” by Virgilio
Almario
“Si Mariang Makiling at ang Alamat ng Animas Anya” by
Will P. Ortiz
“Demigods and Monsters: Stories” by Caroline Hau
“Philippine Folk Literature: The Myths” compiled and
edited by Damiana L. Eugenio
“The Search for Adarna” by K.M. Levis
“Mga Nilalang na Kagila-gilalas” by Edgar Calabia Samar

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MYTHOL

Often non-human and are typically

The plot of a myth may take place between a

how myths were used to teach morality and

Particularly the work of Ferdinand de Saussure.

States how myths are based on human emotion and

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