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Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology. The critical interpretation of myth began with the Presocratics. [93] Euhemerus was one of the most important pre-modern mythologists. He interpreted myths as accounts of actual ...
Legends are sometimes distinguished from myths in that they concern human beings as the main characters and do not necessarily have supernatural origins, and sometimes in that they have some sort of historical basis whereas myths generally do not. [2] [3] The Brothers Grimm defined legend as "folktale historically grounded". [4]
Human cannibalism features in the myths, folklore, and legends of many cultures and is most often attributed to evil characters or as extreme retribution for some wrongdoing. Examples include Lamia of Greek mythology, a woman who became a child-eating monster after her children were destroyed by Hera, upon learning of her husband Zeus' trysts.
In terms of values, Leeming contrasts "the myth of Jesus" with the myths of other "Christian heroes such as St. George, Roland, el Cid, and even King Arthur"; the later hero myths, Leeming argues, reflect the survival of pre-Christian heroic values—"values of military dominance and cultural differentiation and hegemony"—more than the values ...
Native American cultures are rich in myths and legends that explain natural phenomena and the relationship between humans and the spirit world. According to Barre Toelken, feathers, beadwork, dance steps and music, the events in a story, the shape of a dwelling, or items of traditional food can be viewed as icons of cultural meaning.
Such myths often serve as important national symbols and affirm a set of national values. A myth is a mixture of reality and fiction, and operates in a specific social and historical setting. Social myths structure national imaginaries. [1] A national myth may take the form of a national epic, or it may be incorporated into a civil religion.
List of creation myths; List of legendary creatures by type; List of mythology books and sources; List of mythological objects; List of culture heroes; List of world folk-epics; Lists of deities; Lists of legendary creatures; National myth; Mythopoeia
Articles relating to legends, a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions perceived or believed both by teller and listeners to have taken place within human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude.