Myths

Myths deal with ancient stories, such as the escapades of the Greek gods and their great feats of bravery. Roman mythology adopted the Greek gods, changing the name of Zeus to Jupiter, Hera to Juno, Poseidon to Neptune, and so on. The myths gave human emotions and qualities to the super- natural beings who were the heroes and heroines of their stories. Hera was known for her jealousy. Zeus was always trying to get things past his wife. Poseidon ruled the weather by his whims. These gods and goddesses helped or harmed mankind as they pleased. One charming story that is my favorite is that of Galatea, the statue a man carved to fit his description of womanly beauty that the gods bring to life. Loves, lost loves and love restrained are all entwined in the ancient Greek stories.

Norse mythology is marked by a sense of doom, and its heroes are those brave souls who show their courage: "a heroic death, like a martyr's death, is not a defeat, but a triumph" (Hamilton, p301). Every culture has its own mythical literature, but it is interesting to see that all these stories have certain repetitive patterns in which truth is expressed in the form of symbols and allegories to explain the human condition and the reason for human suffering. It is also interesting to note that new myths continue to be created.