Mythology and folklore are often used interchangeably, but mythology refers to large-scale stories spanning a wide geographic range and involving titanic events and characters, while folklore involves smaller, more intimate settings and characters. The scale of the story determines the difference between the two, but the distinction can be blurred when smaller tales become larger ones.
The difference between mythology and folklore can be quite subtle and the terms are often used interchangeably by both laymen and established scholars. A common method that can be used to distinguish between the two terms, however, is for someone to consider the scope of a story and use that to distinguish between mythology and folklore. Mythology usually refers to something extremely large in scale and scope, often spanning a large geographic range and thousands of years. Folklore, however, is usually smaller in scale and is often thought of as the mythology of the common people, although these stories may be just as well known.
Both mythology and folklore share many ideas and aspects, although these terms can be used to refer to quite different concepts. The scale and scope of the stories told in these types of systems are often used to differentiate them. The scale of a story does not necessarily refer to how many people know about it, but rather to the nature of the story itself and the types of events and characters found in it. This scale can change over time, however, and thus a transition between folklore and mythology can potentially occur.
Mythology is generally believed to be much larger in scale than folklore and to involve titanic events and characters. A story told about the creation of the universe or how the world was created is usually referred to as a mythology. Likewise, characters in mythology are often larger and more impossible figures than characters commonly found in folklore. Both mythology and folklore involve fictional characters and stories, but the people in myths are often divine or immortal beings who battle fantastic monsters and are involved in events that shape the very nature of the world.
In contrast, folklore usually develops on a smaller scale and involves more intimate settings, events, and characters. Folklore stories usually involve local settings and events, such as an explanation of how a nearby forest was created or the birth of a king who once lived in a particular region. The types of adventures and actions performed by these characters are also often smaller in scale, such as a battle that names a local mountain or types of local fantastical creatures. This distinction between mythology and folklore can be blurred at times, however, as in cases where smaller tales become larger ones, such as the development of famous fairy tales or the Arthurian legend.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
