Myths are fictional stories used to explain natural phenomena and human experience. They often include religious and supernatural elements, high adventure and drama, and are passed down orally. Myths lack a single identifiable author and are shared by a culture as a whole.
A myth is a fictional story told to explain some aspect of existence. All over the world, people have created myths in an attempt to understand the mysteries of the world. Regardless of origin, myths share some common characteristics such as religious and supernatural elements, connection to a larger collection of stories, and shared authorship.
For prehistoric and ancient civilizations, the world could be a confusing, mysterious and scary place. They used myth and storytelling as a way to make sense of natural phenomena. Myths have played a large part in explaining the unknown, including the creation of the world, the passing of the seasons, and the shape of a constellation.
Myths often have something to say about human experience as well. Morality, cultural values, and fatal flaws are all well represented in the mythology. In these stories, heroes who display courage, wit, and virtue prized by that culture typically triumph over evil. Conversely, those who give in to greed, vanity, or weakness often meet a darker fate.
Religion and the supernatural are also heavily represented in mythology. In a pre-scientific world, mythmakers have turned to magic and divine power to explain most phenomena. Aspects of the natural world and human nature can be given shape and voice. Gods responsible for certain aspects of nature, brave heroes who face dangerous monsters, magical creatures and fantastic places are all protagonists of myths.
High adventure and high drama play a big part. It goes without saying that a myth must be memorable if it is to be passed on. Many mythologies were first transmitted orally, with some only recorded when other cultures picked up the stories. These stories have often had the opportunity to grow into the narrative.
Some cultures regarded their myths as fiction, but many viewed the tales as literal, historically accurate fact. In these cases, the tales had to match to maintain the beliefs. An intricate worldview has sometimes been created through a series of myths throughout a culture.
According to some myths, relationships were established between supernatural beings in the pantheon. Family ties, love triangles, feuds and rivalries are all part of the mythological stories passed down from generation to generation. These told stories of debts, promises, curses and blessings, as well as teaching valuable life lessons to a society or culture.
Another distinguishing feature of a myth is the lack of a single identifiable author. Myths belong to the culture as a whole, evolving frequently with retelling. Stories tied to a single creator, such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, cannot be accurately classified as myths, despite their focus on figures and elements from Greek mythology.
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