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Myth As A Myth

Decent Essays

Most myths involve rituals- prescribed forms of sacred ceremonials, but social anthropologists disagree as to whether rituals generated myths or myths generated rituals. Distinguishing between myth, legend and folk tale M.H. Abrams puts, “If the protagonist is a man rather than a supernatural being, the story is usually not called myth but legend story concerns supernatural beings, but is not part of a systematic mythology, it is usually classified as a folk tale”( Abrams 102). Myth, being a traditional story of unknown origin handed down from earliest times, has close resemblance to legend.

As regards the themes of myth, Feder observes that they express man’s fear of and awe at the mysterious cycle of the death and rebirth or the fear and his involvement in the mystery of his own birth, nature and death. There is always an inextricable connection between the plots and themes of myth. The action of Myth is, sometimes, regarded as its plot. This always reflects man’s persistent desire for extraordinary power, vision, and control. With all his worldly strength, power and courage man has never been able to behave like the hero myth. However, everyone pretends to act like him, and for this he braves dangers and accomplishes heroic exploits and adventures. Religion and rituals seem to be the vital parts of true myth. It is primarily taken for a form of religious and social expression. However, it cannot be considered as idealized history or allegorized philosophy, ethics or

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