1. What Are Myths and Legends?
Feature Menu
Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Heroes and Quests
Norse Myths
Arthurian Legends
Romance Literature
Heroic Characters as Archetypes
Your Turn

2. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Myths are traditional stories rooted in a particular culture. A myth . . .
is basically religious in nature
serves to explain beliefs, rituals, or natural phenomena
reveals the ideals and values of a society

3. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
The ancient Greeks, for example, invented stories to help explain the mysteries of nature.
A stormy sea meant the god of the ocean was angry.
Gods and goddesses were both observers and participants in human lives.

4. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Folk tales are similar to myths, but they are about ordinary people—not gods and heroes.
They are told to teach lessons . . .
. . . and to entertain.

5. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Folk tales tend to travel from culture to culture.
Researchers have found nine hundred versions of the Cinderella story told around the world.
Many folk tales include extraordinary events—such as straw turning into gold.

6. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Legends are usually based on real historical people and events.
Because legends have been told and retold orally, they often include exaggerated, larger-than-life elements.

7. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Quick Check
extraordinary deeds
explanation of natural phenomena
scientific proofs
gods and goddesses
fantastic, supernatural elements
confusion about values
Which two elements do not appear in myths or legends?
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8. Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends
Quick Check
extraordinary deeds
explanation of natural phenomena
scientific proofs
gods and goddesses
fantastic, supernatural elements
confusion about values
Which two elements do not appear in myths or legends?

9. Heroes and Quests
In myths and legends, a hero or a heroine is extraordinary in several ways:
In a myth, a hero is often descended from the gods.
The hero faces a seemingly impossible task.
He or she accepts the task with courage, ingenuity, and often superhuman strength.

10. Heroes and Quests
Heroes often set out on a quest—a journey or a test to find or win something of great significance.
In Greek mythology, the hero Theseus goes on a quest to slay the Minotaur, a monster devouring the youth of Athens.
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11. Norse Myths
Norse myths are traditional stories of the people of ancient Scandinavia and Germany.
Norse mythology includes hero tales, called sagas.
Sagas are part of the Norse oral storytelling tradition.

12. Norse Myths
Scandinavia
Germany 12

13. Norse Myths
In one myth, the hero Sigurd, the most famous Norse hero, gets help in his quest from Odin, the principal Norse God.
“I gave your father a sword,” said Odin as they watched the great creature breasting the flood. “Now I give you this horse. Ride out and win fame Heroes shall rise to greet you as the greatest one of them all.”
From "The Dragon Slayer" and "Fafnir's End" from Legends of the North by Olivia E. Coolidge. Copyright 1951 by Olivia E. Coolidge. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company,
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14. Arthurian Legend
Arthurian legends are stories about King Arthur and the brave, powerful, and adventurous knights of the Round Table.
The medieval hero King Arthur was considered a great fighter and defender of his land.

15. Arthurian Legend
The Arthurian legends are probably based on a fifth or sixth-century Celtic chieftain who lived in Wales.
This legendary king led his people to victory against invaders from Germany.

16. Arthurian Legend The Celts
In the first millennium B.C., the Celtic people were the main culture inhabiting central and western Europe.
Dominating the area, they passed on their customs and religion, as well as their language to other ethnic groups in the region. 16

17. Arthurian Legend
Great Britain
Europe
Wales 17

18. Arthurian Legend
The following excerpt describes Arthur’s first heroic task—pulling a sword out of a stone in which it had been lodged.
“Why,” said Arthur, “do you kneel before me?”
“My lord,” Sir Ector replied, “there is only one man living who can draw the sword from the stone, and he is the true-born king of Britain.”
From “The Sword in the Stone” from Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, translated by Keith Baines. Translation copyright © 1962 by Keith Baines; copyright renewed © 1990 by Francesca Evans. Reproduced by permission of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

19. Norse Myths and Arthurian Legend
Quick Check
Match each numbered item to its literary genre.
a hero or heroine
sagas
the god Odin
quests
a famous round table
knights
an impossible task
Norse myths
Arthurian legends
Probably both
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20. Norse Myths and Arthurian Legend
Quick Check
Match each numbered item to its literary genre.
a hero or heroine
sagas
the god Odin
quests
a famous round table
knights
an impossible task C A A
Norse myths
Arthurian legends
Probably both C B B C

21. Romance Literature
The legends of King Arthur are part of the larger genre of Romance literature.
These legends developed in twelfth- century England and France and focus on the adventures of knights and other heroes.
Romance vs. romance

22. Romance Literature Romance vs. romance
The terms Romance (capitalized) and romance (lower case) have different meanings.
A love story, one of several genres of entertainment reading, is often called a romance.
A work of literature concerning tales and legends coming from the era of knights and the code of chivalry is called a Romance. 22

23. Romance Literature
The medieval romance celebrates the ideals of chivalry—the code of behavior a knight followed.
A knight was expected to be . . .
brave
honorable
generous to his foes
respectful of women
protective of the weak

24. Romance Literature
The stories of Romance literature are still enjoyed today. The literature often features elements of magic or enchantment.
In “The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lake,” the hero commits to helping the king’s daughter.
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25. Heroic Characters as Archetypes
An archetype is a plot pattern, image, or character type that appears throughout literature.
One example of an archetype is the hero who faces formidable enemies and physical challenges or goes on a quest.

26. Heroic Characters as Archetypes
Archetypes often reflect universal characters and themes.
You are probably familiar with a number of other archetypal characters:
the loyal sidekick—as Panza is to Quixote . . .
the tough guy with a heart of gold . . .
the undervalued and overlooked sweet girl . . . 26

27. Heroic Characters as Archetypes
As you read, use a graphic organizer like the one below to track archetypal qualities.
Quest
Outcome
of quest
Conflict
Hero/Heroine
Divine
intervention
Superhuman
qualities

28. Romance Literature and Heroic Characters as Archetypes
Quick Check
1. What other traits were included in the code of chivalry?
1.Knights in the medieval era pledged to be honorable and to protect the weak.
2. One archetypal pattern is the plot type in which a hero goes on a quest.
2. What kind of help is a hero likely to have during the quest?
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29. Romance Literature and Heroic Characters as Archetypes
Quick Check
1. What other traits were included in the code of chivalry?
1.Knights in the medieval era pledged to be honorable and to protect the weak.
to be brave
to be respectful of women
to be generous to foes

30. Romance Literature and Heroic Characters as Archetypes
Quick Check
2. One archetypal pattern is the plot type in which a hero goes on a quest.
2. What kind of help is a hero likely to have during the quest?
A god or goddess might help—divine intervention.
A magical object or being might help.

31. Analyze Myths and Legends
Your Turn
Think of a hero or heroine from literature or film and apply your knowledge of the archetypal hero. Use the following questions as a guide:
Does the hero show unusual promise as a child?
What is the hero’s or heroine’s quest?
What heroic qualities does the character possess to overcome the challenge(s)?
What conflicts does the hero overcome?
What is the outcome of the test?
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32. The End