MYTHS  A myth is a story with a purpose. It tries to make sense of the world. Myths also try to explain the relationship between gods and humans.  Contain heroes and heroines  Has supernatural (unexplainable by nature) elements  Gods and goddesses  Explains a natural phenomenon  Told orally (spoken)  Not told by one author

WHY DID ANCIENT PEOPLE TELL MYTHS  To help explain the unexplainable  To explain natural phenomenon – lightening, thunder  To tell about their heroes  To explain human nature – why people acted the way they did  To teach morals and values – THEME!

UNIVERSAL THEME  A message about life that can be understood by most cultures.

HERO  In mythology and legend, a man who displays great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold adventures.  A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life:  A person who worked for the greater good of others

EPIC HERO  The main character or protagonist is heroically larger than life, often the source and subject of legend or a national hero  The deeds of the hero are presented without favoritism, revealing his failings as well as his virtues  The gods and lesser divinities play an active role in the outcome of actions  The action, often in battle, reveals the more-than-human strength of the heroes as they engage in acts of heroism and courage

LEGEND  Legends are about people and their actions or deeds. The people lived in more recent times and are mentioned in history. The stories are told for a purpose and are based on facts, but they are not completely true.  Davy Crocket – King of the Wild Frontier  Robin Hood – Robin of Nottingham  Chupacabra

FOLK LITERATURE  a story or legend handed down from generation to generation usually by oral retelling and tradition. Folk tales often explain something that happens in nature or convey a certain truth about life. Has a moral.

IN MEDIAS RES  In the middle of things

NARRATIVE POEM Poem that tells a story

EPIC POEM  Long narrative, poem that tells a story about the deeds of gods or heroes.  Starts in the middle of the action. (In Medias Res)  Tends to have catalogs – lists of things.  Invocation to the Muse or other deity  Previous episodes in the story are later told through flashback.

MUSE  Any one of the nine goddesses of the arts that inspires creativity.

BALLAD  Song-like poem that tells a story, often dealing with adventure and romance.

ALLUSION  A reference to a well-known person, place, or thing. Remember Taylor Swift’s “Love Song.” She makes an allusion to Romeo and Juliet!

QUEST  Epic journey upon which the hero must embark

ORAL TRADITION  The passing of songs, stories, and poems from generation to generation by word of mouth.

ALLITERATION  The repetition of initial consonant sounds.

ONOMATOPOEIA  Use of words that imitate sounds.

ARCHETYPE  A character which reoccurs in literature to be recognizable as an element of literary experience. Pattern! Stereotype!

EPIC SIMILE  Elaborate comparison of unlike subjects.  An extended simile often occurs in multiple lines enhancing the comparison of the subject

EPITHET  an adjective or adjective phrase appropriately qualifying a subject (noun) by naming a key or important characteristic of the subject.  Brave Batman  Courageous Catwoman  Rosy-fingered Dawn