mythology definitions

A myth is a story or tale describing natural events or human nature.
An example of a myth is the story of Demeter and Persephone.

A hero is a person who completes tasks and goes on a journey. Heroes are the founders of something new, they bring a gift to everyone back from their journey, and they learn more about themselves.
An example of a hero is Perseus.

A heroes journey consists of an initiation, a series of trials, a final battle, a boon, and a death/rebirth.
A good heroes journey is the journey that Perseus had to take.

Universal means something that everyone knows and can relate with.
An example of universal is Hercules because he has strengths and flaws like we all do.

Archetype is the foundation or original model for something.
An example of an archetype is the watery abyss, the void, and the egg that are commonly used as creation stories in mythology.

Cyclical means a circle, that a story starts somewhere and by the end of the story, the characters return to the beginning.
An example of cyclical is the story of Uranus' death, from his blood and genitals more gods were born.

Duality means one thing or person that has opposite qualities.
An example of duality is the wine god Dionysus, who could be very kind and gentle and then be very angry and cruel.

Creation is the start of something new.
An example of creation is the myth of Pan Gu and the egg.

Life from death refers to the beginning of something new that starts at the end of something else.
An example of life from death is the way the cyclops were born from the blood of Cronus.

Matriarchal means the foundation of female
An example of matriarchal power is Tiamat from the Babylonian myths.

Patriarchal is the foundation of male power, the men rule.
An example of Patriarchal are the myths, Cronus and then Zeus being the leaders.

Sacrifice means to give something up for the good of someone else.
An example of a sacrifice is Dionysus dieing every year so he can come back and bring wine to the people.

Non Verbal Representation

Interpretation Essay

Orpheus and Eurydice

The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is the story of one of the greatest loves of all time. Orpheus was the greatest musician of all mortals, the only man to rival the gods and the man who could “draw iron tears down Pluto’s cheek,” and Eurydice was a beautiful maiden, and Orpheus’ wife. There are three levels of interpretation: the natural level, the social level, and the psychological level. The natural level is how the story explains natural events, while the social level tells how the story can affect the community, and the psychological level is how the reader personally relates to and understands the story. The story of these two lovers can be related to the three levels of interpretation in the following ways.

I will start with the natural level. This is the biggest interpretation that can be made, the one that affects the world as a whole. In the story a snake bites Eurydice and she dies. Everyone can understand the loss of a loved one, whether they have lost a spouse, a mother, a father, a sibling, or even a pet. We can all relate to the heartbreak Orpheus feels in this tale.

This heartbreak brings up another point. When Orpheus is sad he does not feel like playing music, and everyone loves music. This affects the community because no one can hear the beautiful sounds of Orpheus’ lyre; no one can fill their sad, dark lives with the most uplifting form of meditation.

If you have ever lost someone you loved, you have experienced sadness and the most excruciating psychological pain, a pain that one can hardly bear. Loneliness, emptiness, and depression can all be brought on by a terrible loss like the one Orpheus went through. And, like Orpheus I think many people wish they could travel to the deep cavern of Hell, cross the river Styx, sneak past Cerberus, and take back the ones they love.

I have just described to you the level of interpretation and how they relate to the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. So now I leave you with this: Don’t take for granted what you have because once it is gone, good luck trying to get it back.