Monday, August 27, 2018
Central Elements in Mythologies
List and discuss two specific elements of any kind of real-world mythology or fictional world that you think are particularly central or important to it. Why do these elements strike you as particularly interesting or important? What do these two elements say about the culture that gave rise to them?
3 comments:
The class discussion brought up a lot of important elements in mythology. From that list I think the creation story and the idea of mortality are especially interesting.
While perhaps not absolutely necessary to writing a convincing story in a fictional world, the creation story adds a great deal of depth to the world. It explains where everything good and evil comes from, and lets the reader view the world through different eyes. It helps complete the world and immerse the reader in the narrative. The creation story has a lot to say about the culture or the author that created it. It explains how they view the world and why they think things are the way they are. It forces the author to answer difficult questions such as why there is evil in the world. In Tolkien’s example, it is possible to see his view of the beauty of things like the stars, and the corruption of creation with death and destruction.
The idea of mortality is something every fictional world should address in one way or another to be complete. It is an interesting aspect because it creates opportunities for a lot of character development, plot advancement, and philosophical exploration. Death is something every human must come to terms with, so any culture will have some view about it to express in their mythology. Tolkien explored many aspects of mortality comparing the Elves, Half-Elves, and Men, and the theme is especially prominent in the story of Númenor. His stories show, for example, that he believes death is a gift to people. Some explanation for mortality is important for a mythology.
One specific element of mythology that I believe is important is the incorporation of non-human characters into a story or a fictional world. Tolkien particularly integrates non-humans characters into his world flawlessly, and in Middle Earth being of humankind is something that makes you unique in a way being a human on Earth today does not. Men are not the majority in Middle Earth. Tolkien is able to tell stories about creatures such as hobbits, dwarves, wizards, and elves in a way where the audience does not question the strangeness of the characters but instead is able to relate to them as if there were one of the same. This allows for a fictional universe that is not only more diverse but also sparks the imagination without going overboard and showcases Tolkien's thought and creativity.
Another important element of mythology is the quest. In many mythologies, a task that needs to be carried out is introduced at the beginning and the plot follows the character's journey to carry out the deed. While completing the task is important, it is often what happens along the character's way that teaches the reader's lessons and initiates character development. In Tolkien's series, the characters are on a quest to destroy the ring and the struggles that they encounter along the way are what gives the stories depth and teaches lessons. Tolkien's use of the quest in "The Lord of the Rings" showcases the inspirations that he took from Greek mythologies that commonly wrote about the quest in their works.
-Melian
The following attempts to answer the prompt through an exerpt from my Freewrite that was referencing aspects of Mythology:
I chose the worlds, primary and secondary. I find that that concept was a bit confusing at first because it seemed to stipulate a sort of hierarchy, as if one was more important than the other and I don’t like that because who’s to say that there isn’t more than one world? Who is to say that one isn't more important to some people than others? But indeed he seems to provide the explanation that it is not referring to an actual order in which they should be regarded but rather the concept that they fit into each other but also simultaneously and in relation. Like what I read or sustainability about systems and interconnectedness in macreoecology. The systems would somehow collapse if one was to remove one from the other. He talks about the second concept I put as a reference, saying that if the belief is not there, there is no unreality which isn’t to mean that there are things that are fake or less important, it is that they are not part of our same world. Fantastic vs fantasy as he explains...Anyways, it looks like once you have entered the secondary world it is because there is more cohesion within the story or the idea that you are handling. That the imagination has taken that unreality and assimilated it into somehow fitting within its sphere but not entirely defying the primary world. Kind of the reason I can never watch movies or read things without thinking of efficiency and believability (I that even a word??)... But in the secondary world things stop being as amazing if you have to constantly stop to question the logic of them...
Back to actual typing:
An aspect that is vital to myths is the foundation of reality. Not only was this stated by Tolkien in several of the readings, but it is very clear in some of the most well-preserved stories. If there is no aspect of things or situations people relate to, it is almost impossible to have a successful myth. That isnt to say that everything need be non-fiction, but rather, have attributes that anyone (despite specific traits and background) can at least qualify as a relevant experience. This can take the form of simple things, like the idea of a family. It can be the setting; even Tolkien's world is loosely based on the countryside he experienced throughout his life. It can even be as abstract as the feeling of an unrequitted love. It doesnt matter if each individual reader has lived the small details of the story, but if there is not at least one facet that is familiar, the cohesion of a muth falls apart
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