Folk Literature, Mythology and Gilgamesh

Folk Literature

• Stories, legends, myths, ballads, songs, riddles, sayings, and other works originate from oral traditions.

Mythology

• A collection of myths, especially those of a specific religious or cultural background.
• Traditional or legendary story concerning beings, heroes, or events, often involving deities/demigods.
• Explains practices, rites, or natural phenomena.

Anthropomorphism

• Attributes human form, characteristics, or behavior to non-human entities.
• Derives from Greek words meaning "human" and "having definite shape".

Pattern of Flood Myths

• Causes include human punishment.
• Size usually involves the flood covering the entire land.
• Survivors consist of few good people.
• Signs of hope can be represented by a rainbow.

Gilgamesh

• Mesopotamian hero, son of the goddess Ninsun.
• Stories reside in Sumerian and Babylonian poems.

Epic of Gilgamesh

• Explores themes of meaning of life, identity, relationships, mortality, and immortality.
• Enkidu is Gilgamesh's best friend.
• Humbaba is the villain.
• Ishtar is the goddess who liked Gilgamesh and sent a bull.
• Gilgamesh expresses fear of death, wondering if he will die like Enkidu.
• Utnapishtim is who Gilgamesh consulted about immortality.

The Children of Lir

• Celtic tale from Ireland.
• Tuatha De Danann is the tribe name.
• Bodb Dearg won against Lir.
• Aebh is Bodb's daughter, given to Lir for marriage.
• Their children were turned into swans: Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra, and Conn.
• Aoife turned them into swans, as she replaced Aebh.

Curse

• The first 300 years of the curse took place at Lake Derravaragh.
• The second 300 years were spent at the Icy Sea of Moyle.
• The third 300 years were at the Bay of Erris.
• Mochua baptized the swans, turning them back to humans.

Mythological Creatures

• Unicorn: Symbol of purity and grace, capturable only by a virgin (Celtic).
• Phoenix: Mythical bird from ancient Egypt, dies, and is reborn from fire.
• Kitsune: From Japanese folklore; shape-shifter, often a beautiful woman.
• Tengu: Mischievous supernatural being, reincarnated spirit of the proud.
• Tikbalang: Tall, bony humanoid horse.
• Kapre: Philippine mythical creature, tall, dark, hairy, muscular tree giant.
• Aswang: Shape-shifter that turns into a dog, cat, or pig, eats people.
• Troll: Lives in caves, petrifies in sunlight.
• Chimera: Lion, goat, serpent, fire-breathing.
• Fenrir: Monstrous wolf (Norse mythology).
• Hydra: Nine-headed serpent.
• Centaur: Half-human, half-horse.
• Gorgons: Snakes for hair; can turn people to stone with their eyes.
• Oni: Japanese demon.
• Cerberus: Three-headed dog, guardian of the underworld.
• Minotaur: Half-human, half-bull.
• Jin: Arabian mythological character that grants wishes.
• Harpy: Half-human, half-bird.
• Griffin: Eagle, lion.
• Pegasus: Winged horse
• Banshee: Loud scream warns of a loved one's death.
• Ghoul: Dark scavenger.
• Chupacabra: Sucks animal blood.
• Kappa: Drags creatures into swamps.

Tell Tales

• Stories about extraordinary characters, funny and entertaining.
• Examples are Paul Bunyan, and Bernardo Carpio.

Paul Bunyan

• An American folklore character who dug out the Grand Canyon.

The Carabao and the Shell

• (Philippine Folktale)
• Tale of wits where a carabao and shell try to outsmart each other.

Marduk

• (Enuma Elish)
• Mesopotamian god who leads new gods against old gods.
• Creates the sky, earth, and first humans after defeating chaos gods.

The Monkey King (Journey to the West)

• Sun Wukong is the monkey king.
• Xuanzang is a Buddhist monk.
• The monkey retrieves Buddhist scriptures, embodying a search for enlightenment.

Egyptian Mythology

• Amun: wind god
• Anubis: jackal-headed
• Osiris: husband of Isis
• Set: killed Osiris, husband of Nephthys

Greek Mythology

• Demeter and Persephone deal with the cycle of seasons.
• Hades kidnapped Persephone.
• "Death" of the world in winter represents Demeter's grief for her lost daughter.
• Greek myths reflect a view of the universe acknowledging mystery and beauty.
• Titans: Group of twelve elder gods before the Roman gods.
• Titanomachy: Battles between Olympian gods and Titans in Thessaly.
• Tartarus is a black pit for the bad.
• Erebus is the dark region the dead pass through.
• Asphodel deadens the minds of the dead.
• Elysium is paradise for the good.

The Olympians

• Zeus: Chief god, Lord of the Sky, rain-god, cloud-gatherer, wields the thunderbolt.
• Poseidon: Lord/ruler of the sea, the Earth-shaker, carries a trident.
• Hades: Ruler of the underworld, ruler over the dead, God of Wealth, has a cap/helmet of invisibility.
• Demeter: Greek goddess of the harvest, grains, agriculture, mother of Persephone.
• Hera: Protector of marriage, jealous goddess, symbolized by peacock.
• Ares: God of War, delights in battles, a ruthless murderer, a coward.
• Hermes: Graceful, swift, wears winged sandals, crowned hat, has a magic wand called Caduceus, Zeus’ messenger, Master Thief.
• Pallas Athena: Daughter of Zeus alone, battle goddess, Goddess of the City, Zeus' favorite child.
• Aphrodite: Goddess of Love and Beauty, irresistible goddess.
• Phoebus Apollo:"Most Greek of all the gods", master musician with a golden lyre.
• Artemis: Apollo’s twin sister, Lady of Wild Things, hunt-man-in-chief to the gods, Phoebe (moon), Selene (Luna in Latin).
• Hestia: Virgin goddess, goddess of hearth, the symbol of home, offerings began and ended every meal..
• Dionysius: Youngest Olympian, god of wine, only Olympian god with a mortal mother.
• Hephaestus: God of Fire, ugly, lame, workman of the immortals, armorer, smith, lameness of humans.

Greek & Roman Equivalents

• Zeus is Jupiter.
• Poseidon is Neptune.
• Hera is Juno.
• Hermes is Mercury.
• Aphrodite is Venus.
• Apollo is Apollo.
• Ares is Mars.
• Hades is Dis/Pluto.
• Artemis is Diana.
• Athena is Minerva.
• Eros is Cupid.
• Asclepius is Aesculapius.
• Cronus is Saturn.
• Hestia is Vesta.
• Gaea is Terra.
• Hephaestus is Vulcan.

Other Figures

• Prometheus: Punished for stealing fire and forethought.
• Epimetheus: Afterthought, husband of Pandora.
• Io: Turned into a Heifer.
• Argus: God with many eyes.

The Iliad

• Themes include love, honor, friendship, rivalry, free will, and fate.
• Iliad and Odyssey are ancient Greek epic poems by Homer.
• The Trojan War: War against Troy by the Acheans.
• King Peleus & Thetis: Wedding where the Apple of Discord was given.
• Eris: Eris was uninvited.
• “Te Kallisti”: Hera (political power), Athena (battle skills), Aphrodite (most beautiful woman).
• Paris: Would cause the downfall of Troy.
• Helen: Wife of Menelaus, daughter of Leda and Zeus
• Gods who sided with the Trojans: Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, Artemis.
• Gods who sided with the Greeks: Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena.
• Achilles was the son of Peleus and Thetis.
• "Would die of old age after an uneventful life or die young in battlefield" - River Styx.
• Patroclus was Achilles' best friend, murdered by Hector.
• Hector died at the end of Iliad.

The Odyssey

• Odysseus conceived the Trojan Horse.
• Penelope: Waited for Odysseus for 20 years.
• Telemachus: Odysseus' son, stated that when he will grow his beard, Penelope would be free to marry whoever she chooses.
• Athena protected Odysseus.
• Poseidon held grudges against Odysseus and caused his mishaps.
• Circe turned Odysseus’ crew into animals.
• Calypso trapped Odysseus and fell in love with him.
• Ithaca is Odysseus' homeland.
• The Trojan Horse symbolizes deceit and betrayal.
• Thanatos is the Greek god of death.

Jason and the Golden Fleece

• King Pelias (Iolcos, Thessaly): Jason’s uncle, stole the throne, sends Jason for the Golden Fleece.
• Colchis: Where Jason retrieves the Fleece (ruled by King AEetes).
• Phineas: Gave a dove to Jason after dealing with harpies.
• Medea: Helped Jason with her father’s tasks.
• Euripedes wrote Medea to criticize Greek behavior.

Oedipus (Sophocles)

• "The one with swollen feet.”
• King Laius and Queen Jacosta were Oedipus’ parents.
• Polybus and Merope raised Oedipus.
• Crossroads symbolize important decisions.
• The Oracle of Delphi prophesized that Oedipus would marry his mother and kill his father.

Antigone (Sophocles)

• Eteocles and Polyneices were Oedipus’ sons who killed each other for the throne.
• Creon replaced Oedipus.
• Antigone tried to bury Polyneices against Creon’s orders.
• Ismene didn't agree with Antigone’s plan.

Other Mythological Figures

• Sisyphus; rolls a stone up hill forever.
• Daedalus and Icarus; portrayed in “Musee de Beaux Arts”.

Eight Brief Tales

• Pyramus and Thisbe
• Orpheus and Eurydice
• Ceyx and Alcone
• Pygmalion and Galatea
• Baucis and Philemon
• Endymion (and Selene)
• Daphne (and Apollo)
• Alpheus and Arethusa

Arcadia

• Arcadia is the region that worships Pan.
• Psyche enlightened Cupid's face in the middle of the night.
• Represented as a sign of betrayal.

Norse Mythology

• The World Tree is Yggdrasil.
• Aesir gods dwell in Asgard are battle gods.
• Vanir Gods: Magical gods.
• Odin is the "Raven god."
• Huginn and Munin were Odin's ravens.
• Thor is the most popular Scandinavian god.
• Thor is portrayed chasing foes with Mjolnir.
• Valhalla: Place for dead Norse heroes to train for Ragnarok.

Explore folk literature, mythology and Mesopotamian hero Gilgamesh. Folk literature consists of stories, legends originating from oral traditions. Mythology is a collection of myths, often involving deities/demigods. The Epic of Gilgamesh explores themes of meaning of life, mortality, and immortality.