Myth and Folklore Intro.pdf

: An Introduction Mythology and Folklore: This course explores the mythology and folklore from different countries to gain insights into people’s origins, desires, fears, instincts, and needs. Course Outline Folk Literature: An Overview of Mythology and Folklore Folk Literatur...

: An Introduction Mythology and Folklore: This course explores the mythology and folklore from different countries to gain insights into people’s origins, desires, fears, instincts, and needs. Course Outline Folk Literature: An Overview of Mythology and Folklore Folk Literature as a Historical Artifact Genres of Folk Literature Significance Theories Related to Folk Literature: Ancient and Modern Theories Course Outline Creation Myths Gaea : Greek and Roman Yggdrasil : Norse Shintoism : Japanese Dragon and the Egg : Chinese Brahmanism : Hindu Malakas at Maganda Tungkung Langit at Alunsina Course Outline The Pantheons and their Counterparts Greek Roman Norse Japanese Chinese Hindu Filipino Course Outline Myths from Scripture and History Myths as Explanations of Natural Phenomena Myths as Allegories Course Outline Creatures in Mythologies: Then and Now Cerberus Sphinx Baku Kitsune Aswang Duwende Leprechauns Big Foot Sandman Fairies Elves Course Outline Research on Local Folk Literature Mythology and Folklore: We will have a journey with ancient heroes as they go on their adventures and see ordinary mortals outwit the gods. It will also be an exploration as to how the gods are like humans. Moreover, we will discuss the universality and social significance of myths and folklore, and see how they are still used to shape society today. Mythology and Folklore Brave heroes. Vengeful gods and goddesses. Cunning creatures. Mythology and folklore have been used since the ancient times when people tried to make sense of humankind and the world. Mythology Folklore A traditional or A fictional tale passed legendary story usually down through explaining some generations usually for historical phenomenon entertainment or the or religious concept teaching of a life lesson  SYMBOLS OF CULTURE Both mythology and folklore are genres of fiction. They are symbolic of the culture and traditions of a particular community that showcases their lifestyles, religious beliefs, and customs along with their imagination.  WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? Mythology is based on a tradition or a religious concept, which is deeply symbolic. It conveys a truth about the world or humankind though it doesn’t necessarily record a true event. Therefore, in mythology, the symbolism of events is more important than the events in it.  WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? Mythology accounts for the origin of the world, natural phenomena such as life and death, and human conditions like suffering. Their origin is uncertain and usually generated and continued to the next generation by oral traditions.  WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? Mythology is the embodiment of dogma. They are usually sacred and often associated with theology and ritual. Therefore, in a way, mythology can also be highlighted as the direct expression of a culture’s religious beliefs. | William Bascon |  WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? Mythology has a certain religious value that highlights a set of religious beliefs and practices.  WHAT IS FOLKLORE? It is a collection of fictional tales about people and animals. It is also referred to as the people’s knowledge passed by oral, written, or visual means at any given time in history. It is composed of tales narrated by the “folks” or the common people.  “FOLKS” The concept of folk has varied over time. At first, it referred only to rural, frequently poor and illiterate peasants. A more modern definition pertains to a social group that includes people with common traits, expressing shared identity through distinctive traditions.  WHAT IS FOLKLORE? These tales are usually created to entertain the audience and sometimes to teach a certain lesson about one’s behavior and social ethics. Superstitions and unfounded beliefs are its important elements.  WHAT IS FOLKLORE? Different cultures have their own unique and varied folktales. Therefore, a folktale is the direct expression of a certain culture’s values and behavioral rituals. Unlike the myth, it is more secular in quality.  Mythology Folklore Passed on by spiritual Passed on by the leaders and priests common people Both were passed on in the ancient times through oral tradition.  Mythology Folklore Characters are more Characters are spiritual and religious primarily common in origins such as people, animals, and deities, demigods, sometimes magical supernatural creatures creatures  Mythology Folklore Hercules, Icarus, Aladdin, Hansel and Thor, Achilles, Gretel, Jack and the Ragnarok Beanstalk  FOLK LITERATURE refers to the lore or traditional knowledge and beliefs of cultures having no written language  FOLK LITERATURE transmitted through word of mouth and consists of prose and verse narratives such as myths, folk tales, legends, epics, fables, and fairy tales  FOLK LITERATURE repetition, formulas both in words and in structure, realism enough to support the marvelous in tale or song, violent actions, and simple strong emotions are qualities generally found in all folk literature  “…the oral literary works whose owners cannot be determined such as proverbs, legends, tales, lullabies, riddles, folk music are all under the name of Folk Literature.”  “Mythology and Folklore are two significant forms of Folk Literature.”  In a preliterate culture, folk literature (specifically mythology) is the only means available to explain and discuss a whole range of phenomena and concepts that society otherwise doesn’t understand. Genres of Folk Literature  From the Philippines to anywhere in the world, folk literature exists wherever there are humans to tell stories. These pieces of oral heritage also come in various forms depending on it’s theme and structure.  MYTH & LEGEND It is a story about gods and goddesses, other supernatural beings, or heroes of long ago. It is also connected to religious rituals. It aims to explain the origins of life and elements of nature.  EPIC It refers to traditional stories based on historical fact, describing the adventures, which are greatly exaggerated, of individuals, heroes, or kings who actually lived.  FOLKTALE It refers to stories that are primarily entertaining and often involves animals or ordinary but clever humans.  FAIRY TALE It refers to stories of characters that have magical adventures. It usually ends happily with the underdog triumphing over evil. It is often told to children as early intro to social rules and expectations.  FABLE It refers to short and simple tales that teach a lesson. The characters are oftentimes animals with human attributes. There is a moral which can be pulled from the simple story to represent a larger lesson in life.  FOLK SONG Singing is almost universal. Folk song implies the use of music for groups of people to express their common emotions, usually as excitement to war or love, or as a part of a religious or secular ritual. Significance of Folk Literature  Folk Literature are generally tales that have been told orally over time. These stories, passed down through generations of people, typically have moral lessons and serve as reflections of the values of the culture of their origin.  Its main purpose is to convey a moral lesson and present useful information and everyday life lessons in an easy way for the common people to understand.  Folk literature is a huge part of what makes culture. Studying it can help us understand why people do the things that they do, from your own family to the traditions of a completely different country. Folk literature helps people appreciate human diversity. At the same time, the common elements in most tales may serve to increase our empathy with people of other cultures.  Then again, FL is not merely a carrier of cultural values. It is also an expression of self- reflection, serving as a platform to hold high moral ground. At times, it is also used as a satire or a commentary on current political and social reality. Folk literature continues to evolve. It is shaped according to the conditions of the times. Therefore, folk literature remains to be relevant even today and will remain so in the future. Folk literature is the dance between continuity and innovation, staying the same and changing at the same time. It has been thousands of years but the impact of mythology and folklore on people’s lives at present is undeniable. References about folk literature can still be found in discussions about science, arts and literature, languages, names, brands, and popular culture. LANGUAGE COMPANIES ON POPULAR CULTURE