Unit2mythology.doc

Unit 2 MYTHOLOGY How much do you know about Greek myth and Roman myth? Write down your answers in the picture below. Part A Think about this Have you ever read mythologies? What are they? Do you know the differences among fairy tales，，and？ Are you curious about how and why myth comes? Introduction of Mythology Arthur Cotterell Rachel Storm 1 From Mesopotamia, the cradle of Western civilization, come legends of which we are able to glimpse only fragments, while the belief systems of other ancient societies, such as the Egyptians and Greeks, are far more readily accessible. The stories that have survived from these ancient civilizations describe gods that have long passed into history. Other deities, such as those of Hinduism and Buddhism, remain at the centre of living faiths, worshipped by millions of present-day devotees. But whether the myths recounted belong to current or long-vanished cultures, they continue to exert their influence on the civilizations of the world, as their themes are explored in literature and the visual arts, and the archetypes they present help to deepen our understanding of human psychology. 2 All human societies recognize powers that are greater than themselves, such as light and dark; sun, storm and frost; flood and drought; and the growth of the plants on which their lives depend. Investing such powers with spirits that have a recognizably human nature has allowed people to make greater sense of a random and threatening universe. Propitiating the spirits with offerings and prayers allows their worshippers to feel that they have a degree of control. At the same time, by seeking the protection of a deity, devotees are able to relinquish responsibility for their own lives to a higher authority. Myths concerning gods and goddesses help to give shape to the powers that are seen to preserve or endanger humanity. 3 Another strand of mythology recounts the experiences of human or