Week 7: The Importance of Myth

            When one first thinks of myths and mythology, I would imagine that they think of ancient civilizations that crafted stories for the sake of understanding how the world around them functions. From Greece to Egypt to the Americas, countless mythological systems found themselves established throughout all of human history. But what importance do these myths hold for twenty-first-century individuals? Well…here are three reasons why myths and mythology are still important areas of study for students.

Reason 1: Important Genre of Literature

Although one may associate myth with a study of history rather than literature, the way that myths are created is an interesting branch of literary study that has persisted from generation to generation. From the original stories to literary allusions to their characters to modern recreations of myths (looking at you, Rick Riordan!), there is so much to study in mythologies as a form of literature. It is interesting to be able to examine how such stories shaped not only their own civilizations but continue to persist in our own conceptions of society and literature as a whole. 

Reason 2: Helps Us to Understand Ancient Societies

Beyond just being a genre of literature, mythology also acts as a form of historical examination into the ideologies and values of the societies from which they came. Between demonstrating how they conceptualized the creation of the world to how they narrated interactions between gods and mankind and mankind to mankind, these myths serve as a valuable source of study into the cultural and societal values of their time. So, whether one is a history buff or a literature buff, there is so much to study about myths and the societies that they depict.

Reason 3: It’s Fun!

Despite all the intricate areas of study and the less exciting ways in which they are connected to such elaborate stories, it is so fun to be able to glean so much information from seemingly simple stories. The dramas and conflicts that myths depict have been enough to keep readers and scholars enthralled in their world for more generations than one can count. Whether or not one finds the topic itself interesting, one would be hard-pressed to find absolutely nothing in the countless numbers of myths that they would find intriguing, as William Doty discusses in his mythological “toolkit” of different areas of study. So get out and get searching for the piece that will hold your interest!