Download or read book The World of Myth written by David Adams Leeming and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1991-01-24 with total page 607 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hercules, Zeus, Thor, Gilgamesh--these are the figures that leap to mind when we think of myth. But to David Leeming, myths are more than stories of deities and fantastic beings from non-Christian cultures. Myth is at once the most particular and the most universal feature of civilization, representing common concerns that each society voices in its own idiom. Whether an Egyptian story of creation or the big-bang theory of modern physics, myth is metaphor, mirroring our deepest sense of ourselves in relation to existence itself. Now, in The World of Myth, Leeming provides a sweeping anthology of myths, ranging from ancient Egypt and Greece to the Polynesian islands and modern science. We read stories of great floods from the ancient Babylonians, Hebrews, Chinese, and Mayans; tales of apocalypse from India, the Norse, Christianity, and modern science; myths of the mother goddess from Native American Hopi culture and James Lovelock's Gaia. Leeming has culled myths from Aztec, Greek, African, Australian Aboriginal, Japanese, Moslem, Hittite, Celtic, Chinese, and Persian cultures, offering one of the most wide-ranging collections of what he calls the collective dreams of humanity. More important, he has organized these myths according to a number of themes, comparing and contrasting how various societies have addressed similar concerns, or have told similar stories. In the section on dying gods, for example, both Odin and Jesus sacrifice themselves to renew the world, each dying on a tree. Such traditions, he proposes, may have their roots in societies of the distant past, which would ritually sacrifice their kings to renew the tribe. In The World of Myth, David Leeming takes us on a journey "not through a maze of falsehood but through a marvellous world of metaphor," metaphor for "the story of the relationship between the known and the unknown, both around us and within us." Fantastic, tragic, bizarre, sometimes funny, the myths he presents speak of the most fundamental human experience, a part of what Joseph Campbell called "the wonderful song of the soul's high adventure."
Download or read book The Illustrated Book of Myths written by and published by DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley). This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of myths from many cultures.
Download or read book World Mythology An Anthology of Great Myths and Epics written by Donna Rosenberg and published by McGraw-Hill Education. This book was released on 2001-02-12 with total page 750 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: World Mythology is a compilation of over 50 great myths and epics. Your students will gain an appreciation and understanding of ancient and modern cultures through myths and epics from the Middle East, Greece and Rome, the Far East and Pacific islands, the British Isles, Northern Europe, Africa, and the Americas. An introduction and historical background supplement each myth. Questions at the end of each selection prompt analysis and response.
Download or read book Great Myths of the World written by and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-03-06 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of tales from ancient myth and legend. Isis and Osiris, Gilgamesh, Hercules, Pandora, Quetzalcoatl, and other larger-than-life figures populate these pages in a wonderful treasury for all ages.
Download or read book In Search of Myths Heroes written by Michael Wood and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this companion to a forthcoming PBS series, Wood journeys to some of the remotest places on earth in search of four of mankind's most powerful myths: Shangri-La, Jason and the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba, and King Arthur.
Download or read book World of Myths written by Marina Warner and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2004-06-01 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vol. two is a compilations of five books. Each author describes the cultural background, written sources, and continuing legacy of the major myths, illustrated throughout by archaeological and artistic evidence.
Download or read book The Complete World of Greek Mythology The Complete Series written by Richard Buxton and published by Thames & Hudson. This book was released on 2004-06-28 with total page 601 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A full, authoritative, and wholly engaging account of these endlessly fascinating tales and of the ancient society in which they were created. Greek myths are among the most complex and influential stories ever told. From the first millennium BC until today, the myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. They can be found in the latest movies and television shows and in software for interactive computer games. This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed—their themes, their relevance to Greek religion and society, and their relationship to the landscape. "Contexts, Sources, Meanings" describes the main literary and artistic sources for Greek myths, and their contexts, such as ritual and theater. "Myths of Origin" includes stories about the beginning of the cosmos, the origins of the gods, the first humans, and the founding of communities. "The Olympians: Power, Honor, Sexuality" examines the activities of all the main divinities. "Heroic exploits" concentrates on the adventures of Perseus, Jason, Herakles, and other heroes. "Family sagas" explores the dramas and catastrophes that befall heroes and heroines. "A Landscape of Myths" sets the stories within the context of the mountains, caves, seas, and rivers of Greece, Crete, Troy, and the Underworld. "Greek Myths after the Greeks" describes the rich tradition of retelling, from the Romans, through the Renaissance, to the twenty-first century. Complemented by lavish illustrations, genealogical tables, box features, and specially commissioned drawings, this will be an essential book for anyone interested in these classic tales and in the world of the ancient Greeks.
Download or read book Mythology the Voyage of the Hero written by David Adams Leeming and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leeming illustrates the various stages or rites of passage of the mythic universal hero, from birth to childhood, through trial and quest, death, descent, rebirth, and ascension. The arrangement of texts by themes such as "Childhood, Initiation and Divine Signs," "The Descent to theUnderworld," and "Resurrection and Rebirth" strip mythic characters of their many national and cultural "masks" to reveal their archetypal aspects. Real figures, including Jesus and Mohammed, are also included underlining the theory that myths are real and can be applied to real life. This editionis updated to include additional heroine myths, as well as Navajo, Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, and African tales.
Download or read book World of Myths written by Marina Warner and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2003-11-01 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compilation of myths from cultures around the world which have been translated from their original languages.
Download or read book Myths and Legends of the World written by John Moore Wickersham and published by MacMillan Reference Library. This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents alphabetically arranged, cross-referenced entries on the mythology of cultures around the world, including entries on specific myths and legends and their themes, overviews of larger subjects, informational sidebars, maps and charts, and color photos and illustrations. This volume covers "Acastus" through "Coriolanus."
Download or read book The Truth of Myth written by Tok Thompson and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "To the student of myth: This book attempts to provide a concise overview of the theoretical approaches to studying mythology, both in theory and in everyday life. Whether one is interested in a particular myth or mythic tradition, or understanding comparative mythology more broadly, or even the subject and overview of mythology as a whole, this text attempts to present a clear and understandable introduction to some of the best tried and true approaches, as well as to address some of the perennial problems and points of confusion. To embark on the study of myth is to join a noisy chorus of scholars, both present and past, in attempting to divine the meaning of some of the most important, intriguing, and at times puzzling narratives that humankind has ever crafted. We hope this text will help provide you with the theoretical background and tools to allow for a rich, full study of mythology in all its myriad forms. To the teacher of myth: Myth has been the source of a great deal of theoretical disagreement and confusion as well. We have tried to address some of the controversies by appealing to a close and careful consideration of the data, which at times helps keep lofty theorizing firmly anchored in the real world. Additionally, we have tried to present a historical background to the study of myth, which should also help illuminate the close relationships between a society, and that society's views of myth. Mythology does not occur without people: it is only with a strong grounding in the study of humankind that we can hope to make progress in our understanding. Where doubt within the scholarly community has arisen, we have tried to pay attention to both sides of the debates. The resulting text is intended to be a detailed, yet engaging, introduction to the study of world mythology, and a scholarly counterweight to popular, unscientific views. Our experience in teaching myth is that the most vexing issues stem from the several strained if not contradictory connotations that the term myth carries. Is myth archaic, or is it part of all societies and thus modern as well? Is it part of religion and/or science, or does it contrast with these? Most vexingly, does myth designate falsehood, or the highest forms of truth-those that form the core, guiding principles of particular societies' engagements of the cosmos and life within it? There is also the double signification of the term mythology, which points to both an academic tradition and the object studied by that tradition. Our view is that while such antinomies are unlikely to be resolved in the foreseeable future, much can be gained by locating and identifying them and by attempting to understand how and why they have emerged. We hope that this approach not only lends clarity to the topic of myth, but also serves to energize the study to which we now turn"--
Download or read book World Mythology written by Roy G. Willis and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 1993 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The great myths of the world create meaning out of the fundamental events of human existence: birth, death, conflict, loss, reconciliation, the cycle of the seasons. They speak to us of life itself in voices still intelligible, yet compellingly strange and distant. World Mythology offers readers an authoritative and wide-ranging guide to these enduring mythological traditions, combining the pure narrative of the myths themselves with the background necessary for more complete understanding. Here, noted mythology expert Roy Willis, brings together a team of nineteen leading scholars navigate a clear path through the complexities of myth as they distill the essence of each regional tradition and focus on the most significant figures and the most enthralling stories. All aspects of the world's key mythologies are covered, from tales of warring deities and demons to stories of revenge and metamorphosis; from accounts of lustful gods and star-crossed human lovers to journeys in the underworld. All are told at length and are accompanied by illuminating and readable introductory text. Also included are summaries of important theories about the origins and meaning of myth, and an examination of themes that recur across a range of civilizations. Beautifully illustrated with more than 500 color photographs, works of art, charts, and maps, World Mythology offers readers the most accessible guide yet to the heritage of the world's imagination.
Download or read book World Mythology in Bite sized Chunks written by Mark Daniels and published by Michael O'Mara. This book was released on 2016-01-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A masterful introduction to world mythology, shedding light on the impact it has had on cultures past and present and untangling the complex web of deities, monsters and myths.
Download or read book Women of Myth written by Jenny Williamson and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2023-02-21 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Get inspired with 50 fascinating stories of powerful female figures from mythologies around the world. From heroines and deities to leaders and mythical creatures, this collection explores figures of myth who can inspire modern readers with their ability to shape our culture with the stories of their power, wisdom, compassion, and cunning. Featured characters include: Atalanta (Greek heroine and huntress who killed the Caledonia Boar and joined the Argonauts); Sky-Woman (the first woman in Iroquois myth who fell through a hole in the sky and into our world); Clídna (Queen of the Banshees in Irish legend); and La Llorona (a ghostly woman in Mexican folklore who wanders the waterfront). Celebrate these game-changing, attention-worthy female characters with this collection of engaging tales"--
Download or read book South Pacific Mythology written by Jim Ollhoff and published by ABDO Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-08-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who is the volcano goddess? What makes "Maui the trickster" so tricky? Why are myths so important in our lives? Myths are a rich source of history. People use them to make sense of our world. Even before myths were written down, people told and retold the stories of the gods and goddesses of their homeland. Readers of South Pacific Mythology will learn the history of myths, as well as their deeper meaning. From the desert tribes of Australia to New Zealand's origin of the coconut, this book helps kids understand the myths that shape and direct people's lives. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Download or read book Myths and Legends of the World written by Lonely Planet Kids and published by Lonely Planet. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Get ready to travel through time with 21 dazzling stories of daring and deceit, reward and punishment. Meet gods and goddesses, serpents, coyotes, talking fish and clever spiders, and discover different versions of how the world began. This beautifully illustrated book features vibrant myths and epic legends told in countries around the world.
Download or read book Myth and Knowing An Introduction to World Mythology written by Scott A. Leonard and published by McGraw-Hill Companies. This book was released on 2004 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Myth and Knowing is by far the most comprehensive world mythology textbook.
