MYTHIC CONNECTIONS (MYTH IN PRACTICE) To state that the study of mythology is complex, is an understatement of unparalleled proportions. We could extend this to the larger role in the study of culture, tradition or folklore, where we pursue the understandings, origins, explanations and methods of inquiry of the given subject matter. Mythology nevertheless persists as the progenitor of imaginary and pseudo-scientific doctrines that we still base our lives and popular culture on. From the names of the stars in the night’s sky to the heroes in comics and fiction, myth seems to be the basis of reality of human being, whether we want to admit it or not. Myth becomes its own capital Archetype, rooted in our subject matter. It extends beyond theoretical applications, and is much more than a mere linear perspective. With mythology we can refer to the natural purposes of myths, connections we can deduct from the study of these stories and the functions and perspectives of myths. From this position, I will be discussing mythology in relation to oral storytelling. poetry, communication, recordkeeping, aetiology, allegory, art and human nature. While all of this clearly overlaps, I feel that these topics go hand in hand with the larger theory of myth, which I went through in my other post(s). MYTH AS ORAL STORYTELLING Probably the most powerful mythic component is its predominantly oral origin and oral nature of its conception and (re)enactment. This might not seem as obvious, since for the most mundane researchers of these ancient legacies, myths are read as stories, not heard and even less so participated in, as was and in some instances still to this day. (Some African and Aboriginal tribes for example still enact their origins, and “perform” their myths, where their tradition and legacy are interwoven not merely with the educational and entertaining nature of the told story, but with internalization from the audience and its cooperation. This of course reflects the ritualistic and etiological nature of myth. Consequently, this kind of observation of a live tradition is a powerful anthropological tool for understanding myth in its purest form … Bearing in mind issues like Malinowski’s “principles” in his study of the Trobriand islanders.) Such a “distant” study of myth is unfortunately far removed from a more cohesive analysis. In a sense, the vast majority of us are looking at any given myth from the outside, partaking mostly in its more modern literal form (if not various interpretations and reimaginings), heavily bereft from the nature of its initial, pure conception. The myth of old can be viewed as a mixture of cultural, educational, political and leisure processes, while its legacy in a cross-cultural environment is nevertheless hindered. Obviously, there is an innate value of myth that extends beyond time and space, since it pertains to stories about humanity and for humanity. The previously discussed heroic quest is a particular example of the consistency and relevance of a mythic “narrative” even (or especially) in today’s multi-faceted world culture. Oral storytelling is not a lost art, but in today’s world it has extended beyond its initial paradigm of instruction and reflection of the world. Through the invention of television, “oral” storytelling has been promoted to a higher plateau than ever before, despite its sacrifice of active participation. The intimate stories once orally told are being fast replaced by more fantastic visuals of the digital world. Drama, improvisational comedy and even professional wrestling in its purest sense draw on the storytelling suspense and interaction with the audience, without which there would be no story to be told. Strictly speaking, any type of fiction and entertainment requires a high level of suspension of disbelief, because reading, watching, hearing or telling a story essentially means participating in it as the pure receptive marks that we are. Myth may on the other hand be a distant story from a seemingly long-dead civilization, which powerfully draws on both the question of humanity and natural observations, thus despite its age making it perpetually current, inspirational and, what is more, transcended in its message despite its form.
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November 2017
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