WORLD MYTHS
A DETAILED STUDY
Introduction to Myth
•	What is myth? This complex question has been answered by many different people in many different ways. 
•	Myth is frequently defined as an accepted belief that is unsubstantiated by fact or as any body of stories that explain things 
•	Myth is also sometimes characterized as stories belonging to cultures that no longer exist. 

•	Some people consider any belief system that is not their own to be myth. 
•	For many, myth may just be the stories of the ancient Greeks and Romans. 
•	None of these definitions, however, is satisfactory.

•	Myths convey information, are imaginative vehicles for making the inexplicable clear. 
•	Even though they deal with things that are not literally true, they are nevertheless truths in some higher sense-spiritual, philosophical, or social.

•	Myths range from nearly pure historical account to pure imagination. 
•	The content and form of a myth can change to suit the needs of the teller, the audience, and the purpose. 
•	The Egyptian god Osiris, for example, changed tremendously over centuries; once considered only a god of vegetation, he came to be the god of the underworld, the god of the moon, a divine pharaoh, and much, much more .

•	myths explain creation, religious/social practices, beliefs, institutions, organizations or natural phenomenon.  
•	myths explain historical events: some myths are based on known people and events. These are often called legends or sagas to distinguish them from explanatory stories. Often, the historical details of a story are sacrificed for fictional, more entertaining ones. 

•	Hero myths are tales of adventure filled with fantastic beings and superhuman feats. 
•	The stories told through the images of Isis and Theseus present a broad range of heroic acts achieved through clever magic, physical strength, and devout faith. 

•	myth and falsehood are not synonymous; one community's mythology is NOT any more or less valid than another's. 
•	Myth is a positive force that unites cultures by providing people with explanations, histories, role models, and entertainment that enable them to direct their own actions and understand their own surroundings more clearly