The World of Myth

The World of Myth
Author: David Adams Leeming
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 607
Release: 1991-01-24
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 019987896X

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."

The World of Myth

The World of Myth
Author: David Adams Leeming
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 380
Release: 1990
Genre: Apocalyptic literature
ISBN: 0195074750

Examines the universal themes of myths from cultures ranging from ancient Egypt and Greece to Christianity and modern science, analyzing how different cultures and societies have addressed fundamental human concerns and experiences.

Mythology

Mythology
Author: C. Scott Littleton
Publisher: Duncan Baird
Total Pages: 688
Release: 2004-09
Genre: Mythology
ISBN: 9781844830619

Myths are the timeless expression of the imagination born out of the need to make sense of the universe. Moving across the centuries, they resonate with our deepest feelings about the fragility and grandeur of existence. Mythology is a comprehensive, richly illustrated survey of the mythic imagination in all its forms around the world, from the odysseys, quests and battles of ancient Greece and Rome to the living beliefs of indigenous cultures in the Americas, Africa and Oceania. Looking at each major myth-making culture in turn, this book retells some of the most significant and captivating stories in a lively, contemporary style. Generously illustrated with more than 700 color photographs, Mythology brings you the vibrant stories that echo time and again in our lives.

Goddesses

Goddesses
Author: Burleigh Mutén
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Total Pages: 92
Release: 2003
Genre: Goddesses
ISBN: 1841480754

Britomartis, goddess of the moon, was a clever, active girl who loved to hunt with her bow and arrows.... Britomartis was sacred to fishermen, hunters and sailors.

World Myth

World Myth
Author: Barry Powell
Publisher: Pearson
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019-09-13
Genre: Myth
ISBN: 9780205730520

Deviating from the typical thematically organized mythology anthology, Barry Powell organizes this text first by geography and then by chronology. By doing this the text becomes a 'history of the world,' showing us how different peoples understood their environment and its challenges through myth.

Wonder Woman and the World of Myth

Wonder Woman and the World of Myth
Author: Steve Korte
Publisher: Capstone
Total Pages: 60
Release: 2017-12-11
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1543537073

Mount Olympus. Pandora’s Box. Valhala. These classic locations and artifacts of mythology have captivated people for thousands of years. But did you know they also play a part in the life and adventures of Wonder Woman? Get ready to explore how Greek, Roman, Norse, and other world mythologies are woven into the fabric of the Princess of the Amazons’ backstory. The connections will surprise you!

World Myths and Legends

World Myths and Legends
Author: Kathy Ceceri
Publisher: Nomad Press
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2010-03-01
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1619300540

All societies have their own myths and legends, but they're much more than just stories. Myths and legends tell us about a people’s history, science, and cultural values—the things they knew, the things they believed, and the things they felt were important. World Myths and Legends retells tales from the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. From the Greek myths to ancient epics like Gilgamesh and the trickster tales of Anansi the Spider, it helps readers think about why the same themes, characters, and events may show up in different parts of the globe. Along the way kids will also find lots of fun and interesting projects that let them experience the stories first-hand. World Myths and Legends unveils wonders of the ancient world as it takes readers on a fascinating adventure of mystery and imagination.

Mythology, the Voyage of the Hero

Mythology, the Voyage of the Hero
Author: David Adams Leeming
Publisher:
Total Pages: 388
Release: 1981
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780060439422

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.