5 Types of Myths
… and how you can identify them and replicate them!
Creation Myths
Aims to provide fictional answers to the question “how did I get here” and “why am I here?”
A creation myth is a symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it. While in popular usage the term myth often refers to false or fanciful stories, formally, it does not imply falsehood. Cultures generally regard their creation myths as true.
Greek Mythology - Creation Stories
Humanity Myths
Provides fictional answers to the question “Why do we have to die?”
Humanity myths were used as a means to explain the environment in which humankind lived, the natural phenomena they witnessed and the passing of the time through days, months, and seasons. Humanity myths connected religion in the Greek world to human behavior, how humans were created, and where humans go after death.
Greek Mythology - Humanity Myths
Animal and Plant Myths
Provides fictional answers to the questions “Who/what do we share this Earth with?” “What is our relation to them?”
Human beings have always been intrigued by the problem of boundaries: what distinguishes one individual from another; what marks one culture different from another; what are the dividing lines between humans and non-humans, be they other forms of mortal or divine beings. Some animal and plant myths depict a yearning for distinct categories or a return to a fictionalized paradisiacal condition where different spheres or being are mixed.
Greek Mythology - Animal/Plant Myths
Natural Disaster Myths
Provides fictional answers to the question “Why do bad things happen?”
Many myths have arisen to explain things that humans see, but do not understand - why the sun rises, why the moon follows it, etc. At the time myths were created, much was unknown about natural disasters. Imagine a volcano erupting for the first time, but not knowing what lies underneath the earth. By attributing these forces of nature to the will of gods and goddesses, it provided an “answer” to ease the minds of those that had no way of understanding.
Greek Mythology - Natural Disaster Myths
Hero/Trickster Myth
Provides fictional answers to the question “Why do things change?”
Heroes and tricksters likely appeared in mythology as a way to explain individuals that broke societal ideas or norms. A way to explain individuals that had exceptional strength or cunning were fantasized into heroes that had been given powers as blessings from the gods. Individuals that violated the principles of natural order explained as being tricksters, or intentionally disrupting the status quo.
Greek Mythology - Hero/Trickster Myth