Transcript Introduction to Folk Literature

Introduction to
Folk Literature
Definition of Folk Literature
•Before writing, people were telling stories,
reciting poetry, and singing songs about
their beliefs, dreams, and experiences.
 Much
of this material formed part of the
folk literature or works, ideas, or customs
of a culture passed by word of mouth
from generation to generation.
Definition continued…
 Eventually
many of these stories, poems,
and songs were written down and have
become an important part of world
literature.
 Works
found in folk literature or oral
traditions of peoples around the world
include myths, legends, folk tales, fairy
tales, fables, and proverbs.
Myth
 Myth
is a traditional story that usually
presents supernatural events involving
gods and heroes.
Words from Greek Myth
 Labyrinth:
“maze”-originally referred to a
series of winding passages that was used
to imprison a monster.
 Odyssey:
“long journey” originally referred
to the twenty year journey of the hero
Odysseus to reach home after the Trojan
War.
Types Of Myths
 Three
types of common and widespread
types are creation myth, origin myths, and
hero myths.
A
creation myth tells how the world and
human beings came to exist.

Example: Joseph Bruchac’s “The Creation”
Types of Myths
 An
origin myth is a story that explains objects or
events in the natural world.

Example: Olivia Coolidge’s “Arachne”
• A hero myth tells of the deeds and
adventures of a hero
• The plots of hero myths often involve
battles with monsters and the
adventurous journeys known as quest.
• Example: Walker Brent’s “The Twelve
Labors of Hercules”
Types of Myths
A
type of story related to the myth is the
legend. A legend is a traditional story that
is popularly thought of as historical but
lacks evidence to verify that the events
occurred.

Examples: Trojan War and King Arthur
Value of Myth
 Every
early culture around the world
created its own myths to explain the world
around them. Learning about these myths
can help you better understand the
cultures that produced them.
Value of Myth
 Examining
myths also can provide an effective way
to compare and contrast the beliefs and values of
different traditional cultures. In addition,
understanding myths can help you better
understand your own culture, characters, events,
and ideas from myths often appear in
contemporary literature. Becoming familiar with
myths from around the world will help you identify
these references in other works in everyday life.
Folk Tales and Fairy Tales
 Folk
tales are stories passed by word of
mouth from generation to generation.
Also refer to any type of story in folk
literature that could have taken place
anywhere and any time and that are
considered anonymous (created by an
unknown person).

Example: “Hansel and Gretel” and “Little
Red Riding Hood”
Folk Tales and Fairy Tales
 Fairy
Tales are folk tales that contain
supernatural beings, such as fairies,
dragons, ogres, and animals with human
qualities.

Examples: Cinderella, Snow White, and Puss
in Boots
Fables and Proverbs
A
fable is a brief story that frequently
includes animal characters and a moral.

Aesop’s fables are the most famous fables

A proverb is a short familiar saying often
passed down through the oral tradition that
expresses a basic truth about life.
 Example:
parted”
“ A fool and his money are soon