Transcript Myths, Legends and Folktales

C-Notes:
Epics & Legends
EPICS & LEGENDS
Storytelling is common to every culture. Most
people enjoy listening to stories. Storytellers
have catered to the need for a 'good story' since
the beginning of civilization.
 Most people have their own favorite story from
childhood and, often, these tales are both
fascinating and frightening. These stories include
epics & legends
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A
legend is a semi-true story, which has been
passed on from person-to-person and has
important meaning or symbolism for the
culture in which it originates.
 A legend usually includes an element of
truth, or is based on historic facts, but with
'mythical qualities'. Legends usually involve
heroic characters or fantastic places and
often encompass the spiritual beliefs of the
culture in which they originate.
What Are Epics?
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An Epic is a long narrative poem based on tradition or
legend, which has a deep symbolic meaning.
An epic tells about the deeds of gods or heroes in war
or travel. Although some epics can be accounts of
actual events, they have become transformed by
symbolic meaning or shifted in time or place.
Epics are often used to explain universal and local
beginnings and involve supernatural beings. The great
power of the meaning of these stories, to the culture
in which they developed, is a major reason why they
survive as long as they do - sometimes for thousands
of years.
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Epics & legends are hard to classify and often
overlap. Imagine a line (or continuum) as illustrated
below, with an historical account based on facts at
one end and myths or cultural folktales at the other;
as you progress towards the mythical/folktale end of
the line, what an event symbolizes to people, or
what they feel about it, becomes of greater historical
significance than the facts, which become less
important. By the time you reach the far end of the
spectrum, the story has taken on a life of its own and
the facts of the original event, if there ever was one,
have become almost irrelevant. It is the message that
is important.
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As well as making fascinating reading, these stories also
tell us a great deal about how people in the past saw, and
understood, the world around them.
There are many reasons why stories are told and passed
down the generations. Here are just a few of them:
To strengthen a community and provide a common
understanding.
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Stories often reflect the beliefs of the people who tell
them. The popularity of any story depends on whether
those listening approve of the values underlying it. By
telling and listening to stories, people confirmed their
ideas about the world around them. Things that people
found scary, infuriating, or desirable all found their way
into the stories and they were passed on, because people
wanted to be assured that other people around them
were thinking along the same lines.
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As a way of providing moral guidance and showing
people how they should conduct themselves,
including the consequences of not doing so. Myths
and legends, like any good stories, often include a
moral. Within the myth, the hurt or embarrassment
experienced by people is often due to their own
stupidity, greed, dishonesty or negligence.
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To explain how the world works, for example why
the seasons change, and to explain strange
happenings or phenomena such as eclipses - the
reasons for which were unknown in early times.
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For entertainment purposes. Stories were told to
amuse and enthrall an audience in the days before
TV and other forms of mass entertainment.
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To pass on history and knowledge, such as the outcome of
battles and tales of courage, in ages when many people could
not read or write. Many myths have an element of truth that
has been built upon and embellished over the years.
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For fame, money or recognition - as in all areas of life, not all
stories were told for good reasons. For example, stories of
bravery in battle could enhance the status of an individual or a
group or, in later centuries, a good ghost story could be sold for
money. The truth was not always the most important
consideration.
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Regardless of why they were told, many of the stories still
remain popular today and, although we no longer swap stories
around the fireside, the tradition of storytelling still continues
in the form of urban legends. Many older stories also live on in
current day carnivals or festivals, which have their roots in a
very different past.
A re-telling
 The orientation is typically timeless e.g. ‘Long,
long ago’
‘ Before animals walked the earth’
 A single animal is representative of all animals
of that kind
 Natural forces like wind and fire are represented
by gods or god-like form
 The resolution of myths and legends explain why
things are the way we are
 A classic opening and\or closing (e.g. Once upon
a time…., And they all lived happily after)
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 Stereotypes
e.g. wolves are bad; rescuers are
male
 The representative of certain values,
wealth= happiness, beauty = happiness
 The involvement of supernatural forces, e.g.
fairy godmothers, creatures that can talk
 Tales are based around themes like trickery
and foolishness
 ‘But
still to this day…’
 ‘So every time you see…’
 These comments sum up how things came to
be .
A
hero is someone who is distinguished for his
or her courage or ability.
 They are admired for brave deeds and noble
qualities.
 They may have performed heroic acts.
 They may also be someone who is a model or
an ideal.
Complete C-Notes
 5:
Level One Questions
 3: Level Two Questions
 2: Level Three Question
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Write the questions in the margin provided
Write the question next to the information with
which it corresponds
Write questions on both the front and the back
 Write
a 5 sentence summary