Story of Myth

Greek myths are not just beautiful stories but also powerful tools for creating and sustaining belief in the gods and heroes of Greek religion. Sarah Iles Johnston's book "The Story of Myth" explores how these tales forged enduring bonds between characters and audiences, created coherent story-worlds, and made it possible to believe in extraordinary gods. By comparing Greek myths to other cultures and fairy tales, ghost stories, fantasy works, modern novels, and television series, Johnston demonstrates how these ancient Greek tales shaped our shared view of the cosmos and the creatures who inhabit it.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 384 pages
\n Publication date: 03 December 2018
\n Publisher: Harvard University Press
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Greek myths have long been revered as captivating and exhilarating narratives, yet they have often been disregarded as serious sources of belief. For centuries, scholars have maintained that Greek epics, tragedies, and other remarkable works passed down to us obscure the "real" myths that supposedly served as their inspiration. Instead of engaging in this quest for hidden meanings, Sarah Iles Johnston contends that the inherent nature of myths as stories—as compelling tales featuring vivid characters—enabled them to fulfill their most crucial task: to establish and maintain belief in the gods and heroes that formed the foundation of Greek religion.

By drawing on research in narratology, sociology, and folklore studies, as well as comparing Greek myths to the myths of other cultures, as well as fairy tales, ghost stories, fantasy works, modern novels, and television series, The Story of Myth unveils the intricate yet profound ways in which these ancient Greek tales forged enduring connections between their characters and audiences, constructed coherent story-worlds, and made it possible to believe in extraordinary gods. Johnston adeptly captures what sets Greek myths apart, while also seamlessly integrating them into a broader discourse on how the stories told by all cultures shape our collective understanding of the cosmos and the creatures that inhabit it.

\n Weight: 698g\n
Dimension: 239 x 171 x 31 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780674185074\n \n