Here are the questions for weeks 1 - 3. Please use the comments section to post your answers. Do not make a new blog:
1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Give some examples from these texts that support your identification (for example: "Voluspa is an example of the _____ genre, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: "Hear my words / you holy gods' (l.1) "By Odin's Will I'll speak the ancient lore" (l.3), etc).
2. What are some possible features of residual (or "secondary") orality preserved in Voluspa, according to the criteria Ong (1982) advances?
3. Identify a central incident that happens in at least four of the above texts, and discuss how it is both similar and different in each example (remember to site from the original texts).
4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
5. Discuss how Tolkien's use of "tradition" (e.g. older literary sources) differs from the techniques and agendas of modernism (see Week 7 in your Reader).
6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
7. How does the film Beowulf and Grendel "problematise" the hero-myth of Beowulf ?
8. Discuss what you think any of these texts desire (in the sense of their intention, how they wish to be received, what pleasures they offer).
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Give some examples from these texts that support your identification (for example: "Voluspa is an example of the _____ genre, as the following references to gods from the poem illustrate: "Hear my words / you holy gods' (l.1) "By Odin's Will I'll speak the ancient lore" (l.3), etc).
2. What are some possible features of residual (or "secondary") orality preserved in Voluspa, according to the criteria Ong (1982) advances?
3. Identify a central incident that happens in at least four of the above texts, and discuss how it is both similar and different in each example (remember to site from the original texts).
4. How did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
5. Discuss how Tolkien's use of "tradition" (e.g. older literary sources) differs from the techniques and agendas of modernism (see Week 7 in your Reader).
6. What place do the old myths have in the modern world?
7. How does the film Beowulf and Grendel "problematise" the hero-myth of Beowulf ?
8. Discuss what you think any of these texts desire (in the sense of their intention, how they wish to be received, what pleasures they offer).
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that old myths have a very strong and well-established place in the modern world. This is due to old myths being so long-lasting, well-preserved and of high importance in regards to family traditions and cultures, some more than others. For example, in Maori culture, their myths still get told till this day and will continue to be passed down to future generations. Old myths impose values and beliefs in today’s society/modern world, for example, in Beowulf, the values of strength, courage and loyalty are all illustrated. Through the idea of ‘the hero’ this gives young children an introduction to the idea of responsibilities as an adult and somewhat inspires them to become a ‘hero’ in their community. Old myths teach people to never give up as seen in Beowulf “…but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning…” (Heaney, 1999). Despite this, many old myths can be interpreted differently in the modern world, this may be in a negative way. Because of this, an element of uncertainty presents itself and this ultimately has the potential to lead to variation regarding the intended meaning or desire of an old myth.
ReplyDeleteReference: Heaney, S. (1999). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin,pp 70-80.
In addition to this, a lot of movies today are influenced by old mythology. For example, Thor, 300, Hercules, Clash of the Titans, Troy, immortals and so on. This shows that old myths have been preserved and even transformed to adjust into a modern world.
DeleteA good answer Sanaria. A word that might be helpful here is archetype? What does this word mean and how might that be applied to the question?
DeleteArchetype means "the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype". This word is actually very relevant to most stories or tales today as they have all come from somewhere, they are not original in their 'idea' but what makes them origninal is the way the idea is exectued. For example, Thor, Hercules,Cinderella, Shrek, these are all stories which have come from old myths and legends like Beowulf as they incorporate the idea of the 'Hero', or the idea of the 'ugly woman'. These originl texts like Beowulf and King Henry etc all act as an archetype for these modernised versions.
DeleteAll good, Sanaria. I think the word archetype might help here. The theory is that these images and stories go deep into our psyches, our fears and desires.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1.
ReplyDeleteVoluspa, in my opinion, belongs to the genre of mythology, this is due to the constant use of the term “holy gods” (Terry, 1990,p.1); this consistent use of the term indicates a particular belief/religion/cultural tradition. Additionally, the sentence “I remember the giants of ages past” (Terry, 1990,p.1) further supports the statement that Voluspa belongs to the genre of mythology as it is evident from this line that there is some element of imagination through the description of what appears to be mythological creatures.
I believe that Beowulf belongs to the ‘epic’ genre due to the fact that gods and god-like, mythological creatures are not present in this story, only humans are present. Beowulf is an epic as it focuses on the ideas of ‘the hero/legend’, for example, “…the wide kingdom reverted to Beowulf. He ruled it well for fifty winters, grew old and wise as warden of the land…” (Heaney, 1999, p. 70). This suggest that Beowulf is somewhat considered as a ‘hero’ as he “ruled” the kingdom for a substantial period of time. Also, where it says “ grew old and wise” supports the idea that Beowulf is human and not a mythological creature or eternal being or god as humans age, getting old and wise, whereas in mythological stories, gods and creatures are not so often shown to age and lose their strength and all things associated with being divine. To further illustrate why Beowulf belongs to the genre of ‘epic’, it is seen in extract that Beowulf is a hero “I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning…” (Heaney, 1999, p. 77). This portrays Beowulf as a hero to his ‘people’ and a legend to the genre of epics.
I believe The Hobbit belongs to the genre of fantasy, this is due to the extensive use of dwarfs, elves, hobbits and dragons and other characters which are more commonly present in fantasies. There is also a lot of magic used in the Hobbit which further adds to why I believe it to be a part of the fantasy genre. The text states “in this story, dwarvs and dwarvish are used” and “Fire leaped from the dragon’s jaws. He circled for a while high in the air above them lighting all the lake…back swirled the dragon. (Tolkien, 1997, p. 233-234). From these extracts, it is evident that an element of imagination and creativity exists as such dragons described do not exist in real life. Lord of the Rings can also be considered as a fantasy, just like The Hobbit, due to the use of hobbits and dragons and creatures which can only exist in fantasies, basically it is imaginary as well.
References:
Heaney, S. (1999) (trans). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin.
Terry, P. (trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937). The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins.
Good solid answer. What is a saga?
DeleteHi Mike, I forgot to mention that Volsunga belongs to the saga genre. According to Harris (1975), a saga is a series of stories consisting of some form of heroic achievement, this particularly exists in the narrative of old Icelandic or old norse mythology. The Volsunga Saga was a bit tricky for me to get my head around upon the first reading of it, but after reading it a few times I understood that it does in fact belong to the saga genre. For example, there is a battle between a hero and a dragon, which the hero kills, this significantly emphasizes on the ideology of the ‘hero’, something which a saga consists of “Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as he went; but Sigurd Neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of him.” (Morris & Magnussun, 1888, p. 58).
DeleteReferences:
Harris, J. (1975). Genre in the saga literature: A squib. Scandinavian Studies, 427-436.
Morris, W. and Magnussun, E. (Trans.) (1888). The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga). London: Walter Scott Press.
Well answered! These genre lines can be a bit blurred at times.
DeleteQuestion 8:
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Tolkien and his texts (The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, I believe that these texts intend to be highly imaginative, therefore, creating a desire to be read and received in various ways, depending on the extent to where the reader’s imagination takes them. For example, Shippey (2000) stated that the Lord of the Rings “is the one most likely to be read over and over again”, to me, this suggests that a considerable amount of pleasure is gained by the readers due to the amount of times the book can and has been read in such a repetitive yet unprecedented way. This is perhaps due to the extent in which the book enables the reader’s imagination to soar as it is set in an imaginary place with fictional characters, meaning that each reader has a different image of the characters in the book, regardless of how many times the story has been read. This suggests that the books of Tolkien intend to capture the attention and imagination of the reader and provoke pleasure of the imagination “over and over again” as mentioned by (Shippey, 2000).
Throughout the use of fictional creatures from an invented world (Shippey, 2000), Tolkien created a powerful and effective desire for more imaginative stories consisting of hobbits, dragons and other fictional creatures. Personally, the only phenomenon of this sort which I have come across is that of Harry potter. Despite this, there have been various attempts to generate this interest/passion for ‘hobbit’ and hobbit-like characters in other anthologies, but none have been as successful and Tolkien (Shippey, 2000).
To conclude, it is possible to say that through Tolkien’s texts (the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings) an archetype has been formulated within the minds of readers which has originated from Tolkien’s imaginative style of texts. This archetype is the basis of what constitutes a good text which arouses certain desires and compassion for specific texts, and this is how Tolkien’s text wish to be received.
References:
Shippey, T. (2000). J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century. London, Harper Collins.
Firstly, I would like to point out that Norse myths are not my forte, and I have neither read nor watched any of Tolkien's Trilogies. I apologise in advance if I go off topic.
ReplyDeleteMyths can be traced back further than the ancient texts we have looked at in the last month, even though past these few texts there is nothing written down. We know that humans as early as Neanderthals had an ability to create myth, because as a human condition, we are always trying to explain and understand the world around us. The Neanderthals started to reflect on death in a way that other creatures did not. As far as we know, animals watch each other die and don't give it too much thought, meaning this characteristic is one that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. We know that these early humans had their own myths by the burials we can still find today, and often these burials are ritualistic in nature. This could mean that we originally created myths in order to help us cope with death as a species. In these times, myth and ritual were closely intertwined, to the point where they were inseparable.
As described in Karen Armstrong's "A Brief History of Myth", The Neanderthal graves we can still investigate today tell us a few things about myths. 'First, it is nearly always rooted in the experience of death and the fear of extinction.' This is especially evident in the Voluspa tale, telling us of the destruction of the world, and even the death of the 'immortal' gods. 'Second, the animal bones indicate that the burial was accompanied by a sacrifice.' Every story needs drama. This is especially true for the ancient sagas, as often they were told to entertain.'Third, the Neanderthal myth was in some way recalled beside a grave, at the limit of human life.' Most of the powerful myths force us to imagine something beyond the limits of humanity. Myth is about explaining the unknown, and helped our ancestors explain the unexplainable.
Now, how to connect this to today. Simply put, myths of the past are an extremely good way of finding out not only how people in the past lived, but also how humans separated themselves from the rest of the animal kingdom. Humans today still send their dead off with ritualistic methods, for the same reason as the Neanderthals – to come to terms with death. In a literary sense, the ancient myths, such as Volsunga Saga etc., help us to understand the origins of storytelling, as well as proving that the basics of creative writing haven't really changed over a thousand years. We still use conflict and emotionally driven characters to draw in readers and drive the story. I can't imagine that Voluspa would have survived if it was simply about a group of immortal characters going about their day to day lives with no larger than life conflicts threatening the world.
Finally, old myths have a very different place in the world today, but they still have a place, and maybe that place is bigger than when they were first uttered.
Reference:
Armstrong, K, (2005). A Short History of Myth. Melbourne, The Text Publishing Company.
A good general comment, but it doesn't take us very far into the texts in question.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 4 – how did Tolkien draw on the Old Norse and Old English texts in his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fantasy novels? Provide some concrete examples.
ReplyDeleteTo one who is versed in both Tolkien’s works and the texts Völuspá, the Volsunga Saga and Beowulf, it is plain that Tolkien borrowed many ideas from the old texts. The first and arguably most obvious example of this is from a section of the Völuspá called the Dvergatal (“Catalogue of Dwarves”) in stanzas 10-16. The Dvergatal names a list of dwarves who died in battle, and many of the characters in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are taken from it, for example:
“10. Of all the dwarfs, | and Durin next;
11. … Austri and Vestri | Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, | Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, | Bombur, Nori,
12. … Vigg and Gandalf | Vindalf, Thrain,
Thekk and Thorin | Thror, Vit and Lit
13. … Fili, Kili | Fundin, Nali,
Hepti, Vili | Hannar, Sviur,
… Aurvang, Jari | Eikinskjaldi
15 … Hor, Haugspori, | Hlevang, Gloin,
Dori, Ori, | Duf, Andvari…” (Glaemscrafu, 2006).
Though only a few lines of the Dvergatal have been selected, it is clear to anyone versed in Tolkien what names have been taken. From verse 10, the name Durin first appears, who is one of the seven dwarf lords who were given the nine rings, and descended from him are Thrain, Thror and Thorin, who can be seen named in verse 12. Descended from Thorin are Fili and Kili, named in verse 13, and many other dwarves from the Hobbit can be seen in the other verses, and a few were mentioned in name only in Lord of the Rings (Tolkien, 1954). The name Gandalf was taken from verse 12 for the wise and iconic wizard seen in both the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Eikinskjaldi seen in verse 13 translates directly to Oakenshield, which is the title given to Thorin (Tolkien, 1937).
Many of the same plot points of the Volsunga Saga and Beowulf were taken by Tolkien and turned into the main plotlines of his own novels. In both the Volsunga Saga and Beowulf, the slaying of a mighty dragon is a major plot point. In Beowulf (Heaney, 1999, p. 74) it states “a dragon on the prowl from the steep vaults of a stone-roofed barrow where he guarded a hoard; there was a hidden passage, unknown to men, but someone managed to enter by it… though with a thief’s wiles he had outwitted the sleeping dragon and driven him to a fury.” Tolkien almost uses this quote literally in the Hobbit, where a dragon, Smaug, takes over the huge underground kingdom of the dwarves and their hoard of gold to take as his own, and sleeps on it for nigh on sixty years. Bilbo Baggins then uses a hidden and secret dwarf passage to sneak in and retrieve the Arkenstone, the greatest treasure of the hoard (Tolkien, 1937).
In Beowulf, Hrethel’s son dies, as is seen in the quote “It was like misery endured by an old man who has lived to see his son’s body swing on the gallows. He begins to keen and weep for his boy… morning after morning, he wakes to remember that his child is gone… alone with his longing, he lies down on his bed and sings a lament” (Heaney, 1999, pp. 76). This can be likened to the death of Theodred, the son of king Theoden in Lord of the Rings: “The young perish and the old linger, withering” (Tolkien, 1954).
This is really great Renee! I like how you've incorperated a lot of quotes/extracts from various texts to make your point. Its really great that your really into this genre of text as it allows your perspective to really be put out there and your points get across. Thisis something that I struggled with but gave a good effort in doing!
DeleteWhere you mentoned: "Many of the same plot points of the Volsunga Saga and Beowulf were taken by Tolkien and turned into the main plotlines of his own novels" I believe that this is good supporting evidence for an argument that might believe in the preservation of myths'legends like Volsunga Saga and Beowulf. Its pretty evident that these texts have been used as an archetype for Tolkien's interpretation and execution of his own texts. I thinks it fair to say that genres such as legends/takes/mythology etc are somewhat 'copied and pasted' into the modern worl and this is great as it preserves the older stories yet they are made (modernised) in such a way that younger and future generations can understand the plot. These stories have an amazing history and they have and will continue to evolve to fit whichever period of time that they are obderved in. You can almost say that these older texts have possessed flexible qualities over the many years of their existence.
Continuation from above:
ReplyDeleteFrom a story in the Prose Edda, named Skaldskaparmal, it is written that there is a cursed gold ring that causes tragedy to fall on any mortal who wore the ring. (Sturluson, 2006). This is one of the more literal interpretations of Tolkien, as he took this mythological object and turned it into his One Ring, used by the dark lord Sauron to take over all of Middle Earth. The ring was cursed in a way that it corrupted the hearts of anyone who saw and desired it, and if worn it compelled the wearer to seek out Sauron and deliver it unto him. If a man tried to use the ring but was not strong enough, he would be killed (Tolkien, 1954).
The antagonism created by the mere mention of gold is a theme much explored in the Hobbit. The dwarves of the line of Durin – Thror, Thrain and Thorin, are taken by a gold sickness or ‘dragon sickness’, which makes them desire gold above all else in the world (Tolkien, 1937). In the Prose Edda (Sturluson, 2006) it is shown that a man named Hreidmar had two sons, Fafnir and Regin, who wanted a share of his treasure, but Hreidmar was too greedy to share it. Fafnir murdered his father and drove Regin away for the treasure, and his greed transformed him into a dragon, and he lived upon his hoard of treasure. Later in the tale, a warrior named Sigurd goes to slay the dragon that is Fafnir, and Regin forges him a sword using the shards of a broken sword that are made whole. This can be directly compared to the shards of the sword Narsil in the Lord of the Rings, which were reforged into the greatsword Anduril (Tolkien, 1954).
The Anglo-Saxon concept of riddles also inspired Tolkien in the Hobbit. In Beowulf, the hero is asked to answer many riddles, and in the Hobbit, a game of riddles takes place between Bilbo Baggins and Smeagol for possession of the ring and for Bilbo’s survival. Anglo-Saxon riddles were very much loved among their people, and it can be assumed that Tolkien also shared their love for riddles and as he wished to create English mythology out of his own works, it is probable that he wished to maintain the art of riddles (Anglo Saxon Riddles, 2015).
It can clearly be seen that Tolkien has taken much inspiration from the older texts, both in terms of plot devices, cursed objects and character names. He draws on them for inspiration and storyline, and turns them into an epic of his own.
References:
Anglo Saxon Riddles. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sll/disciplines/english/beowulf/riddle.htm
Glaemscrafu. (2006). Dvergatal. Retrieved from http://www.jrrvf.com/~glaemscrafu/texts/dvergatal-a.htm
Heaney, S. (1999) (trans). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin.
Sturluson, S. (2006). The Prose Edda. (Brodeur, A. G., Trans.) New York: Dover. (Original work published 1916).
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1937). The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1954). The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. London: HarperCollins.
Excellent answer, Renee, and well referenced.
DeleteAgreed, this is a really great in-depth answer. I wish I had watched the Hobbit as this would've indicated to me some of his possible influences. From my broad knowledge of Tolkien, I believe he somewhat 'started' his own unique genre, even though there may be some possible influences from older texts, as mentioned by Renee.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete* Please note that I have numbered references throughout my answer, with links to my sources at the bottom of each answer. This is due to issues with Hyperlinking on Blogger.
ReplyDelete1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Part One: Beowolf
Beowolf embodies the genre of Epic Poetry. Epic Poetry is defined as being a long narrative poem that details heroic acts and events, which holds significance to the culture, and beliefs of the poet [1]. There are typically six characteristics that can form an epic poem [3]. However, I will be focusing on the three core characteristics of Epic poetry. The most cemented characteristic that forms an Epic poem is the need for a hero who has an imposing status of national, and international importance [2]. This hero is typically the culture’s ideal of what a hero should be, and embodies the poet’s cultural beliefs and morals [3]. This characteristic is seen throughout the tale of Beowolf. We are introduced to a larger than life Hero who has endured many battles and monsters with success, and gained worldwide recognition. In the example of Beowolf defeating Grendel, Beowolf comes forward and volunteers to kill the creature terrorising Hrothgar’s kingdom, even though he is not a part of the kingdom himself. Once he defeats Grendel and Grendel’s mother, he leaves with his treasure as a reward, but turns it over to his King and Queen [4]. The courage and strength of Beowolf is spread by the Danes [4]. These acts have Beowolf gain international acknowledgement. Furthermore Beowolf’s virtues of loyalty noted when he gives his reward to his king and Queen, plus his the virtue of courage in travelling to another kingdom to slay an unknown monster, portrays an ideal hero any culture would want to have representing their values and cultural structure. The second characteristic that typically makes an Epic poem is that the setting of the poem is boundless in scale. This characteristic is seen in Beowolf, particularly where it describes him swimming across oceans “Across the wide sea, desolate and alone, the son of Ecgtheow swam back to his people” (Heaney, 1999). Additionally, the text describes Beowolf travelling to many areas of the world to endure battles, further displaying this traditional characteristic of an Epic poem. The third feature evident in Beowolf and most other Epic Poems, is that the poem has to have characters who use courage and strength to perform superhuman deeds in battle. This feature is particularly evident in Beowolf, when he decides to slay Grendel. The text describes Beowulf feasting happily, when Grendel enters Hrothgar’s kingdown. Because he is unamred at the time, Beowulf has to fight the demon barehanded. Using superhuman strength, Beowulf pulls the demon’s arm off at the socket [4]. This act of superhuman strength reinforces the epic poetry genre, and along with the other characteristics detailed, proves that Beowolf is written in the genre of Epic Poetry.
[1] http://study.com/academy/lesson/epic-poetry-definition-heroes-stories.html
[2] http://www.auburn.edu/~downejm/epicbasics.html
[3] http://staffweb.plattscsd.org/rlacroix/other_pages/Characteristicsofepicpoetry.html
[4] http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/summary.html
Heaney, S. (1999) (trans). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin.
This is a great answer, very interesting to read. I like how you've made reference to the 'travelling' of Beowulf like swimming across the ocean and going to battle. Also, I thought it was really good how you mentioned Beowulf having to fight the demon barehanded and the idea of superhuman strenghth being relevant to Epic poetry, I would not have made such an observation myself, which is way I found this particular post interesting :)
DeleteQuestion One/ Part 2: Volsunga
ReplyDeleteVolsunga embodies the genre of Saga. Sagas are long narratives, from the 12th-13th century, during the Icelandic and Norway heroic age [1]. Sagas also stem from oral presentations in history, and like myths and epic poetry, were designed to be spoken [3]. Within the genre of Saga, long descriptions of a family's history, culture and generations are generally chronicled, while being interwoven around stories of battles and heroes [3]. The Volsunga Saga (also known as The Story of Volsungs) was written in Old Norse in 13th century A.D, and is 43 chapters long [2]. The age and length of this text straight away suggests that it belongs to the genre of Saga. But deeper than that, the text itself portrays that of a Saga, for the text describes heroic feats and legendary moments surrounding the love story of Sigurd and Brynhild. Within the text numerous battles and feats occur. Notably is the killing of a dragon by Sigurd “So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts…Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound” (Morris & Magnussum, 1888, page 58). This heroic feat again supports the structure of a Saga [3]
References:
[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saga
[2] http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1152/1152-h/1152-h.htm#link2HCH0001
[3] http://sagadb.org/
Morris, W. & Magnussun, E. (trans). (1888). The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga). London: Walter Scott Press p. 58-62
Question One/ Part 3: Voluspa
ReplyDeleteVoluspa, belongs to the overall genre of Mythology, but embodies the sub-genre of oral mythology. Myths, are traditional ancient stories that describe and refer to supernatural beings, heroes and ancestors [1]. Using these characters, myths are formed to create a window into the make-up, history and identity of cultures, and are designed to explain traditions, values, beliefs and history in the eyes of that culture [2]. Voluspa was written down by an anonymous writer, to add to the body of text known as Poetic Edda [3]. The date of when the text was believed to be recorded is unfinalised, but many scholars believe Voluspa was written in the 12th century [4]. Before cultures wrote down their beliefs and events, these myths were spoken, and orally[5] passed through generations, meaning Voluspa has been around much longer than we will ever know. Since Voluspa is part of the collection of poems Poetic Edda, and since each of the poems throughout the collection contains references to supernatural beings and heroes, as well as addressing the creation of the Nordic culture [3], Voluspa sits under the umbrella term of Mythology. Aspects that prove it is of a mythological nature, is evident from the extract, “Hear my words, you holy gods, great men and humble, sons of Heimdall; by Odin’s will, I’ll speak of ancient lore, the oldest of all that I remember” (Terry, 1990). Heimdall and Odin are gods, supporting the standard characteristic of a myth. This stanza also expresses that it will be a poem expressing the past. Furthermore, this stanza also supports the idea that Voluspa is a form of oral mythology, due to its details, presenting instructions when spoken, such as “Hear my words” and “I’ll speak of ancient lore”. Throughout Voluspa, more and more gods and goddesses are introduced, including Thor the most famed god of Nordic mythology and history, who is a hero to humans. Finally, Voluspa also reflects the genre of Mythology through the context of the poem. The basic plot of the poem is about the formation of Midgard (Earth), the birth of the first humans, Earth’s demise to greed and how Gods and Goddesses intervened, and finally it details Earth’s resurrection. In the text, humans are trees brought to life by gods “They found of the shore two feeble trees, Ash and Embla, with no fixed fate…Odin gave life’s breath, Hoenir gave mind, Lodur gave hair, fairness of face” (Terry, 1990). This gives details to the culture's ancestors, again cementing this as a genre of Mythology. Whereas the demise of Earth, the use of Gods, and its resurrection, portray this culture’s history and beliefs so further enforces the genre of mythology.
References:
Terry, P. (trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
[1] http://www.thefreedictionary.com/myth
[2] http://www.dl.ket.org/latin/mythology/whatisa.htm
[3] http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/poetic_edda.html
[4] http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe02.htm
[5]http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfder/GenreCharacteristicsChart.pdf
Terry, P. (trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Question one/ Part 4: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
ReplyDeleteThe Hobbit and the Lord of The Rings trilogy belongs to the genre of Modern Fantasy. Modern fantasy[1] works are tales that illustrate out of this world creatures and settings. From first glance, it holds many similarities to the genre of Mythology. However the two are separate, once you inspect them closer. Myths are texts depicting a culture’s history, or at least what the author wants the readers to think was their culture’s history. Myths are what cultures believe are true [6], and they are designed to record those beliefs, and ensure they are passed down. Whereas fantasy works are written for entertainment purposes. The writers of fantasy do not usually believe in the creatures and events they write about, and instead dream them up to create a story they themselves would enjoy [7]. The heroes and characters within Myths, are characters that hold true significance for that culture. Not only do the heroes embody the nation’s ideal of what man should be like, but the incorporation of God’s and Goddesses that they believe in, and worship, implements a more sacred level than that seen in Modern Fantasy [2]. In Modern Fantasy texts, the writer typically fabricates the events themselves, rather than them being shared throughout the community as true historical events. Modern Fantasy writers also invent the characters in their work. Although many of the character’s in famous fantasy texts have names, backstories and characteristics that resemble those of a culture’s myth, the characters themselves do not reflect a nation’s ideal, or have an identity and importance linked to the whole make-up of a culture [8]. Myths and Epic poems are traditional, and have been around in both oral and written form for centuries.
Question One/ Part 4 Continued....
ReplyDeleteModern fantasy on the other hand is fairly new. Though its roots are from the genres of Mythology and Epic Poetry, the genre of Modern Fantasy came to life in the 19th-20th centuries [1]. The fathers of this genre are commonly known to be J.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. These two authors were part of a group called the Inklings. The Inklings appreciated traditional narrative content seen in epic poetry and mythology, and loved the elements of fantasy and larger than life, non-human characters. Therefore, they wrote fantasy works designed originally for children, that then flourished into the genre of fantasy we know today. Characteristics of modern fantasy are rather straightforward. What makes a text belong to the genre of Fantasy is when it contains details that are not realistic [3]. On a deeper level, the genre of fantasy is split into two levels of identification. There is low fantasy, which involves stories governed by the laws of this world, but unimaginable, inexplicable events occur. Then there is high fantasy, which involves stories that are set in a fabricated world, which is populated by supernatural beings [4]. The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings belong to the genre of Modern Fantasy, but more specifically the genre of high fantasy. From the first page of the Hobbit, details of this novel belonging to this genre is evident: “Orc is the hobbit’s form of the name given at that time to these creatures, and it is not connected at all with our Ork” (Tolkien, 1937, p.2). From this expert we can see that Tolkien has invented a whole new breed of creature, and his references to Our use of the word ork, highlights that Tolkien is talking about a world different from our own. In both The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien details a pre-historic and invented world slightly similar to our own, which he calls Middle-Earth [5]. Proving that it is a High fantasy text about an alternate world, and that the orc creatures and Hobbits are not apart of the makeup and history of the human race. These points portraying the genre of fantasy are seen later on in The Hobbit, when Tolkien describes Smaug’s uprising: “leaped up and snapped and rattles on his scales and jewels, and their shafts fell back kindled by his breath burning and hissing into the lake. No fireworks you ever imagined equalled the sights that night” (Tolkien, 1937, p.234). Again, the description of a fictional creature, and the details of an unimaginable battle portrays the theme of modern fantasy.
References:
[1]http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-modern-fantasy-literature-definition-authors-novels.html
[2] http://staffweb.plattscsd.org/rlacroix/other_pages/Characteristicsofepicpoetry.html (ref
[3] http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson270/genre_sheet.pdf
[4] http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfder/GenreCharacteristicsChart.pdf
[5] http://www.tolkiensociety.org/author/biography/
[6] http://myths.e2bn.org/teachers/info311-what-are-myths-legends-and-folktales.html
[7] http://vspages.com/mythology-vs-fantasy-24130/
[8]https://www.integrallife.com/member/barbi-hammond/blog/differences-between-myth-fairy-tales-literary-fantasies-and-postmodern-fan
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937). The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins.
Great answer, Amy-Claire.
Delete* Please note that I have numbered references throughout my answer, with links to my sources at the bottom of each answer. This is due to issues with Hyperlinking on Blogger.
ReplyDeleteWhat place do the old myths have in the modern world?
I believe myths have a permanent place in the modern world, that will never fully be erased. However, I do believe that as time goes on, their impact and meaning to the modern world will continue to change, and therefore eventually the original author's intended meaning and desired impact on the world will change. A Myths core function is to be a branch of identity stemming from a culture. They were written to capture moments of that cultures history, their beliefs and values, as well as being a form of entertainment to bring the culture together [1]. Although many depict larger than life characters with superpowers and an action packed future, to the people who bred these myths, they were true reflections of their heritage, and not fantasy formed for fun. In the modern world, myths have been appropriated into popular culture in numerous ways. We have whole trilogies of books and movies resembling characters, plots and beliefs from ancient myths[2]. Such as The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy that was inspired by Beowulf and the Volsunga Saga[2]. There is also the Thor comics and movies reflecting the almighty Thor, a beloved and instrumental factor of Nordic mythology and culture. To the Nordic culture Thor was not an illusion, he was a real God, no more fictitious to them, as God is to Christians, and yet to us in the modern world he is a cleverly portrayed character interwoven through Comics and movies, and seen as only that- a character written for entertainment purposes[3]. This highlights that although old mythology continues to stem through the world, our analysis and perceptions of these characters and factors are not what the culture who wrote about these heroes had in mind.
I agree with you here Amy-Claire. Especially where you say that myths have a permanent place in the modern world. I think that they will never remain the exact same, they will only be interpreted and bent and shaped to fit the changing world. Despite this, I think the only thing which will remain the same is their message/plot. For example, Beowulf and the slaying of dragons. Such an old myth/legend has inspired many great texts/movies but what interests me is how this idea can be turned around and opposed. What I mean by this is, the movie/series 'How To Train You Dragon' is a perfect illustration of the Beowulf myth/story being turned around. How To Train You Dragon is mainly a tale taking place in a mythical viking wourld, and is about the friendship between man and animal (Wikipedia) where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. After finally capturing his first dragon, and with his chance at at last gaining the tribe's acceptance, he finds that he no longer wants to kill it and instead befriends it. This would never of happened in a lot of the myths from the past as they were focused on illustrating the strenght of man and his fearlessness when fighting dragons. Whereas, in How to train your dragon, the viking world begin to befriend all dragons and work together to fight of the 'bad guys'. This, I think, Is going against the trditional idea of the dragon slayer, but still emphasises on the different ways which man and dragon 'unite' and the different relationships that they can have. Man and dragon are not always opposing eachother and have the potential to unite and become twice as strong when working together which I think is an interesting way for a myth to turn around and become flexible.
DeleteReference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_%28film%29
What place do the old myths have in the modern world? Continued...
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Myths provide great inspiration for artists works, and thus from the first appropriation it is evident that other artists find inspiration in the appropriated ideas of artists before them. For example, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings was written by J.K Tolkien in 1937, and became a cherished classic that became the foundation for the genre of Modern Poetry[4]. It was not until 2001 that the world saw an adaptation of Tolkien’s work in the form of the Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring, directed by Peter Jackson. From 2001, five more movies have been made that reflect the story,characters and plot that is evident in J.K. Tolkien’s books[4]. This illustrates that mythology has inspired work that then inspire further appropriations and adaptations[4]. I personally believe that the nature of adaptations of myths change as society changes. In the 1920s for example, when Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, one of society’s predominant forms of entertainment was reading [5]. So when Tolkien published his works with the intent to entertain children, it became a beloved book, which soon transcended into a classic that was enjoyed by adults too[6]. In the modern world, particularly the 2000s, films are society’s predominant source of entertainment, so Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Tolkien’s work correlated with what we as a society enjoyed as entertainment[4]. The roots of Tolkien’s work, Beowolf and Volsunga, although designed to be enjoyable for their readers, were not intended to purely be a source of entertainment [2]. From these examples, we can see that the essence of myths is still seen in the modern world, and that adaptations are cherished and encouraged[3]. However the way in which the modern world views these adaptations, is not in the same as the myths intention. It makes you wonder what adaptations we will see in the future, and whether in fact ancient works will continue to be appropriated and transformed to fit into the culture of the society at the time. It also opens up the question, of whether myths used for inspiration, will even be acknowledged and appreciated by that culture, or whether the adaptations will pave the way as myths of this time.
[1] http://www.dl.ket.org/latin/mythology/whatisa.htm
[2] Glenn, Jonathan A. (1991). "To Translate a Hero: The Hobbit as Beowulf Retold." (PAPA 17): 13-34.
[3] http://sequart.org/magazine/30319/thors-facelift-norse-mythology-in-the-marvel-universe/
[4] http://www.mythsoc.org/tolkien-on-film/
[5]https://www.boundless.com/u-s-history/textbooks/boundless-u-s-history-textbook/from-the-new-era-to-the-great-depression-1920-1933-24/a-culture-of-change-187/the-culture-of-the-roaring-twenties-1030-9235/
[6] http://www.tolkiensociety.org/author/biography/
Yes, and perhaps some of these motifs crop up in our modern thinking, thinking that we don't recognize as mythological.
Delete1. What genres do the following texts belong to?
ReplyDeleteVoluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Voluspa (The Song of the Volva) is under the genre of mythology. Mythology or more known as Greek mythology is a genre that mostly tell stories about Greek Gods and other Myths/ mythological creatures that were born in Greece.
“Hear my words, you holy gods, great men and humble sons of Heimdall; by Odin’s will, I’ll speak the ancient lore, the oldest of all that I remember.” (Terry, 1990, p.1)
It is evident in the text because of the words that were used such as “Holy Gods”, Odin’s Will and etc. The text is also full of “ancient” naming words such as “giants of ages past”, sons of Heimdall, Odin.
The hobbit
The hobbit I believe is in the genre of Fantasy/Fiction. This is proven because of the characters in “The hobbit” are often dwarfs, elves, dragons and many more common imaginary characters. Characters that really do not seem to exist in our world. Also, the way the story begins with “This is a story of long ago.” (Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937, p, 2) is commonly presented in most of fiction stories or texts. The kind of introduction that is likely to tell stories from the past. The lord of the rings is the story that happened after “The Hobbit”, after Bilbo have done his quest, restored peace between elves, dwarves and wizards and also, after defeating the forces of the dark. This definitely proves that Lord of the rings is also under the genre of fiction and fantasy. Not only that, most of the characters in The Hobbit also presented in the lord of the rings too.
Beowulf
I am positive that Beowulf is in the genre of “epic/fantasy”. Beowulf’s story is more about his life story; his legacy and the stories of how did he become a legend and a king. Beowulf might be strong as fictional characters that we see in fictional stories but according to the text, his strength is pure human and came from his life experiences in battle. And this is the reason why Beowulf is feared by many and also the reason why he rules over his kingdom for fifty winters. He ruled it well for fifty winters, grew old and wise as warden of the land…” (Heaney, 1999, p. 70).
Volsunga
Volsunga is in the genre of ‘Saga’ there are many different definition on what a saga is like
“A long, involved story, account, or series of incidents.” And another one is “a long story of heroic achievement, especially a medieval prose narrative in Old Norse or Old Icelandic.” In other words sagas’ are stories that talks about different parts, time maybe even centuries of a group or a certain bloodline and tells stories about its generation after generation. The stories involve the accounts of achievements, heroic actions and sometimes it involves how the legacy of the hero continued by the next generation. As a prove Volsunga ‘Saga’ is 43 chapters long. Just putting saga in the title is enough proof that it belongs to the genre of saga, also the time span of the story is an evidence. In addition, the text involves varities of events and features such as the love story of Sigurd and the battle with the dragon/worm that turned him into a legend “So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts…Now when that mighty worm was aware that he had his death-wound” (Morris & Magnussum, 1888, page 58).
References:
Heaney, S. (1999) (trans). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin.
Morris, W. & Magnussun, E. (trans). (1888). The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga). London: Walter Scott Press p. 58
Terry, P. (trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937). The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins.
ReplyDeleteWhat place do the old myths have in the modern world?
Some thinks that old myths are gone and that its times had long past our generation, but I believe that mythology was not only preserved but it evolved with time itself. I mean people change, atmosphere change everything around us changes and it involves literatures and olden day stories and many other things. In my own opinion Greek mythology is not just the “fuel” of the modern day heroes, but myths is actually the modern they hero that still gives us excitement. Greek myths never left us or even rested for a short time it rather grew better for us. Thanks to all the theologians and historians in the world for discovering them.
In cinemas, theatres and other places where we can see movies or read books we can all see the proofs, links and traces that Greek mythology is still here. For example, Thor, the incredible hulk, Avengers and many super heroes. They are the evolved form of Greek mythology. It is so spread that in this modern days Greeks are not the only country that can make mythological beings anymore. The tradition was not just passed on to the next generation it was passed on to other generations as well. Other myths actually stayed the same but the modern day technology just portrays them even superior than what technology can offer the society before. Thor is a part of the old myths but up to now even the young children still knows him, his father, his brother and where we came from. It is the same story with Hercules and Zeus. In a way we can actually call them legends instead of saying they are just myths.
* Please note that I have numbered references throughout my answer, with links to my sources at the bottom of each answer. This is due to issues with Hyperlinking on Blogger.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 8: Discuss what you think any of these texts desire (in the sense of their intention, how they wish to be received, what pleasures they offer).
I believe that Voluspa’s core desire/purpose is to capture the Nordic beliefs and values for all of eternity. Keeping in mind that the original form of this text was of oral heritage [1]. When analysing the desire for the oral presentation of this text, I believe Voluspa was used to entertain the listeners of its powerful imagery and emotional story, as well as verbally illustrate the ancestry and history of every single listener. Within the poem there are many mentions of the Gods and Goddesses that the culture holds dear. Therefore the oral presentation of this poem would have also been to express the devotion they have for their Gods, as well as teach future generations of the core beliefs and heroic feats of the ones they worship. Almost like the Christian bible, Voluspa portrays the purpose of expressing the greatest thanks to their Gods- a text of appreciation and worship that will last a lifetime. The poem itself portrays a cautionary message that greed, betrayal and selfishness can destroy entire worlds, “Brothers will die, slain by their brothers, kinsmen betray their close kin; woe to the world then, wedded to whoredom...storm-cleft age of wolves until the world goes down” (Terry, pg.3, 1990) and, “The sun turns black, the earth sinks below the sea, no bright star now shine from the heavens; flames leap the length of the World Tree” (Terry, pg. 4, 1990). Which leads me to believe that above just entertaining and giving back-story to the listeners, the intent behind this text is to also teach everyone who hears it of how the world came to be, how it was threatened and why because of this we should cherish the world the Nordic Gods fought so hard for.
Voluspa is believed to have been written during the spread of Christianity [2]. Therefore, the written form of Voluspa still holds these aforementioned purposes, but deeper than that the desire of the written version was to preserve the Nordic culture’s identity, and ensure that a significant piece of their culture did not die at the hands of Christianity. I think that this desire is successfully met, for as long as the text and memory of Voluspa remains in this world and is studied, so to does the essence of the poem. I for one will forever remember this poem, and relate it to the modern appropriations seen in popular culture.
[1]http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/poetic_edda.html
[2] http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe02.htm
[3]Terry, P. (trans). (1990, 1966). Poems of the Elder Edda . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
1. What genres do the following texts belong to? Voluspa, Volsunga Saga, Beowulf, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
ReplyDeleteThough all fives texts are closely interlinked by similar ideologies and plots, they are not all of the same genre. Beowulf itself is of the genre Epic Poetry, defined by Chegg (2003) as a long poetic narrative about a significant event, usually with a heroic protagonist, which played an important part in recognizing and remembering the history of a culture. Epics often featured a hero who embodied the values and beliefs of a certain group; a broad setting that could often encompass the entire world; and the intervention of supernatural beings/supernatural abilities. All of these necessities in an epic poem can be observed in Beowulf. Beowulf himself, the main protagonist, is a hero who has gained fame for his many great deeds and battle prowess. He is shown to be doing what is right by protecting his people for many years, in vicious battles and against deadly enemies, and even going so far as to fight for his life in a kingdom that was not his own. This showed the audience that their hero was a man who fought for them and their beliefs. The story centers on his defeat of the demon, Grendel, who had been terrorizing the Danes for years, killing their people and destroying their town (Sparknotes, 2015). Beowulf is unprepared when Grendel comes to attack him, and fights the much larger creature with just his bare hands, eventually tearing off his arm in battle, leaving him to die. This is the element of supernatural abilities, where Beowulf showed his supernatural strength that was far greater than any normal man. In the text, Beowulf’s success travels throughout the lands, and the scope of the world in the epic poem can be seen in lines such as, “across the wide sea, desolate and alone, the son of Ecgtheow swam back to his people” (Heaney, 1999). The text Beowulf lives up to all of the requirements for it to be considered an epic poem, and in fact is often used as a prime example of one (Clegg, 2003).
Merriam-Webster (2015) defines a saga as a long, detailed prose narrative recorded in Iceland and Norway in the 12th and 13th centuries, surrounding historic and legendary events and figures. The word itself is Old Norse, and indeed the original text of the Volsunga Saga was in Old Norse too, written approximately in the 13th century CE by an anonymous author (Gutenberg, 2008). The text includes heroic acts, namely that of the slaying of the dragon by the hero Sigurd, “…Sigurd thrust his sword under [the dragon’s] left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilt” (Morris, 1888). Woven around these heroic events is the story of family and love, which is often included in a saga.
The Voluspa belongs to the genre of oral mythology, as it includes both the traditional plots of ancient mythology, as well as elements that tell us that the story was originally an oral piece. The line “hear my words, you holy gods… by Odin’s will, I’ll speak of ancient lore” (Terry, 1990) tells us that the Voluspa was not originally written down, but spoken aloud as ancient stories often were before writing systems became more common, and when performances were preferred to pass down history and culture. Dictionary.com (2015) defines a myth as a traditional and legendary story that usually concerns a hero or event, and often includes deities and gods to explain a natural phenomenon. This can be seen in the Voluspa, as the creation of the world is described by the oracle who is reading it, “nothing was there when time began, neither sands nor seas nor cooling waves. Earth was not yet, nor the high heavens, but a gaping emptiness nowhere green” (Terry, 1990.) This is a typical opening of a creation myth; also seen in the book of Genesis in the Bible, wherein out of absolute nothing a god or deities create the world and all in it.
continuation of previous post...
ReplyDeleteThe Voluspa is also concerned with the creation of human beings by the gods who give them different features: “Odin gave life’s breath, Hoenir gave mind, Lodur gave hair, fairness of face” (Terry, 1990). In ancient times, before science was more common, the people had no explanation of how things were as they had come to be, and created stories of the gods to explain them – the creation of the Earth and humanity, how and what an earthquake was (the Norse believed that earthquakes were caused by an entrapped Loki, who was forced to live under a venomous snake, and when the venom dripped into his mouth he writhed in pain which caused the earth to shake) and so much more.
The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien are part of the genre of modern fantasy, specifically the subgenre of high fantasy. However much Tolkien borrowed from Norse mythology, his works are not included in the mythological genre, as they were not intended to be an explanation of how the world works, and did not revolve around deities, as mythology must entail (Dictionary.com, 2015). Myths are what ancient cultures believed to be true, whereas the genre of fantasy is most often recognized for being untrue, and are written for entertainment, rather than informing an audience. However both genres include the story of a hero, a world unlike our own, and elements of the supernatural. Fantasy Faction (2014) describes a high fantasy setting as being a world completely separate from our own, entirely fictional, with rules that usually differ from our own; low fantasy is a world usually set in our own, with magical and supernatural elements added, such as a hidden wizarding subculture in Harry Potter, or a portal to another world such as Alice in Wonderland. Tolkien’s works fit into the high fantasy genre as they are set in Middle-Earth, a world unlike our own in nearly all aspects – geography, history, species et cetera (Tolkien, 1937). High fantasy is often steeped in the thematic concept of good versus evil, which is taken to extremes in Tolkien’s works, wherein evil is represented by the dark lord Sauron, who is portrayed as a burning eye atop a tower, who owns a ring that can bestow power and control the minds of weaker beings (Fantasy Faction, 2014).
References:
Chegg. (2003). Definition of Epic Poem. Retrieved from http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/epic-poem-39
Dictionary.com. (2015). Definition of Myth. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myth
Fantasy Faction (2014). Survey of Fantasy Subcultures – Part One: High and Low Fantasy. Retrieved from http://fantasy-faction.com/2014/survey-of-fantasy-subgenres
Gutenberg. (2008). The Story of the Volsungs. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1152/1152-h/1152-h.htm
Heaney, S. (1999) (trans). Beowulf: a new translation. London: Penguin.
Merriam-Webster. (2015). Definition of Saga. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saga
Sparknotes. (2015). Beowulf Plot Overview. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beowulf/summary.html
Terry, P. (1990) (trans). Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1937). The Hobbit. London: HarperCollins.
What place do old myths have in the modern world?
ReplyDeleteI believe old myths have a strong significance to the modern world. Some stories in modern society are most likely to have been moulded by old myths and have been told respectfully. I do also believe that the passing and repelling of old myths throughout time to present has lessened the power it has over people. Old myths especially in Ancient Greek times were highly praised “ Their religion/mythology had no formal structure with the exception of various festivals held in honor of the gods” if we take a look now in our modern world it is rather silently praised throughout literature works. Especially Since writers and artists tend to derive inspiration from these old myths only to authentic their craft. The value if old myths still reside within the modern world it's just the integrity it once had isn't as believable “they are far more seen as moral and symbolic truths rather than laws or actual facts of history”
Old myths however are still important to modern world with writers such as J.R.R Tolkien creating in depth fantasy novels branching from old myths such as dragons. In his fantasy novel “The hobbit” he writes of a dragon slaying adventure
”Fire leaped from the dragon's jaws. He circled for a while high in the air above them lighting all the lake; the trees by the shores shone like copper and like blood with leaping shadows of dense black at their feet. Then down he swooped straight through the arrow- storm, reckless in his rage, taking no heed to turn his scaly sides towards his foes, seeking only to set their town ablaze.”
“Only five days after the death of the dragon they came upon the shores and looked on the ruins of the town”
To which the main protagonists regards a quest on. This is a core plot line and we clearly see the relevance of an old myth such as dragons to be pinpointed in his novel. This also brings in the myth of the hero’s quest where bilbo is seen as the hero on the quest.
These archetypal myths, foundations of storytelling and first and foremost of beliefs and cultures, have influenced a range of creativity in Tolkien’s writing that he is bold enough to morph these myths into his own kind.
So I believe old myths have an acknowledged place in the modern world as people have continued it use old myths as a basis or their work or even their beliefs.
References
Retrieved (June 2015), http://historylink101.com/2/greece2/
http://listverse.com/2014/01/16/10-universal-myths-of-the-ancient-world/
Tolkien, J.R.R. (1997; 1937). The Hobbit, London: HarperCollins