Myth Theories (continued)CC 303 1st Edition Lecture 3 Outline of Last Lecture I. What is a myth?II. Myth Theoriesa. Religionb. EtiologyOutline of Current Lecture II. Myth Theories (continued)a. Rationalismb. Metaphorc. PsychologyIII. StructuralismIV. SociologyV. Comparative and Critical TheoriesCurrent LectureMyth Theories (continued)I. Rationalisma) Attempts to find historical explanations for myth.i) i.e. Euhemerus (c.a. 300 B.C.E.)II. Metaphora) Goal is to use myth as a vehicle for unveiling some universal truthb) Allegory: looking at the entire story to determine the lessoni) i.e. Max Mueller: suggested that all myths are nature allegories. Understanding how nature can explain things about the human conditionc) SymbolismIII. Psychologya) Looking with in myths to find metaphor and symbolism to explain the human psychei) i.e. Sigmund Freud: Oedipus Complex(1) 3 parts to human dreamwork:(a) Condensation(b) Displacement(c) Representationii) i.e. Carl Jung: collective unconscious, archetypes, and anima vs. animus(1) felt that Freud’s ideas really translated into the parts of the collective unconscious. Each symbol was representing the culture as a whole and the repressed social desire/ideals.(2) Archetypes: things used by society to define itself.These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.IV. Structuralisma) A theoretical approach to mythologyi) i.e. Claude Levi-Strauss: anthropologist who looked at different levels of interpretation; sets of binary opposites.(1) All human behaviors are based on certain patterns(2) Every society has a similar pattern that will play a role in the whole(3) Binary opposites are very importantii) i.e. Vladamir Propp: a Russian folklord(1) believed narrative structure was the most important part(2) developed set of 31 narrative elements that he said would always occur in the same orderiii) i.e. Walter Burkett: classicist(1) believed historical and cultural dimensions must be taken into account in examining the structure of a myth(2) 4 thesis when analyzing: (a) Myth belongs to a more general class of traditional tale(b) Identity of a tradition is to be found in a structure within the tale itself(c) Tale structures are founded on the basics of biological and cultural programs/actions(d) Myth is a tradional tale with secondary/partial reference to things important to the collectiveV. Sociologya) Myth as a social charteri) i.e. Malinowski: myth can establish people’s practices that have nothing to do with religionVI. Comparative and Critical Theories of Mytha) Comparative mythologyi) Questions the origin of mythii) Must not have an author or identity tied to the taleiii) Orally transmittediv) i.e. Joseph Campbellb) Critical Theoriesi) Feminismii) Gender relations and