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RELGST 0083: EXAM 1
All But One Motif
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The flood stories for example.
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Allegory |
Story translated from initial frame of reference to another more acceptable.
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Ambivalence of Female
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Female is at first supportive of change, then resists it.
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Anthropomorphism
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Gods taking human form.
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Archaelogy
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Physical evidence to support myths.
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Attribute |
Items that usually accompanied gods or goddesses in descriptions.
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Cosmogony |
Origin of the world. To Hesiod, equivalent to theogony.
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Culture Hero/Bearer
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Promethius gave humans the highest level of skills.
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Doublet |
Cronus and Rhea are doublets of Uranus and Gaea, that is, they perform the same function.
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Dragon Combat
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Zeus vs. Typhoeus, Apollo vs. Pytho, for example.
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Dynastic Marriage
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Arranged marriages based on political, economic or social reasons.
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Epic
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A long, narrative poem celebrating deeds of heroes.
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Epiphany |
Gods or goddesses revealing themselves in their true form.
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Epithet
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Standard, formulaic descriptive words and phrases attached to certain gods and heroes.
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Eponym/Eponymous
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Person whose name is given to something/giving one's name to something.
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Etiology
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Explanatory, cause or origin.
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Etymological Etiology
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Explanation of Aphrodite's name and cult centers, for example.
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Etymology
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Explaining the meanings of words. Typhoeus=etymology for typhoon.
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Folk Etymology
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Working back from name to story of Aphrodite's birth - foam born; also false etymology.
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Helper Motif
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Gods or heroes need help of someone else, either divine or martal, to accomplish task.
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Hamartia
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Mistake, missing the mark. Humans becoming separate from gods.
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Heros/Heroine
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Mortals who are the main subjects of legends.
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Hybrid Monster
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Combining parts of different animals. Near Eastern practice.
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Hybris
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Violence, or by extension excessive pride or boasting.
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Indo-European
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Hypothetical cultural and linguistic group to which Greeks belonged (as well as most of Europe, Americas, etc.)
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Intergenerational Conflict
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Cronus vs. Uranus; Zeus vs. Cronus; Zeus vs. Titans
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Metamorphosis |
A changing of form. Daphne changing into a laurel tree.
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Miasma |
Blood pollution from murdering, from childbirth and menstruation.
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Misogyny |
Hating of women.
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Monotheism
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Belief in a single god.
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Motif
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Common folktale elements.
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Oral Culture/Tradition
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Stories handed down from one generation to another orally.
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Parthenos/Parthenogenesis
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Maiden or virgin/birth from a virgin.
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Peripeteia
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A turning around - important element of tragedy - a reversal of fortune.
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Polytheism
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Belief of many gods.
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Potency of the Blood of a God
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The blood of a god when spilled always produces new life.
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Primacy of Female
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Matriarchal phase in early human social development.
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Projection
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Transferring concerns and activities of Greeks onto Olympian gods.
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Psychopompos |
Hermes as the guider of souls to the underworld.
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Quest
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A major component of legends. Important element in folktales.
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Reversal of Fortune
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Element of tragedy.
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Riddling Oracle
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Were often difficult to interpret and were thus subject to misinterpretation.
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Ritual Theory of Myth
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Explanation for real rituals (Promethius at Mecone).
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Separation of Heaven and Earth
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Cronus castrates Uranus; Hittite Anush castrated by son Kumarbi
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Shaman |
Like a medicine man or seer (Apollo).
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Short Sighted Wish Motif
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Wish without considering all the ramifications - e.g. Eos and Tithonius
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Stupid Ogre Motif
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Uranus and Cronus are tyrannical and are overcome by trickery of their sons.
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Succession Myth
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Succession of generations overthrowing previous generations leading up to the rise of ultimate god (Zeus, Marduk, Teshub).
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Theogony
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The origins of the gods. To Hesiod equates to cosmogony.
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Twelve Olympians
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Zeus and brothers and sisters and children.
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Tyrannical Husband and Father
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Uranus and Cronus
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Violation of Prohibition (taboo)
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Violation always produces punishment.
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Woman as Container
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Women were considered containers of seed of future generations.
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Xenia |
Friendship realtions, reciprocal hospitality. Violation of custom produces punishment.
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