Academic Vocabulary

A myth is a story or legend that can give explanation to natural phenomena, human psychology, or theological questions. Therefore we can see where certain cultures explained something natural as in the myth of Demeter and Persephone.

A hero is someone reconized for there courage in great feats or labors, or the founder of something new. Hercules is a hero by this definition.

The hero journey is seen as all parts that a hero embarks on from the call to adventure, his companions, guides, initiation, battles, final battle, transformation, boon, death and finally rebirth. This is universal to all hero myths and but is seen fundamentally in Lord of the Rings.

The idea of universal is representative of every man and applies to all. Universality is seen with sweatpants because they are on size fits all.

Cyclical is the idea of every coming back to where it started and starting all over again. The hero journey shows a cyclical pattern.

Life from Death is the sacrificing of one life to sustain the life of one or more lives. This is seen with fertilizer in gardens.

Duality is a quality of opposites existing at the same time in a whole. This is seen in the idea of the yin and yang.

An archetype is the original model of something. We see this in creation myths where the three archetypes for creation are void, egg, and a watery abyss. Also there a three archetypal representations of a hero are human, trickster, and cultural. The archetypal creation myth of Enuma Elish shows an example of watery abyss.

Creation is the origins or beginnings of something. This is seen in the epic of Gilgamesh which is the first known story of creation.

Matriarchal is when the mother is the head of the household and holds the power from giving life. This is represented through the idea of Mother Earth.

Patriarchal is where the father figure is the provider and protector of the family. This is commonly viewed as Father Sky.

Sacrifice is putting self-interests aside for the betterment of the whole; selflessness. The Aztecs would sacrifice life for the benefit of the people.