Introduction to Mythology: Concepts and Insights

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key mythological terms and concepts drawn from the lecture notes on myth, legend, urban legends, and the functions of mythology.

myth

A traditional story, often sacred or foundational, that expresses a culture's beliefs, values, or worldview; not solely entertainment.

mythology

The body of myths of a culture or the study of myths and their purposes, functions, and cultural significance.

urban legend

A modern, often plausible-sounding story circulated as truth, typically spread orally or online and conveyed with suspense or a moral.

legend

A story with some historical basis or notable origins, but whose factual details are uncertain or contested.

oral tradition

The passing of stories and knowledge by mouth across generations, often before widespread writing.

anthropological function of myth

The role of myths in validating culture and informing or justifying rituals and social norms within a community.

Bascom’s anthropological function

The idea that folktales and myths help validate culture and provide a safe outlet to discuss taboo topics while reinforcing social norms.

Campbell’s four functions of myth

The four main functions of myth: sociological, psychological, metaphysical, and cosmological.

sociological insight

A myth’s reflection of and influence on group behavior, social structures, and collective values.

psychological insight

A myth’s exploration of individual development, maturation, and inner conflicts and how people become adults.

metaphysical insight

What a myth suggests about human nature, mortality, and our relationship to a larger reality or deity.

cosmological insight

A myth’s depiction of the universe and natural order as understood in its cultural and historical context.

aetiology

A story or explanation within myth for the origin of a custom, practice, or natural phenomenon.

aetiological function

The aspect of myth that explains the origin of something within the world or culture.

nostos

The Greek word for homecoming or the return home after a journey; a central theme in many myths.

nostalgia

A longing or pain associated with homecoming or the past, often rooted in the idea of nostos.

structuralism (Claude Lévi-Strauss)

An approach to myths that seeks the underlying mental structures and binary oppositions that shape stories and reflect culture.

Raven and Petrel

A Native American myth about water and rivers used to illustrate aetiology and how myths map the natural world.

Old Man Coyote

A Plains Indian trickster figure whose stories both challenge and reinforce social taboos, serving a social-psychological function.

Trojan War

The legendary Greek war described in myth and epic (Homer’s works) involving Paris, Helen, the Trojan Horse, and figures like Achilles and Odysseus, used to explore multiple thematic insights across history, anthropology, and cosmology.