Punpunpun
Jan 21, 2010
Undergraduate / Mythology: I'm curious, is this a good essay for a HS senior? [3]
This is a "what's the purpose of myth" essay of mine. I'm curious what people outside of my school think. This is an unedited first draft btw, and if I was turning it in soon, it would be better.
Mythology, in its purist form, seeks to explain the unexplainable. Sometimes this explanation comes from arcane metaphor and symbolism, but most often it is told from the lens of a relatable and idolized protagonist. It is these ideal heroes, who exist on the verge of humanity, that are the most captivating element of mythology as the average person aspires to be one by transcending their current state of existence.
Among factors that motivate people to idolize a hero, estrangement from god and/or the numinous, a supernatural existence, is particularly prominent. This issue of estrangement is pervasive throughout most of mythology. As Bierlein puts it, "many myths tell of a 'time before time' wherein God (or the gods) and humans lived in a companionable fellowship that was broken through sin or perhaps an action on the part of the Creator" (1999). Amidst these myths, the story of the fall from Eden serves as a wonderful allegory.
In the fall, the once innocent Adam and Eve eat from the forbidden tree of knowledge, causing them to know of good and evil. Seeing their nakedness, they cloth themselves and hide from God. Upon realizing what they have done, God casts them out of the garden. In their venture to become more like God, Adam and Eve ironically become unable to be one of his creatures. When Adam and Eve learned the way a god may think, they ceased to be divine. Their existence, akin to Heracles, was a dichotomy of infinite and finitude.
Poignantly summarized, "limited by his nature, infinite in his desires, man is a fallen god who remembers the heavens" (Alphonse de Lamartine, 1790-1869). Although it may seem that there are exceptions to man's desire to transcend, for of course there are atheists, nihilists, and general nonbelievers, estrangement from god is an entirely secular concept. The terminology used is just outdated.
As a part of nature, man is subject to physical laws. On the other hand, man is limitless in desire and imagination. By being set apart from other animals, yet having to share the same limitations, humans are given an existential crisis. Transcendence to divinity, awareness, or a "technological singularity," is what encourages people to achieve their perceived potential.
Mythology provides hope with the archetype of the hero. As observed by Campbell, the story of a hero often follows a common pattern in which "a hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man" (1945). This monomyth, or hero's journey, gives meaning to man's existential crisis. Spiderman, a modern mythological hero, perfectly illustrates this arc.
At the beginning of his journey, Peter Parker is just a mundane and slightly nerdy teenager. This importantly sets the stage for the reader to relate with Peter, and allows the reader to imagine themselves in Peter's position. One day, Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider. He then starts to exhibit special powers and begins his journey as a hero.
Now endowed with great ability, Peter is left at a crossroads. Instead of altruistically using his powers, he decides to use them to make money. In the process, he ignores a robber who ends up killing his uncle. A grief stricken Peter then reflects on this incident and remembers his uncle's words: "with great power comes great responsibility," thus completing his transition to the role of Spiderman.
This larger tribulation again allows the readers to relate to Peter. While it may not directly speak to the loss of a family for some, it serves as an allegory to avoid Peter's former selfishness. The ability to relate and connect with a character also makes the message more meaningful.
Then, as Spiderman, Peter encounters "fabulous forces" and a "decisive victory is won." Spiderman's numerous battles with super-villains and equally important conflicts of identity shape Peter and he comes out of each experience as a stronger person. Finally, when the arc ends, Peter is left with a sense of the responsibility. As Spiderman, Peter makes the world a better place.
While monomyths may offer different perspectives of how to live one's life, in this case through altruism, they most importantly set models for transcendence. Ultimately, people seek to become better, regardless of the path they take. Mythology is the embodiment of this universal sentiment.
This is a "what's the purpose of myth" essay of mine. I'm curious what people outside of my school think. This is an unedited first draft btw, and if I was turning it in soon, it would be better.
Mythology, in its purist form, seeks to explain the unexplainable. Sometimes this explanation comes from arcane metaphor and symbolism, but most often it is told from the lens of a relatable and idolized protagonist. It is these ideal heroes, who exist on the verge of humanity, that are the most captivating element of mythology as the average person aspires to be one by transcending their current state of existence.
Among factors that motivate people to idolize a hero, estrangement from god and/or the numinous, a supernatural existence, is particularly prominent. This issue of estrangement is pervasive throughout most of mythology. As Bierlein puts it, "many myths tell of a 'time before time' wherein God (or the gods) and humans lived in a companionable fellowship that was broken through sin or perhaps an action on the part of the Creator" (1999). Amidst these myths, the story of the fall from Eden serves as a wonderful allegory.
In the fall, the once innocent Adam and Eve eat from the forbidden tree of knowledge, causing them to know of good and evil. Seeing their nakedness, they cloth themselves and hide from God. Upon realizing what they have done, God casts them out of the garden. In their venture to become more like God, Adam and Eve ironically become unable to be one of his creatures. When Adam and Eve learned the way a god may think, they ceased to be divine. Their existence, akin to Heracles, was a dichotomy of infinite and finitude.
Poignantly summarized, "limited by his nature, infinite in his desires, man is a fallen god who remembers the heavens" (Alphonse de Lamartine, 1790-1869). Although it may seem that there are exceptions to man's desire to transcend, for of course there are atheists, nihilists, and general nonbelievers, estrangement from god is an entirely secular concept. The terminology used is just outdated.
As a part of nature, man is subject to physical laws. On the other hand, man is limitless in desire and imagination. By being set apart from other animals, yet having to share the same limitations, humans are given an existential crisis. Transcendence to divinity, awareness, or a "technological singularity," is what encourages people to achieve their perceived potential.
Mythology provides hope with the archetype of the hero. As observed by Campbell, the story of a hero often follows a common pattern in which "a hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man" (1945). This monomyth, or hero's journey, gives meaning to man's existential crisis. Spiderman, a modern mythological hero, perfectly illustrates this arc.
At the beginning of his journey, Peter Parker is just a mundane and slightly nerdy teenager. This importantly sets the stage for the reader to relate with Peter, and allows the reader to imagine themselves in Peter's position. One day, Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider. He then starts to exhibit special powers and begins his journey as a hero.
Now endowed with great ability, Peter is left at a crossroads. Instead of altruistically using his powers, he decides to use them to make money. In the process, he ignores a robber who ends up killing his uncle. A grief stricken Peter then reflects on this incident and remembers his uncle's words: "with great power comes great responsibility," thus completing his transition to the role of Spiderman.
This larger tribulation again allows the readers to relate to Peter. While it may not directly speak to the loss of a family for some, it serves as an allegory to avoid Peter's former selfishness. The ability to relate and connect with a character also makes the message more meaningful.
Then, as Spiderman, Peter encounters "fabulous forces" and a "decisive victory is won." Spiderman's numerous battles with super-villains and equally important conflicts of identity shape Peter and he comes out of each experience as a stronger person. Finally, when the arc ends, Peter is left with a sense of the responsibility. As Spiderman, Peter makes the world a better place.
While monomyths may offer different perspectives of how to live one's life, in this case through altruism, they most importantly set models for transcendence. Ultimately, people seek to become better, regardless of the path they take. Mythology is the embodiment of this universal sentiment.
