myths and fantasy..

[magician2magici]

hi all,
how are you ?

so , now i have a matter i want to discuss with you..

mythology , ancient legends , and the modern fantasy , what is the relation between them ?

it's known that fantasy= myths ( point of view to fantasy at my region)
i don't agree to that opinion if it still exists here too ,

i believe that fantasy has left myths behind for so long time , now , it's part of this , part of that..

for me , as a writer , i see in mythology only the new races i need ( only the names and i can create their features as i like to ) like elves , dwarves , some features of legendary beasts , like sphinx , dragons , some ideas , like what arthur's legend inspired many authers like tolkien as far i know..

but it's not only mythology , fantasy is far far beyond this wall , now we can talk about our legends , our mythology that we create , or other writers - like tolkien- did before , we now try to modify these legends to form new ones , try to create new myths , we now do the job of the myths did for long time before..

so , that's my view about this matter..
what about you all ? what do you think ?

salam,,
el-saher>>

[JDP]

I think that mythology fulfilled many purposes for people throughout the ages. It was a way of explaining the explainable, such as gods, creation and the world around them. It was also a way to teach histories and moral ideals through the spoken word.

I'd agree that a lot of modern fantasy uses strong mythical elements (especially epic fantasy), but I wouldn't necessarily say that fantasy 'goes beyond' myth. I think the element of the human psyche that is drawn to myth is also drawn to fantasy.

[Sapheron]

Originally Posted by magician2magici

we now do the job of the myths did for long time before..

Not at all. Back then, myths weren't myths. They were a part of history and religion. The trials of Hercules, Theseus or Perseus were as real to the Hellenistic World as what they could see with their own eyes. King Arthur, to the old Britons as they struggled against the Anglo Saxons, was a real hero of their people who would, at some point, help reclaim their land.

Our fantasy, on the other hand, is purely made up and known to be by everyone. No one reads The Lord of the Rings and believes a word of it, nor any other fantasy book. Our fantasy is just amusement.

The modern equivalent of myths and legends would be our modern religions, if anything.

[Mad Tam McC]

The modern equivalents - There are always urban myths and legends as well!

You know the story of a friend of a friend.

There are whole websites devoted to them.