Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

Heroes and Quests

What Are Myths and Legends?

Feature Menu

Norse Myths

Arthurian Legends

Romance Literature

Heroic Characters as Archetypes

Your Turn

Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

• serves to explain beliefs, rituals, or natural phenomena

Myths are traditional stories rooted in a particular culture. A myth . . .

• is basically religious in nature

• reveals the ideals and values of a society

The ancient Greeks, for example, invented stories to help explain the mysteries of nature.

• A stormy sea meant the god of the ocean was angry.

• Gods and goddesses were both observers and participants in human lives.

Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

They are told to teach lessons . . .

Folk tales are similar to myths, but they are about ordinary people—not gods and heroes.

Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

. . . and to entertain.

Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

Folk tales tend to travel from culture to culture.

• Researchers have found nine hundred versions of the Cinderella story told around the world.

• Many folk tales include extraordinary events—such as straw turning into gold.

Legends are usually based on real historical people and events.

Because legends have been told and retold orally, they often include exaggerated, larger-

than-life elements.

Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

Which two elements do not appear in myths or legends?

Quick Check

• extraordinary deeds

• explanation of natural phenomena

• scientific proofs

• gods and goddesses

• fantastic, supernatural elements

• confusion about values[End of Section]

Myths, Folk Tales, and Legends

Heroes and Quests

In myths and legends, a hero or a heroine is extraordinary in several ways:

• In a myth, a hero is often descended from the gods.

• The hero faces a seemingly impossible task.

• He or she accepts the task with courage, ingenuity, and often superhuman strength.

Heroes and Quests

Heroes often set out on a quest—a journey or a test to find or win something of great significance.

[End of Section]

In Greek mythology, the hero Theseus goes on a quest to slay the Minotaur, a monster devouring the youth of Athens.

Norse Myths

Norse myths are traditional stories of the people of ancient Scandinavia and Germany.

• Norse mythology includes hero tales, called sagas.

• Sagas are part of the Norse oral storytelling tradition.

Norse Myths

In one myth, the hero Sigurd, the most famous Norse hero, gets help in his quest from Odin, the principal Norse God.

“I gave your father a sword,” said Odin as they watched the great creature breasting the flood. “Now I give you this horse. Ride out and win fame. . . . Heroes shall rise to greet you as the greatest one of them all.” •From "The Dragon Slayer" and "Fafnir's End" from Legends of the North by Olivia E. Coolidge. Copyright 1951 by Olivia E. Coolidge. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company, www.hmco.com.

[End of Section]

Arthurian Legend

Arthurian legends are stories about King Arthur and the brave, powerful, and adventurous knights of the Round Table.

The medieval hero King Arthur was considered a great fighter and defender of his land.

Arthurian Legend

The Arthurian legends are probably based on a fifth or sixth-century Celtic chieftain who lived in Wales.

This legendary king led his people to victory against invaders from Germany.

Arthurian Legend

The following excerpt describes Arthur’s first heroic task—pulling a sword out of a stone in which it had been lodged.

“Why,” said Arthur, “do you kneel before me?”

“My lord,” Sir Ector replied, “there is only one man living who can draw the sword from the stone, and he is the true-born king of Britain.”•From “The Sword in the Stone” from Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, translated by Keith Baines. Translation copyright © 1962 by Keith Baines; copyright renewed © 1990 by Francesca Evans. Reproduced by permission of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., www.penguin.com.

Match each numbered item to its literary genre.

Norse Myths and Arthurian Legend

Quick Check

1. a hero or heroine

2. sagas

3. the god Odin

4. quests

5. a famous round table

6. knights

7. an impossible task

A. Norse myths

B. Arthurian legends

C. Probably both

[End of Section]

Romance Literature

The legends of King Arthur are part of the larger genre of Romance literature.

These legends developed in twelfth-century England and France and focus on the adventures of knights and other heroes.

Romance vs. romance

Romance Literature

The medieval romance celebrates the ideals of chivalry—the code of behavior a knight followed.

A knight was expected to be . . .

• brave

• honorable

• generous to his foes

• respectful of women

• protective of the weak

Romance Literature

The stories of Romance literature are still enjoyed today. The literature often features elements of magic or enchantment.

In “The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lake,” the hero commits to helping the king’s daughter.

[End of Section]

Heroic Characters as Archetypes

An archetype is a plot pattern, image, or character type that appears throughout literature.

One example of an archetype is the hero who faces formidable enemies and physical challenges or goes on a quest.

Heroic Characters as Archetypes

Archetypes often reflect universal characters and themes.

You are probably familiar with a number of other archetypal characters:

• the loyal sidekick—as Panza is to Quixote . . .

• the tough guy with a heart of gold . . .

• the undervalued and overlooked sweet girl . . .

Heroic Characters as Archetypes

As you read, use a graphic organizer like the one below to track archetypal qualities.

Hero/Heroine

Superhumanqualities

Conflict

Quest

Outcomeof quest

Divine intervention

1. What other traits were included in the code of chivalry?

Romance Literature andHeroic Characters as Archetypes

Quick Check

1.Knights in the medieval era pledged to be honorable and to protect the weak.

2. One archetypal pattern is the plot type in which a hero goes on a quest.

2. What kind of help is a hero likely to have during the quest?

[End of Section]

Analyze Myths and Legends

[End of Section]

Your Turn

Think of a hero or heroine from literature or film and apply your knowledge of the archetypal hero. Use the following questions as a guide:• Does the hero show unusual promise as a child?

• What is the hero’s or heroine’s quest?

• What heroic qualities does the character possess to overcome the challenge(s)?

• What conflicts does the hero overcome?

• What is the outcome of the test?

The End