Q. What is mythology? How does it differ from legends and made up stories?
Ah, the age old question. There is always a kernel of truth found within any myth or legend. Events or social morals that are important to a particular culture take on the form of these tales. The Bible is full of parables.
What makes Greek Mythology so interesting is how flexible the tales are. One ‘story’ can be found with many different endings, and characters with different attitudes and traits. It all depends on the teller. Helen, in particular, is portrayed differently from Homer, to Sophocles, to Euripides.
Since Greek Myth began as an oral tradition, each bard would put their own spin on a tale. The twists of the plot would reflect the cultural issues of that particular moment in time – like how we have movies that seem similar dealing with current social concerns.
It’s important to note these myths have been great sources for historians and archaeologists to grasp the way of life in ancient times. They may not be 100% factual, but—as Captain Barbosa says—”It’s more like guidelines.”
