Although the common perception is that myth represents fanciful stories that only ignorant people would believe, myth represents the ways in which human societies have answered the enduring questions of what it means to be human. Throughout the semester, we will focus on myth as ancient narratives that examine the relation of humans with gods and that express these fundamental truths of human existence. In this way, we can set aside the question of whose beliefs are true in some absolute sense and, instead, see the value of, not only our own mythological beliefs, but also the beliefs of others who may be very different from us in time or space.

Also, while most people assume that myth refers only to the stories about the gods, goddesses, and heroes of Greek and Roman culture, the fact is that all cultures have myths. In our use of the term myth, many of the stories of the Bible are also myths (ancient narratives that examine the relation of humans and gods and teach fundamental truths of human existence). And, in particular, the myths of Greece and Rome, the myths of Norse culture, and the Bible continue to have an enduring influence on Western culture and in how we define ourselves.

In studying myths, we have begun to see the commonalities from culture to culture, to explore possible explanations for these similarities, and to understand why these similarities can be troubling for people in monotheistic cultures like Christianity or Islam. At the same time, the myths of every culture have certain unique aspects that can help people understand the individual qualities of those cultures.

Module 1 has served as a survey of many of the approaches that have been taken to the study of myth. The remaining modules will apply many of these approaches more specifically to individual myths and myth types.