ACourseBookonGreco-RomanMythology

Unit1MythsofUniverseCreation

BeginningoftheWorld

CreationMythsAcreationmyth(orcreationstory)isacultural,traditionalorreligiousmythwhichdescribestheearliestbeginningsofthepresentworld...Theyarecommonly,althoughnotalways,consideredcosmogonicalmyths—thatistheydescribetheorderingofthecosmosfromastateofchaosoramorphousness.(Wikipedia)

CommonFeaturesofCreationMythsChaos/Darknessastheprimalcosmos(orGod)movement(wind,dance)femaleMother(mostly,early)asthecreatorsingle-sex(re)production/parthenogenesis单性繁殖incestuousreproduction近亲繁殖

CommonFeaturesofCreationMyths(theuniversaleggastheoriginalform/containeroflife)(manasthelastcreationcomingafterNature;useofclayinthecreationofman)Jungstheoryof“collectiveunconsciousness”

DifferencesofCreationMythsreflectionofmatrilinealorderintheoldversion,thetransitiontopatrilinealorderinthelaterversionsemphasisofnaturalelementsandphenomenaintheoldversions(wind,snake,egghatching)referencetodifferentanimalsandenvironmentalelements(dog,horse,cave,sea,etc.)

BeginningoftheUniverseBigBangTheoryDarwin’sEvolutionTheory:substance(basicchemicalelements)existenttomakeuplifeformsmovementwhichengenderslifechangefromdisordertoorder,frommovementtocomparativestability;fromformlessnesstoaspecificshapeorstructure(binary,quarterly)gradualevolutionand/orsuddenchangeofform:changeintheamounttochangeofform

FreudsTheoryoftheUnconscious...thereisalargepartofthemindthatcannotbeconsciouslyknown;yetthisunconsciouspartofthemindhasanimpactonhumanbehavior.Althoughtheunconsciousisbeyondtherationalmind,psychoanalytictechniquescanbeusedtobringrepressedmemoriestoconsciousness,sotheycanbeworkedonandhealed.

ChaosasFreudianUnconscioustheveryoriginalexistenceanunknowndarkess