myth
Let an agent explain myth as a category of traditional narrative and its functions, relay theories of myth from folklore, anthropology and religious studies with attribution, describe kinds such as origin and historical myths and modern myths, and distinguish myth from legend, folktale and the colloquial sense of falsehood.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain myth as a category of traditional narrative and its functions, relay theories of myth from folklore, anthropology and religious studies with attribution, describe kinds such as origin and historical myths and modern myths, and distinguish myth from legend, folktale and the colloquial sense of falsehood.
A traditional story, typically about gods, heroes, ancestors or the origins of the world and of customs, held by a community to explain and give meaning to its existence, including Greek and other mythologies, origin myths, historical myths that reshape events, and, by extension, modern myths such as urban legends and the naturalised cultural messages analysed by Roland Barthes; in everyday usage myth also means a widely held false belief, a sense that scholars distinguish from the traditional narrative.
What it is for: Not applicable; a narrative category.
It can be explain the concept; relay theories; describe kinds; distinguish related terms.
Distinguishing features
Sacred or foundational
Explains origins
Community-held
Multiple scholarly theories
What it looks like
Not a visible object; stories transmitted in a culture.
How it is recognised
Traditional story about gods, heroes and origins
Greek myth, origin myths, historical myths, modern myths, myth in Barthes
Legends are about historical figures; folktales are not held as sacred; the colloquial sense means falsehood
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is a kind of - in registry terms
is studied in - and folklore studies
is contrasted with - about historical figures
In practice
Families and kinds
cosmogonic and origin myths
myths of gods and heroes such as Greek myth
historical myths and national myths
modern myths and urban legends
myth as ideology in Barthes and cultural studies
myth in the colloquial sense of false belief
Standards and regulation
No regulation; folklore classification systems such as Thompson motif index
Failure modes and hazards
Using myth to mean falsehood when discussing religious narratives
Treating living religious narratives as mere myth without attribution
Presenting one theory of myth as settled
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a myth is.
Attribution.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a myth, and how does it differ from legend, folktale and the colloquial sense of falsehood? definition
- Is the question about traditional narratives, cultural theory or a false belief? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What are origin myths, hero myths, historical myths and modern myths? definition
- Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Theory Theories of myth.
Attribution.
Classic
Classic theories.
Classic
Classic.
- How do Frazer, Malinowski, Levi-Strauss, Eliade and Campbell explain myth, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Barthes
Myth in cultural theory.
Barthes
Barthes.
- What does Roland Barthes mean by myth in Mythologies, and how has it been applied? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Traditions Mythologies.
Sources.
World
World mythologies.
World
World.
- What are the major mythologies, from Greek and Norse to Indian, Chinese and indigenous traditions, presented with respect? provenance
- Is the presentation respectful of living traditions? boundary
Functions
Functions.
Functions
Functions.
- What social and religious functions do myths serve? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific mythology? action
Context Modern uses.
Context.
Modern
Modern myths.
Modern
Modern.
- How do national myths, urban legends and popular culture create modern myths? provenance
- Which entry fits urban legend? action
Language
Language.
Language
Language.
- How did the word myth acquire its sense of falsehood, and why do scholars resist it? provenance
- Which entry fits mythology (study)? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should origin myth and Greek mythology be separate primary entries?
- How should folklore sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases from folklore and cultural theory; should they be split off?