You’ll read about one or more ways of interpreting myth and then use one of these approaches to try to interpret a myth that is probably unfamiliar to you.
HOW YOU’LL DO IT:
You need to complete BOTH parts!
Immediately after this discussion in the topical module is a PDF of a reading by Leonard and McClure, “The Study of Mythology,” that describes various approaches to interpreting myth. ( I can send the pdf)
You’ll need to use this reading to help you with the assignment. You’ll want to pay particular attention to the following (some advice- for your own notes, try summarizing in a sentence each of the following ways to approach the study of mythology):
For your discussion journal, select TWO of the following approaches to unpacking the “Myth of Taliesin.” Identify your selected approach. Answer the questions listed for each of those approaches. Your response should be about 2 paragraphs.
1. Social functions (What does the myth tell us about how to behave? About society?)
2. Archetypes and the unconscious (Can you identify major archetypes? What do they mean?)
3. The individual’s spiritual journey (What does the myth say about the goals of the spiritual journey and how to get there?)
4. Structural opposition (Can you identify major binary opposites? What do they mean?)
5. Story-telling and its meaning in time/place (How do you think the meaning of this myth is affected by how it is told? How do you think people might use it?)
6. Myth as literature (Who are the characters? What is compelling about the story?)
7. How myth affects our emotions and intellect (What did you feel as you heard the myth? What thoughts came to mind?)
8. The cultural context of symbolism (What in the myth may be symbolic? What cultural knowledge of these
Answer preview
The myth of Taliesin has an archetypal character named Ceridwen. She is a witch with exceptional magical powers, evidenced by how easily she was able to shapeshift when she was chasing after Gwion Bach (ANTH 222, 2020). She fulfills in terms of archetypes the role of a mother to both Awan and Gwion Bach. She represents an idealized version of motherhood, especially towards Awan, by correcting the perceived inequality. She went to great lengths to fix this inequality. Another major archetype is the story of how Taliesin got his immense knowledge and wisdom. He acquired it through a non-conventional method, after overcoming difficult circumstances as Gwion Bach and reinventing himself as Taliesin.
