the similarities between greek and indian mythology
The striking similarities between Greek and Indian mythology
Although the general topic of my interpretation presentation and my 5 essays is Greek mythology and considering how vast Greek mythology is I could talk strictly about Greek mythology in all 5 of them; I decided to base my first essay on the similarities between Indian and Greek mythology since I felt simply talking about Greek mythology would become too monotonous. I will begin my essay with a basic introduction of what mythology means and what Greek and Indian mythology comprises of.
The term mythology usually refers either to a collection of myths (especially one belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition) or to the study of myths. However, the word myth itself has multiple definitions. According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary “Myth: "1a: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon. 2a: a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone, especially: one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society. 2b: an unfounded or false notion. 3: a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence. 4: the whole body of myths.”(1) With regard to the study of culture and religion, scholars have derived a few other definitions. For example, the Classicist Robert Graves defines a myth as "whatever religious or heroic legends are so foreign to a student's experience that he cannot believe them to be true."(2)
Another classicist, GS Kirk, rejects the notion that all myths are religious or sacred. In the category of "myth", he includes many legendary accounts that are "secular" for all practical purposes. (3) According to Alan Dundes (a folklorist), a myth is a sacred narrative explaining how the world and humankind assumed their present form. (4) Robert A. Segal, professor of theories of
Although the general topic of my interpretation presentation and my 5 essays is Greek mythology and considering how vast Greek mythology is I could talk strictly about Greek mythology in all 5 of them; I decided to base my first essay on the similarities between Indian and Greek mythology since I felt simply talking about Greek mythology would become too monotonous. I will begin my essay with a basic introduction of what mythology means and what Greek and Indian mythology comprises of.
The term mythology usually refers either to a collection of myths (especially one belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition) or to the study of myths. However, the word myth itself has multiple definitions. According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary “Myth: "1a: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon. 2a: a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone, especially: one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society. 2b: an unfounded or false notion. 3: a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence. 4: the whole body of myths.”(1) With regard to the study of culture and religion, scholars have derived a few other definitions. For example, the Classicist Robert Graves defines a myth as "whatever religious or heroic legends are so foreign to a student's experience that he cannot believe them to be true."(2)
Another classicist, GS Kirk, rejects the notion that all myths are religious or sacred. In the category of "myth", he includes many legendary accounts that are "secular" for all practical purposes. (3) According to Alan Dundes (a folklorist), a myth is a sacred narrative explaining how the world and humankind assumed their present form. (4) Robert A. Segal, professor of theories of