1. Class: LIN-1604 Level III 1
Name: Jessica María Ilias Rodríguez
Register number: 0506-1993-00822
Teacher´s name: Cindy Garcia
English Program
Date: March 25, 2014
ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
The myths of Greece and Rome by David Adams Leeming
Mythology teaches us what is behind literature and arts; it teaches us about our own life. In the
museums of Europe or America, we will find statues and paintings of classical gods and heroes, as
many as we will find of characters and events from history. If we read Poetry in English classes,
we will come across references to such ancient places as Troy and Carthage. We will read
references to such monsters as the Sirens and the Cyclops, to such gods and heroes as Poseidon,
Odysseus, Athena, and Hercules. These are all names from mythology, names that poets and
artists expect us to recognize.
Why Ready the Myths? The myths are all related to those great classical civilizations of Greece
and Rome that were important to our development as a society. These civilizations gave us much
of our astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, architecture, medicine, monetary system and our
systems of government and law.
What is a Myth? Myths are stories that are always in some sense religious. Myths represent the
deepest wishes and fears of human beings. They helped the ancient people to understand the
mysterious and sometimes frightening forces of the universe, such as seasonal changes, fire,
lightning drought, floods, and death.
Makers of Myths: Myths were originated in the area around the Mediterranean Sea. The early
myth makers would not have known how to write. These old myths were passed on orally from
generation to generation by the many tribes that traveled through or lived in what is now Greece
and western Turkey. The Romans had conquered the Greeks and had adopted the Greek myths.
The uses of Mythology: Great myths give us insights into the nature of our would. The Greeks
and Romans, used myths for these purposes: to explain the creation of the world, to explain
natural phenomena, to give story form to ancient religious practices, to teach moral lessons, to
explain history and to express as dreams do the deepest fears and hopes of the human race time
with ordinary people.