The Nature of Myth: Powell, Ch. 1, Leeming, Introduction

• Powell: go to his web site: click here
• Leeming: what functions do myths serve in their societies?

Creation myths in Leeming and Powell:

• Powell: go to his web site: click here
• Leeming:
• basic questions for all the creation myths:
• Who are the original beings and what is the primary matter in the account?
• How or by what mechanism does creation occur?
• Who is the creator and what is the nature of the world that was created?
• How are the other deities created?
• What questions does the story answer and on what occasions is the story told or retold?
• specific questions regarding deities:
• Egyptian: Who are Re, Shu, Tefnut, and the Eye, and what role do they play in the myth?
• Indian (Veda): Who is the One and what role did it(?) play in the myth?
• Indian (Upanishad):  Who is the Soul (Atman), Man, Wife and what role do they play in the myth?
• Hopi: Who are Tawa and Spider Woman and what role do they play in the myth?
• Bantu: Who are Bumba, the three sons of Bumba, and Tsetse and what role do they play in the myth?
• Mesopotamian: ?  Who are Apsu, Tiamat, Mummu, Ea, and Marduk and what role do they play in the myth?
• Greek: go to Powell's web site: click here

Possible Essay Questions:

• In the course of our discussion of these various creation myths, we have observed that these stories contain elements that are 1) specific to their own cultures or 2) related to or comments on the myths of other cultures. Discuss. If you choose 1) pick any three cultures to examine; if you choose 2) examine the Mesopotamian, Hebrew, and Greek myths.

• Leeming ,pp. 15-16, in his introduction to his chapter on Cosmic Myths states "the creation story is a metaphor for birth [i.e. childbirth]." Examine this idea with regard to at least three of the creation myths we have studied.