The influence of mythology on English literature
“In the realm of literature, ancient myths and folklore continue to leave their indelible mark, as writers draw upon the wellspring of mythological symbols to imbue their works with depth and resonance.”
Mythology plays a paramount role in our society. For centuries, it has been influencing our history, folklore, and, inevitably, our literature. These two have a complex and close relationship. Though they are not the same thing and bear such differences, they are intrinsically connected with one another: they can not exist without the other doing so.
Myth has always been an inerasable part of literature. It indicated the start of fictional world-making, the narrative strategies that literature evolved from, and the oral tradition that would later on produce literary texts. As Aristotle pointed out in his work Poetics, mythos referred to “plot”.
Myths were passed down orally through generations and tried to rationalize the nature of the universe and our own world, treating subjects such as religion, natural phenomena or supernatural events. They sample people’s beliefs and customs and shape our way of thinking. Its extraordinary and novel aspect is what has kept alive both mythology and literature.
This relationship is as full of similarities as it is of differences. They are both a great part of the creative world produced by humanity and will continue to play an essential role in our intellectual world for many years to come. Literature will always be composed in some way by some aspect of mythology which will shape the modern and future world just as it did in the past. Myths frequently have a hidden lesson or want to teach morals, just as literature, since they have always been shaped by the problems people of a society were facing
Mythology, due to its entrenched tradition with plenty of gods, heroes, and ancient tales, has been a source of inspiration for literature throughout history. These everlasting narratives, full of symbolism and archetypal figures, keep fascinating readers and having an impact on today’s literature. This endurance is related to its ability to connect with the most fundamental aspects of humans: the eternal struggles and wonders of humanity. Through literature, writers are able to shed a new light on these tales, offering new perspectives that today's society can relate to. These symbols, repeated in mythology over centuries, have managed to transcend cultural boundaries and arrive to the present day with the same symbolism strength.
Within all the stories created by mythology, archetypes, though deeply rooted in ancient folklore, have endured as patterns that are still repeated in today’s literature and take part in character development and narrative structure. They are related to primordial characteristics of the human mind, weaving a tapestry of familiar themes that continue to appeal to readers. An archetype is a primordial image or symbol that represents a specific universal pattern or concept.
In The Lord of the Rings, one of the most famous fantasy sagas of the last decades, we can find many of these figures. For instance, the One Ring symbolizes the power of temptation, corruption and the battle between good and evil. Its inscription, "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them," is a reminder of the appeal of absolute power and its consequences. J.R.R. Tolkien, its author, manages to perfectly include this symbol throughout the course of the story, focusing on the dangers of boundless ambition and the moral debates that arise when facing such power.
In the same way that myths were a way for the ancient societies to try to make sense of the world, today’s literature uses these archetypes to dig deep in the immensity of the human psyche. One of the most used symbols is that of the hero, who parts on a journey of self-reflection while facing adversities, and ultimately reaching victory and self-awareness. This conventional pattern for a hero can be found back in myths such as Hercules and Odysseus. In contemporary literature, we still find traces of this stereotype in characters like Harry Potter, and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. These kind of characters represent the omnipresent search for courage, resilience and a greater purpose.
The stories that managed to captivate audiences and readers centuries ago continue to do so thanks to the reinterpretations that today’s authors manage to greatly achieve, bringing back to life ancient tales with a modern perspective. Some notable cases are those of The Song of Achilles and Circe, both by Madeline Miller. By rebuilding these narratives from an emotional point of view, she adds new depth and complexities to these famous characters, resonating with the experience of today’s public. Another example of this is The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood, which offers a new point of view of Homer’s The Odyssey by focusing on Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. With this change of narrative, Atwood manages to shed light on the misfortunes faced by women in ancient Greece and offer a feminist perspective of this myth.
Authors also take inspiration from myths in order to create fantastic worlds and landscapes for their stories, such as those described in the novels by George R.R. Martin, which then inspired the famous TV series Game of Thrones.
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