World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction: A Very Short Introduction

by David A. Leeming

Overview

The mythologies of the world are collective cultural dreams, and as such should be analyzed first from cultural perspectives. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, however, mythologies reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger trans-cultural issues such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept. World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction is organized around the universal motifs. Creation, the Flood, the Hero Quest, the Trickster/Culture Hero, the Pantheons, the High God, the Great Goddess. Veteran mythology scholar David Leeming examines examples of each motif from a variety of cultures--Greek, Egyptian, Norse, American Indian, African, Polynesian, Jewish, Christian, Hindu--treating them as reflections of the cultures that "dreamed" them. He compares and analyzes them, exposing their universal significance and creating a "world mythology."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780197548288
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/21/2022
Series:	Very Short Introductions
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	940,209
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

David A. Leeming received his BA from Princeton University and his PhD from NYU. He taught for eight years at Robert College in Istanbul and for many years as a Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of Connecticut. Leeming is the author of many books on the mythologies of various cultures, including the Oxford Companion to World Mythology and The World of Myth.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Definitions 1 Deity 2 Creation 3 The flood 4 The trickster 5 The hero Conclusion References Further Reading Index

Editorial Reviews

"David Leeming distils world mythology into some of its most essential forms — deity, creation, flood, trickster, and hero — and he offers illuminating examples of each one. His clear, concise summaries and interpretations will surely serve as springboards for further research. This volume makes an inspiring introduction for newcomers to the field, and a handy reference guide for anyone already working with myth." — Joanna Gardner, Co-founder, Fates and Graces Mythologium

From the Publisher