How to write a Myth – more specific features

HERE ARE SOME POINTERS TO HELP YOU WRITE A SUCCESSFUL MYTH.

The usual purpose of a myth is to provide an explanation for the origins of phenomena (thunder, day and night, winter) by telling the story of how they came to be. Most cultures used myths handed down from an anonymous source to explain the world and its mysteries, so mythology from different regions usually reflects the wonders that people saw around them in their own environment. Myths often provide narrative clues that help to build a picture of the beliefs, lifestyles and ideology of the people who first told them. There are many similarities between the myths of different cultures.

Typical features and conventions

Myths are set in the past, usually a distant and non-specific past, and are presented as something that actually happened (unlike fables). There is evidence that the content of some myths is based on real events and places that may have existed.

Structure and plot

Myths are often longer texts than other traditional stories (apart from some legends) especially in their original form. They provide a useful contrast with shorter forms of traditional narrative such as fables.

• The plot is often based on a long and dangerous journey (e.g. the Odyssey), a quest, or a series of trials for the hero (e.g. the trials of Hercules).
• The plot usually includes incredible or miraculous events, where characters behave in superhuman ways using unusual powers or with the help of superhuman beings.

Language

Myth frequently makes use of:

• rich vocabulary which evokes the power and splendour of the characters and settings (e.g. Hercules hurled the glittering spear with all the strength of a mighty army)
• imagery to help the reader imagine; simile is widely used to help convey grand settings and describe awe-inspiring characters (e.g. Thor’s hammer was as heavy as a mountain)
• vivid description of characters and settings (e.g. a dense, mysterious rainforest or icy, mist-shrouded mountain peaks)
• fast-moving narration of action to keep the drama moving along; myths tend to make less use of dialogue and repetition than some other types of traditional story
• powerful symbols (e.g. Theseus unwinds a thread behind him in the Minotaur’s den: a thread could be seen as a symbol of his link between the real world of humans and the supernatural world of the gods).

Characters

The characters in myth are typical of traditional stories (talking animals, rich kings, foolish young men, clever villains), although the ‘trickster’ character is often a mischievous god (Loki, for example). The most notable character types are classic heroes and supernatural beings. Characterisation is an interesting focus for composition when children write their own myths or retell versions because the characters need to be awe-inspiring and larger-than-life.

How to write myths

• Make the characters larger than life by giving them supernatural powers or strong characteristics like courage and wisdom. You could also use gods (like in the Roman or Greek or Mayan myths).
• Create a negative character who is the opposite of your hero (e.g. characters that represent good and evil, brave and cowardly, strong and weak).
• Consider including a character who is a ‘trickster’ to add to the fun or to create twists in the plot.
• Choose a setting that gives a dramatic backdrop for the action (e.g. a huge, dense forest, a mountain shrouded in icy fog, or a wide, sun-baked desert).