Richard J. Watts
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195327601
- eISBN:
- 9780199893539
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327601.003.0002
- Subject:
- Linguistics, Sociolinguistics / Anthropological Linguistics
Two myths constructed in the latter half of the nineteenth century dominated the discourse archive determining the canonical “history of English” till late in the twentieth century. The first of ...
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Two myths constructed in the latter half of the nineteenth century dominated the discourse archive determining the canonical “history of English” till late in the twentieth century. The first of these is the “myth of the ancient language,” and Chapter 2 represents a deconstruction of it. The idea of a “Beowulf poet” and “lost” earlier manuscripts of the text form an important part of this myth. Kiernan's work on the extant Beowulf manuscript supports his theory that the manuscript at present in the British Museum is the one and only manuscript. However, in his plausible alternative reading of the data, he still insists on talking about the “Beowulf poet”, which this chapter also attempts to deconstruct. The message here is that the attempt to establish a linguistic pedigree by tracing the “line” of the language as far back as possible is ultimately an ideological discourse supporting sociocultural and political ends.Less
Two myths constructed in the latter half of the nineteenth century dominated the discourse archive determining the canonical “history of English” till late in the twentieth century. The first of these is the “myth of the ancient language,” and Chapter 2 represents a deconstruction of it. The idea of a “Beowulf poet” and “lost” earlier manuscripts of the text form an important part of this myth. Kiernan's work on the extant Beowulf manuscript supports his theory that the manuscript at present in the British Museum is the one and only manuscript. However, in his plausible alternative reading of the data, he still insists on talking about the “Beowulf poet”, which this chapter also attempts to deconstruct. The message here is that the attempt to establish a linguistic pedigree by tracing the “line” of the language as far back as possible is ultimately an ideological discourse supporting sociocultural and political ends.
Richard Kearney
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- March 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780823223176
- eISBN:
- 9780823235155
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Fordham University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5422/fso/9780823223176.003.0004
- Subject:
- Philosophy, General
Georges Dumézil's work is primarily linguistic, or, to be more precise, philosophical. That is, the classification and interpretation of ...
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Georges Dumézil's work is primarily linguistic, or, to be more precise, philosophical. That is, the classification and interpretation of ancient myths in terms of textual structures or types. His first concern was to discover what the earliest texts of the various Indo-European civilizations might have in common, what similarities of function might exist in different mythic or religious orders to suggest a shared source. Eventually, he discerned the “Ideology of the Three Functions”—Sovereignty, Force, and Fecundity—firstly in texts representative of diverse layers of Vedic, Germanic, and Roman civilization. This led Dumézil to ascertain that there existed a specific conception of the three functions in all of the Indo-European cultures from India to Ireland. In short, philology enabled him to posit the existence of an underlying Indo-European ideology.Less
Georges Dumézil's work is primarily linguistic, or, to be more precise, philosophical. That is, the classification and interpretation of ancient myths in terms of textual structures or types. His first concern was to discover what the earliest texts of the various Indo-European civilizations might have in common, what similarities of function might exist in different mythic or religious orders to suggest a shared source. Eventually, he discerned the “Ideology of the Three Functions”—Sovereignty, Force, and Fecundity—firstly in texts representative of diverse layers of Vedic, Germanic, and Roman civilization. This led Dumézil to ascertain that there existed a specific conception of the three functions in all of the Indo-European cultures from India to Ireland. In short, philology enabled him to posit the existence of an underlying Indo-European ideology.
Steve Zeitlin
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781501702358
- eISBN:
- 9781501706370
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501702358.003.0023
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This chapter reflects on how we can use myths to explore and illuminate the inner landscape through which we journey, and in which we are, inevitably, often lost. It describes the Untermyer Gardens ...
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This chapter reflects on how we can use myths to explore and illuminate the inner landscape through which we journey, and in which we are, inevitably, often lost. It describes the Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers, New York, and its centerpiece: the Walled Garden, or “Garden of Eden.” A brainchild of Samuel Untermyer and designed by William Welles Bosworth, the Untermyer Gardens also features the Lion's Gate and the Tree of Knowledge. In the same way that Untermyer and Bosworth grew a garden by mythologizing a place, we can start to “grow a soul,” as anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff once put it, by mythologizing our lives. The trek through the gardens invites us to consider our inner journeys where ancient myths entwine with our own life stories. In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell writes about the patterns in ancient mythology, offering as examples Prometheus and Jason. These ancient myths resonate not just in our popular culture but as metaphors in our own lives.Less
This chapter reflects on how we can use myths to explore and illuminate the inner landscape through which we journey, and in which we are, inevitably, often lost. It describes the Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers, New York, and its centerpiece: the Walled Garden, or “Garden of Eden.” A brainchild of Samuel Untermyer and designed by William Welles Bosworth, the Untermyer Gardens also features the Lion's Gate and the Tree of Knowledge. In the same way that Untermyer and Bosworth grew a garden by mythologizing a place, we can start to “grow a soul,” as anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff once put it, by mythologizing our lives. The trek through the gardens invites us to consider our inner journeys where ancient myths entwine with our own life stories. In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell writes about the patterns in ancient mythology, offering as examples Prometheus and Jason. These ancient myths resonate not just in our popular culture but as metaphors in our own lives.
Steve Zeitlin
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781501702358
- eISBN:
- 9781501706370
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501702358.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Folk Literature
This is a book of encounters. Part memoir, part essay, and partly a guide to maximizing a capacity for fulfillment and expression, this book taps into the artistic side of what we often take for ...
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This is a book of encounters. Part memoir, part essay, and partly a guide to maximizing a capacity for fulfillment and expression, this book taps into the artistic side of what we often take for granted in everyday life: the stories we tell, the people we love, the metaphors used by scientists, even our sex lives. This book explores how poems serve us in daily life and how they are used in times of personal and national crisis. The text explores meaning and experience, covering topics ranging from poetry in the life cycle to the contemporary uses of ancient myths. The book introduces readers to the many eccentric and visionary characters the author has met in his career as a folklorist. Covering topics from Ping-Pong to cave paintings, from family poetry nights to delectable dishes at his favorite ethnic restaurants, the book aims to inspire readers to expand their consciousness of the beauty that resides in everyday things and to use creative expression to engage and animate that beauty toward living a more fulfilling awakened life, full of laughter. To live a creative life is the best way to engage with the beauty of the everyday.Less
This is a book of encounters. Part memoir, part essay, and partly a guide to maximizing a capacity for fulfillment and expression, this book taps into the artistic side of what we often take for granted in everyday life: the stories we tell, the people we love, the metaphors used by scientists, even our sex lives. This book explores how poems serve us in daily life and how they are used in times of personal and national crisis. The text explores meaning and experience, covering topics ranging from poetry in the life cycle to the contemporary uses of ancient myths. The book introduces readers to the many eccentric and visionary characters the author has met in his career as a folklorist. Covering topics from Ping-Pong to cave paintings, from family poetry nights to delectable dishes at his favorite ethnic restaurants, the book aims to inspire readers to expand their consciousness of the beauty that resides in everyday things and to use creative expression to engage and animate that beauty toward living a more fulfilling awakened life, full of laughter. To live a creative life is the best way to engage with the beauty of the everyday.
Anthony L. Rose and A. Gabriela Rose
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780226925332
- eISBN:
- 9780226925363
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226925363.003.0026
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
This chapter draws upon the film Avatar to explore antidotes to the modern human folly of “Ignoring Nature”. It examines the wisdom implied in key quotes, events, and images from the film, and ...
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This chapter draws upon the film Avatar to explore antidotes to the modern human folly of “Ignoring Nature”. It examines the wisdom implied in key quotes, events, and images from the film, and interprets these ideas in light of biosynergy research and theory, ancient myth and folklore, and the authors' own personal experiences. The first section of the chapter emphasizes the benefits of seeing and treating all earth-life and ourselves as kindred spirits in a harmonic universe. The second section focuses on the transformative and healing power of the human-horse connection.Less
This chapter draws upon the film Avatar to explore antidotes to the modern human folly of “Ignoring Nature”. It examines the wisdom implied in key quotes, events, and images from the film, and interprets these ideas in light of biosynergy research and theory, ancient myth and folklore, and the authors' own personal experiences. The first section of the chapter emphasizes the benefits of seeing and treating all earth-life and ourselves as kindred spirits in a harmonic universe. The second section focuses on the transformative and healing power of the human-horse connection.