My Columbus reader has returned with a great question about the possible evolution of truth (the verifiable, historical, scientific kind) into myth.
Here's the gist of his thinking:
Traditional mythology, such as stories about the gods, seem made up out of the air. There's no truth to evolve into myth there, at least apparently.
But an epic poem like the Iliad can be shown to have some historical truth-- from archeology we know that, for example, Troy did exist, and was destroyed in the same era as stories claim.
Columbus, finally, was a historical figure-- but stories about him grew and changed him into a hero of American culture far removed from historical truth. If left to evolve further, perhaps that original truth about him would have been forgotten.
My reader then wonders
[I]s it possible for myth to be a derivative of some forgotten truth which in return allows for the endearment of posterity?
Others have wondered the same thing.
In the ancient world, there was a theory about myth called Euhemerism, which fully embraced the idea that myth is an embellishment or reinterpretation of an ancient truth. Euhemerism is most famous for its contention that the gods as they are known in Greek Mythology got their start from stories of powerful human beings, whose reputation grew and expanded over the centuries-- Columbus, fully mythologized, in other words.
Then in the nineteenth century, something related to Euhemerism grew up, the "solar myth" theory, whose most famous scholarly champion was Friedrich Max Müller. He and others believed that all myth was an imaginative re-envisioning of events in nature, especially concerning the sun, stars, weather, and the seasons.
In this theory, the winter solstice was supremely important to ancient peoples, because every year it seemed that the sun was weakening and dying as the days got shorter. Then, at the winter solstice, this trend reversed, and thus the sun conquered the darkness.
Consider the truth hidden in the Odyssey:
- Odysseus represents the sun.
- Odysseus' wife Penelope represents the earth.
- The 108 suitors vying for Penelope's hand in marriage represent the 108 days of winter (December 22 to March 22 is not 108 days, but close enough).
- Odysseus, the sun, withdraws to the underworld in the winter. He is "absent" and "journeying."
- In the spring he returns home to the earth.
- He "kills" the suitors, as the sun "kills" winter.
- It is spring and everyone is happy again.
(All of which ignores the actual workings of the Greek seasons.)
For this interpretation to work, we must assume that Homer had no idea he was telling stories about the sun. Over the centuries, the original truth in the story had been forgotten, and Homer, poor ignorant soul that he was, just made the evolution go a little farther.
I do not agree with Euhemerism or the solar myth theory, but I do believe that there is a germ of truth in every myth, because imagination is fed by reality. There could be no dragon without a snake, is the basic idea. And the personalities of gods are likely derived from keen observation of people (narcissistic people, most likely).
It is worthwhile to consider the ancient origins of stories, as a way of seeking truth where it may be found. I wrote many thousands of words on this very subject fifteen or so years ago.
My current focus, however, is on the heart-truth or emotional truth of myth. How do stories "ring true" to us, regardless of how much verifiable truth we can find in them?
(Etwart knows Atlantis is a real place!)
So...why would narcissistic people be an appealing choice on which to base the gods' personalities (or at least many of them)?
And it's nice to see Etwart appearing again.
Posted by: M Light | October 04, 2006 at 03:11 PM