Question 6 - Myth in the Modern World

Question 6.

What place do the old myths have in the modern world?

Whilst having a right old Google about myth, I came across the writings of Joseph Campbell – described as teacher, lecturer, author and mythologist. I haven’t as yet entirely read his 400 page book “The Hero With A Thousand Faces” but have had a rummage through it – interesting stuff.

Campbell (1949) writes “Throughout the inhabited world, in all times and under every circumstance, the myths of man have flourished; and they have been the living inspiration of whatever else may have appeared out of the activities of the human body and mind”. He says that myth is “the secret opening through which the inexhaustible energies of the cosmos pour into human cultural manifestation” and that “religions, philosophies, arts, the social forms of primitive and historic man, prime discoveries in science and technology (all stem from) the basic magic ring of myth” (p. 3).

It makes myth sound pretty important – but why?

From what I can gather, it seems that each type of myth (hero, creation, goddess etc) follows a somewhat varied but also constant pattern and “beneath it’s varieties of costume” (Campbell, p. 4) its all the same story essentially – which, in one school of thought, reflects man’s psychology. Psychoanalysts – such as Freud and Jung and many that came after them, have concluded that “logic, the heroes and the deeds of myth survive into modern time” and that mythology gives “symbolic expression… to the unconscious desires, fears and tensions that underlie the conscious patterns of human behaviour. Mythology is psychology misread as biography, history and cosmology” (Campbell, p. 256). I guess the hero tale could be seen as describing each individual’s necessary ‘spiritual’, ‘psychological’ or personal journey if you like – that we all have to go out into the world, face our challenges, conquer our demons and return (to ourselves? To God?) triumphant. Campbell also compares this to rites of passage ceremonies: separation – initiation – return.

Furthermore Campbell says that by examining myth, “psychologist can rescue for the contemporary world, a rich and eloquent document of the profoundest depths of human character” (p. 256).

Myth can also be seen as encompassing spiritual principles.

“They are telling metaphors of the destiny of man, man’s hope, man’s faith and man’s dark mystery” (Campbell, p. 260).

I am willing to believe that underlying myth there is truth and certain wisdom. That ideas and principles that have been thought about for millennia are veiled in myth – only to be revealed to the level that mankind is ready for at the time. Religion could be described as myth, yet it has a huge hold and effect on humanity – not only spiritually, but politically and economically as well. I’m quite intrigued with all of this and would really like to explore it further – I will endeavor to find a text for our second assignment that will allow for this.

I have three children who are all avid readers and there is definitely a reemergence of myth in the modern world – books such as Harry Potter, Twilight, Mortal Instruments etc –  where angels and demons, vampires and werewolves are all on the rise again! I think as our world becomes more commercially, economically and technologically focused, there is a call for a reminder or a greater understanding of basic spiritual truths and natural laws. We haven’t gotten to the bottom of life’s mysteries yet.

Campbell says of myth: “We only have to read it, study its constant patterns, analyse its variations and therewith come to an understanding of the deep forces that have shaped man’s destiny and must continue to determine our…lives” (p. 256).

Campbell, J. (1949) The hero with a thousand faces. Princeton, NJ:

Princeton University Press.