中希神话人物对比及其影响.doc

1Introduction1.1TheDefinitionofMythologyTheterm“mythology”canrefereithertothestudyofmyths(e.g.comparativemythology),ortoabodyorcollectionofmyths(amythos,e.g.,Incamythology).Infolkloristics,amythisasacrednarrativeusuallyexplaininghowtheworldorhumankindcametobeinitspresentform,although,inaverybroadsense,thewordcanrefertoanytraditionalstory.Mythstypicallyinvolvesupernaturalcharactersandareendorsedbyrulersorpriests.Theymayariseasoverelaboratedaccountsofhistoricalevents,asallegoryfororpersonificationofnaturalphenomena,orasanexplanationofritual.Theyaretransmittedtoconveyreligiousoridealizedexperience,toestablishbehavioralmodels,andtoteach.ThecriticalinterpretationofmythgoesbackasfarasthePresocratics.Euhemeruswasoneofthemostimportantpre-modernmythologists.Heinterpretedmythsasaccountsofactualhistoricalevents,distortedovermanyretellings.ThisviewofmythsandtheiroriginiscriticisedbyPlatointhePhaedrus(229d),inwhichSocratessaysthatthisapproachistheprovinceofonewhois"vehementlycuriousandlaborious,andnotentirelyhappy..."ThePlatonistsgenerallyhadamoreprofoundandcomprehensiveviewofthesubject.Sallustius,forexample,dividesmythsintofivecategories–theological,physical(orconcerningnaturallaws),animastic(orconcerningsoul),materialandmixed.Thislastbeingthosemythswhichshowtheinteractionbetweentwoormoreofthepreviouscategoriesandwhich,hesays,areparticularlyusedininitiations.MirceaEliadearguedthatoneoftheforemostfunctionsofmythistoestablishmodelsforbehaviorandthatmythsmayalsoprovideareligiousexperience.Bytellingorreenactingmyths,membersoftraditionalsocietiesdetachthemselvesfromthepresentandreturntothemythicalage,therebybringingthemselvesclosertothedivine.Itisworthtobestudied.Sowechoosethissubject.1.2AgeneralintroductiontoChineseandGreekmythologyAmongthefourgreatcivilizationsinhumanhistory,itseemsthatonlytheChineseculturehasmanagedtobekeptasoneofthesignificantculturalentiretodate.Basedonitsextensive,profoundandtimehonouredculture,Chinahasexistedintheworldforaslongasfivethousandyears.Chi