MYTHOLOGY, PAST... AND PRESENT?

The myths we live by...

Although when we think of mythology we think of a collection of stories, there is a beginning to them. Understanding the beginning of the story, the creation of the world, gives us a framework to build upon as we learn about the different myths. 

The short answer to how the Greeks viewed the creation of the world is this: Scary old gods came first; they got stomped down by their kids, who were better looking, younger gods. These gods created humans. Humans and gods fought for supremacy, and the humans won a few rounds but eventually got trounced and became more and more miserable. 

Now, the longer answer: In the beginning, the universe was without form. It was not nothing; there was matter, but it was unorganized, shapeless, mixed up and dark. This was called Chaos. 

After Chaos, more divinities, or gods, came into being. 

Gaia, the Earth, held up Uranus, the sky. Gaia and Uranus had a bunch of kids. First they had a bunch of monsters including the Cyclops, and then they created the Titans as the second generation. Uranus hated all the Titans and was actually quite ugly about it – but there are only a couple of Titans that you need to remember: first, Oceanus, the god of the sea, and then Cronus, the strongest and best one of all. Gaia was pretty ticked at Uranus for being a jerk, so she helped Cronus overthrow him. 

So, let’s keep this straight. Cronus is Uranus’s son. Cronus became the king (bye-bye Uranus), and married his sister, Rhea – another Titan. It’s like a soap opera. This was called the Golden Age because men, who had been made by a Titan named Prometheus, were living in harmony. Everything was hunky dory.

 It didn’t last, though, because Cronus heard a prophecy that one of his sons would dethrone him, so every time his wife, Rhea, had a baby, he swallowed it. Rhea got a little sick of seeing all of her children swallowed alive, so she tricked Cronus when her sixth child, Zeus, was born; she wrapped up a rock to look like a baby and had Cronus swallow that instead. Zeus rescued his previously swallowed siblings, and all was right with the world.

(source: Mensa Foundation Lesson Plan: GREEK MYTHOLOGY)

DISCUSSION

• Do you think myths, such as the ones the ancient Greeks believed in, still exist today? If so, give examples.
• Do you enjoy watching superhero movies? Which ones have you watched? Do you have a favourite superhero?

Mythological Influence

Below is a video of Professor Uslan (expert on Batman, among other things!) and Stan Lee, the legend behind MARVEL comics, creator of the X-men, the Fantastic Four, and Spiderman, to name just a few. 

Watch the video and think about how it is relevant to what we have just discussed:

Throughout the history of comic books, creators have looked to mythology for inspiration.  Prof. Uslan gave a few examples of characters who clearly had their origins in Greek and Roman mythology (The Flash, Aquaman). Now, I’d like to hear from you.

PROJECT TIME!

Now, IT'S YOUR TURN.

Instructions:

First, pick one of your favorite superheroes or villains. 

How well do you know your stuff? For help, look at the ancient myths and see if you can figure out which god or goddess the character is based on. I encourage you to look for influences both within traditional Western mythology as well as in mythology from other non-Western cultures.

Here's a template that can help you work on your project. 
Download it and save it in your class folder (file name: your last name)