Difference Between Myth and Mythology

Myth vs Mythology

Many are still confused between the differences between a myth and mythology. In casual talk, the two are just the same. But in the strictest sense, they really aren’t.

When you talk about myths, you are referring to stories having no basis as to where, when, and from whom they came from (anonymous). Myths feature supernatural episodes that seek to explain natural phenomena in order to give humans some kind of special perceptions in a more cosmic level. It amplifies human culture and society to a superhuman or godly level. As such, myths often highlight the concepts of creation, religion, divinity, life and death. Many myths also showcase the adventures of heroes that are endowed with superhuman capabilities. The setup of these accounts is usually in the world’s primordial stage (when the world was still immature or incomplete). Although myths have such a nature, they are still accepted as both true and sacred.

Myths are also related to other forms of traditional stories like folk tales and legends. It can further be classified into its subgroups, namely: origin myths (about creation and existence), founding myths (about the founding of a town or city), and political myths (about certain historical policies). Two of the most well-known myths are the Greek stories of the “Creation of Man” by Prometheus and the “Birth of Athena” (the goddess of wisdom and war).

By contrast, mythology is a collection of several or many myths that usually belong to a group of people or culture. In this connection, mythologies often address the issues of that particular group of people (their history, gods, and ancestry).

Another interpretation regarding mythology is defining it as the study of myths. Therefore, one who is studying or learning about myths may most likely be studying the field of mythology as a whole. Some specific subbranches of mythology are comparative mythology and Greek mythology. The former deals with finding the connection present between myths coming from varied cultures whereas;the latter is, obviously, the study of the popular myths of Ancient Greece.

Summary:

1.In the general sense, a myth can refer to any kind of traditional story. Specifically, it is an anonymous account with supernatural characteristics that tends to explain natural phenomena and gives insight about the origin of humanity, culture, and other incidents.
2.Myths can be classified into the categories of: origin, founding, and political myths.
3.Mythology is described as a group or collection of several myths.
4.Mythology can also be defined as the study of myths. It has subbranches like comparative mythology and Greek mythology.

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