Myth & Mythology Essay Examples & Topics

Myth & Mythology Essay Examples & Topics

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192 samples

A myth is a traditional story that attempts to explain a natural or social phenomenon. It usually combines historical events with fantasy. Such stories had appeared long before people learned to read and write; they passed from generation to generation through oral tradition. As a result, there is no single author of any myth, and there cannot be one.

An essay about mythology can reflect the reasons that brought ancient people to compose such stories. For this purpose, you should understand the natural phenomena, human relationships, and religious rites the myth describes. Your essay relies on analyzing the lessons people wanted to teach their descendants. That’s why you should see the differences between the ancient and modern vision of reality.

To better understand what is expected from you writing a myth essay, you’ll need topic ideas and some guidance. You will find both in this article, prepared by our experts. Below, you can also find some helpful myth essay examples.

Mythology Essay: The Key Concepts

It is better to know how myth differs from similar kinds of literary pieces. In this section, we’ll focus on mythology, legends, and folklore. Note that they are hard to classify and frequently overlap in many aspects.

Myths:

  • Describe ancient times.
  • Regarded as sacred truth.
  • Perceived as facts.
  • Characters are supernatural forces and beings.

Legends:

  • Describe historical times.
  • Regarded as history.
  • Are partially factual.
  • Characters are historical figures described as heroes.

Folklore:

  • Never specifies the time.
  • Regarded as secular art.
  • Are devoid of facts.
  • Characters are fictional figures or animals.

Myth Essay & How to Write It

So how should you write an essay about mythology? We have prepared a step-by-step guide.

Following this plan will help you get the highest mark:

  1. Select a topic or myth to write about. If your tutor hasn’t limited you in the scope of questions to discuss in your writing, try to select a subject or angle of analysis that inspires you.
  2. Investigate your material. Be sure to check if you can access sufficient materials on the topic you’ve selected. If not, move to the previous point. Take notes and use bookmarks with explanations. It will save you much time later. Also, make a summary of the most important passages.
  3. Formulate your thesis statement. What would you like to tell the reader of your essay? Formulate the message of your writing. Explain what you want to convey in one concise and meaningful sentence.
  4. Outline your paper. Envision it as a five-paragraph essay. It is often efficient to start from the main body that relies on your thesis, move to the introduction, and finalize the conclusion. List your arguments and one counterargument (if it is a persuasive essay). Think about which background information suits your introduction and which conclusion you will reach in the end.
  5. Include the myths or historical facts. It is a mythology essay, remember? Make sure you’ve referenced the primary sources. Historical facts will add plausibility to your reasoning.
  6. Write and edit. Follow your outline and correct it if necessary. Never grudge time for revising and editing as it can save your paper.

15 Myth Essay Ideas & Topics

It is high time to decide what you will write about. The topics are not limited to ancient times if your assignment does not indicate the contrary. So, here you can find unique ideas for a myth essay from modern to personal mythology.

Our list is as follows:

  1. Reasons why the Greeks imagined Zeus as an unfaithful husband.
  2. Did myths transform into science or religion?
  3. The story of Batman in The Dark Knight as a myth.
  4. Compare and contrast Disney’s Hercules vs. the myth versions.
  5. What is a myth from the point of view of Indian mythology?
  6. How does Norse mythology describe the world’s creation, and what does it tell us about the Norse mentality?
  7. Why do we no longer create myths, or do we just call them differently?
  8. What is the central conflict in all Greek mythology?
  9. Why was love so crucial in mythical gods’ relationships, and what does it tell us about ancient people?
  10. How did the Iroquois creation myth explain the appearance of the first people, and how different was it from the Christian tradition?
  11. How does the myth of Gilgamesh explain the human perception of immortality?
  12. What are the myths that we encounter in our daily lives, and why are they no longer considered sacred?
  13. The sexism and the role of women in Greek mythology.
  14. Why was warfare the essential part of Norse myths?
  15. Can superhero movies be classified as myths, legends, or folklore?

We hope our advice and topics will bring you to an A+ essay. Below we have collected the best myth essay examples for your inspiration. Share the page with your peers who may need our tips.

192 Best Mythology Essay Examples

Ancient Greek Mythical Characters

The story of Icarus and Daedalus is told in a Roman source, Ovid's "Metamorphoses"; the Isle of Crete was blocked by the order of King Minos, but Daedalus wanted to return to his home, Athens.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 912

The Roman Creation Myth

However, the most common myth indicates that before creation of the heavens, the sea and the earth were made and whatever existed could only be described as lifeless, disorganized and shapeless matter.
  • 4.8
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1040

Gilgamesh and Odysseus Comparison as a Heroes

This myth is priceless for the researchers of Mesopotamian culture since it mirrors the religious traditions of that period, the treatment of gods, the perception of a hero, and attitudes to friendship and death.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 921

The Main Idea of “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles

The inevitability of destiny is the main idea of the play, and the last lines support that: nobody should name a mortal happy until this mortal faces everything that destiny has for them. The story [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 591

Hercules in Greek Mythology

The theme of his legends interpretation was to show the power of mythological heroes on the example of one of the most strong and powerful.
  • 3
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 806

Baal’s Qualities in Christian Demonology

The increasing interest in the occult world and other rituals linked to diabolical are becoming extensive in a wide segment of the populace, prompting renewed vigor in comprehending their actions. The expression accentuates the Canaanite [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2247

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Ancient Egyptian Culture

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the culture of the ancient Egypt have their own similarities and differences based on the historical events that took place in this cultures and the religious beliefs of the two [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 679

Athena and Gender Roles in Greek Mythology

According to Eicher and Roach-Higgins, the elements of her dress were important because they immediately communicated specific ideas about her character that was as contradictory as the physical gender of the birthing parent."In appropriating the [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1608

Zeus’ Mythology

Zeus' main weapon was the thunderbolt and he was commonly referred to as the father of men and gods. Zeus had to fight with the remaining Titans and he was able to vanquish one of [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 832

Antigone Reflection and Analysis

This shows she was courageous and determined to bury her brother irrespective of the consequences. Antigone's mistake was disobeying the law and Creon's mistake was being arrogant even to his son.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 367

Greek Gods

The second aspect of the relationship between the Greek gods and humans is that the gods sought to influence human action to achieve their own "divine" ends.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 573

Underworld in Greek and Roman Mythology

The human personality traits determined the gods and goddesses to be immortalized, hence the actions that were observed in the myths were as a symbol of the actual actions of men.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1642

Mythological and Modern-Day Heroes

Myths and other forms of literature were the tools that the community used to pass the deeds of the heroes from one generation to the other.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 780

Odysseus Adventures and Fate

The main character of the epic poem Odyssey is Odysseus, the ruler of Ithaca and the brave warrior who is ready to do everything possible and impossible to return home to his wife Penelope and [...]
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 2197

Medusa in Greek Mythology

So, it should be pointed out that Medusa was the great character of the Ancient mythology and remains to be the significant image in the world of modern literature and art.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 813

La Llorona, a Mexican Folktale

The Mexican folktale of La Llorona, the weeping woman, about a mother who laments her lost children by weeping on the banks of lakes and rivers, is an instance of a myth that spans the [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 853

Quote Explanation From “The Epic of Gilgamesh”

This is the task worthy of a hero because, in order to acquire the previous cedar logs for the monument, the characters would have to travel to the faraway forest guarded by the dreaded giant [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 571

Greek Mythology Influence

In fact, majority of the traditions that people in the modern society carry out have their origin in Greece. One Greek mythology that has influenced the whole world is the celebration of the Olympic Games.
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 558

The Myth of King Minos and the Minotaur

Finally, a gorgeous bull of a white color came to the land and, therefore, Minos became the King of Crete. Minos' promise to Poseidon was clear and stated that he first would sacrifice a white [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 603

Ovid’s Metamorphoses Analysis

In the course of the transformation of humankind that is depicted in 'Metamorphoses' as different ages from the golden age to the bronze age, the literature might have taken shape before the golden age, and [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2644

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Enkidu, another man who is also depicted in the Epic of Gilgamesh as having a power in terms of how he treated his companions, meets King Gilgamesh in some of the scenes in the epic [...]
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1933

Love in the “Metamorphoses” by Ovid

Still, according to Ovid love is the eternal source of conflicts and is the strongest manifestation of a person, it is the essence of life and its pivot.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1166

Perseus: A Hero of Greek Mythology

With the protection of Hermes and Athena, Perseus went ahead and beheaded Gorgon Medusa and took her head to the king of the island.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 875

Ovid’s and Indian Versions of the Creation Myths

In this paper I am going to compare and contrast three versions of the creation of the world: the Greek one presented in the first chapter of Ovid's Metamorphoses and two Indian myths of the [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1912

Navajo Stories: Changing Woman Myth

Furthermore, from this story, the reader will learn about the special relationship of Navajo to the stars, the constellations of which provide the life principles and values of the people.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 892

Antigone Reading Response

On the other hand, Antigone looked at things in a totally different perspective from Creon; she believed it was her duty as a woman to bury the body of a family member and proceeded to [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 597

Mythology. Dogon: The First Words

The central figures of the myth are Amma, the Earth, the pale fox, the imperfect twins, and the perfect twins. The assertion illuminates the fact that human beings are imperfect due to the sinful act [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2204

Hebe the Greek Goddess of Mythology

But it is his marriage to Hera that made a great impact in the continuance of the Greek myth. In Greek mythology, Hebe is the personification of youth and immortality.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1714

Tales of Times Now Past and The Tale of Genji

Moreover, the difference in mentalities and perspectives peculiar to bearers of various cultures preconditioned the appearance of the unique masterpieces that could help to understand the peculiarities of peoples lives in ancient times.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1373

The Traditional and Modern Myths

The Biblical conceptualizations of the origin of man provide an excellent form of a myth in the antiquity while the relatively new myth of the Superman offers the best illustration of a myth in the [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2097

The Figure of Hector in Homer’s “The Iliad”

Hector's behavior is often contradictory since the motives for his actions are either a thirst for glory, which is typical of an epic hero), or an understanding of the duty to the fatherland and the [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 589

Classical Mythology: Herman, Apollo, Dionysus

Dionysus is viewed as apposite in character to Apollo; he is a god that is described to be slow to anger and always willing to help those that are in need. He is willing to [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1470

Greek Goddess Hera Analysis

The myths tell that hera and Zeos were married in the garden of the gods, and in honor of the occasion, a marvelous tree, bearing apples of gold, sprang out of the earth.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 568

The Circular Ruins

The wizard in 'The Circular Ruins' lives in the reality of ordinary men before he relocates to the ruins and he is regarded by others and views himself as a normal man.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 832

Ancient Works of Literature

According to the author, the king is "given such glory of war, such honor of combat, that all his kin obey him gladly till great grow his band of youthful comrades".the character of the king [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1366

Aeneid, an Epic Poem by Virgil

The Trojans were the ancestors of the Romans according to the Aeneid, and their enemies were the Greek forces who had besieged and sacked Troy; yet at the time the Aeneid was written, the Greeks [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2677

Human Belief in Myths and Legends

However, suppose one understands the meaning and the reasons for their creation, which in most cases are similar regardless of the area of origin of the legend.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 390

The Story of the Garden of Eden: Reinventing Eden

The story of the Garden of Eden has, for centuries, shaped Western culture and influenced the American world. The narrative approach raises the question of the correspondence between stories and reality.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 900

The Demeter and Persephone Stories

With the introduction of different cultural shifts and a variety of retellings, their origins change and alter, bringing new and interesting angles to existing stories.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 545

Heroic Quests in Sundiata and Popol Vuh

Examples can be found in Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, telling about the heroic quest of Sundiata, and in Popol Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life, telling about the heroic twins [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 837

The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Campbell

For this objective, he traces the origin of this approach from the ancient Irish oral tradition and, more specifically, "the tale of the Prince of the Lonesome Isle and the Lady of Tubber Tintye".
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 561

Campbell’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces”

Such a formulation implies that people's minds intertwine myths and dreams as a mechanism of self-perception, understanding of the self in the context of the whole life cycle, and coping with developmental change.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 567

Mythology and Morphology of Prometheus

The bull became the emblem of the brand, as the bull is the sacred animal of Zeus. Prometheus was destroying people's faith in the deity, and for this, the thunderer Zeus decided to punish him.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 330

Mayan and Egyptian Myth of Creation Comparison

As the creator of humans and gods, he had the initiative to bring order to earth and the heavens. Like other creations narratives, the Mayan initializes that in the beginning, the earth was void as [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1186

Researching of the Ring of Gyges

There is no perfect equivalent of the ring of Gyges in the real world, and I can only think of some allegories to it, such as political power or financial superiority.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 317

Hubris (Pride) of Odysseus and Oedipus

This paper aims to examine the myths of Odysseus and Oedipus from the unifying idea of hubris. The hero becomes a hostage to circumstances and incurs the wrath of the gods.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 401

Neoclassicism and Aurora and Cephalus (1811)

The emphasis of the color, hue, and light makes the figure of Cephalus the focal point, while toning down the background and other characters help to avoid distraction of the audience with the use of [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 351

The Significance of Myths Nowadays

To be honest, while identifying, researching, and developing the project, I discovered much information and realized the great significance of myths nowadays. Each step contributed to my understanding of the presence and significance of myths [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 552

Inferior Characters in “The Golden Age” by Apuleius

In The Golden Ass, the behaviors of Lucius and Socrates are ridiculous due to the impossibility of coping with their curiosity and pleasure but prioritizing sexual satisfaction, basic human needs, and the overwhelming power of [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2278

The Iliad: Religion and Beliefs

Homer offers a variety of shades of religious consciousness, and many of the plot elements used by the author indicate a social interpretation of the divine cult and the introduction of human beliefs into the [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 608

Achilles’ Traits and Greeks’ Perception of Heroism

The character traits of Achilles reveal how the Greeks view heroism and outline their values such as fearlessness and fame. The Greeks acknowledged their desire for fame and honor, just like Achilles, who the Myrmidons [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 437

Medea in Greek Mythology: Literary Analysis

In this case, the position of kingship was the highest in political rankings, equivalent to the presidency in modern-day practices. Most importantly, the element of leadership in Greek mythology was characterized by concessions and plots.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 846

Plot Analysis of Homer’s The Odyssey

Through the meeting of Telemachus with Menelaus, the author emphasizes the significance of hospitality as a primary value and develops such features and discretion, leadership, and heroism of the son of Odysseus.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 747

Mythology: The Tragic Hero in Antigone

In the Greek tradition, the women were the ones that were concerned with the issues of burial and she wants Ismene to help her to ensure that their brother is properly buried despite the objection [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1130

“Myths About Suicide” by Thomas Joiner

However, the fact that it is physically difficult to commit suicide surprised me, and the idea that people who are one step before suicide are often difficult to distinguish made me think.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 314

Female Power in Male-Dominated Greek Myths

Consequently the idea of respect and submitting to patriarchy is even seen in the human level. This is a parable for women to behave and obey the rules of the patriarchal society.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 721

The Portrayal of Women by Marie de France and Ovid

This essay will discuss and compare the way women are represented in Marie de France's The Lais and Ovid's Metamorphoses. Although the two authors in question embraced different literary traditions, there are similarities in their [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 674

Dragon Combats in Greek Culture

In Greek culture, dragons are always evil and pose a threat, which is why the most familiar motif in Greek myths is that of a dragon combat: there is a dangerous monster, and there is [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1124

Campbell’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces”

The depiction of couples in the African culture keeps up a correspondence to the neighborhood originators or the associates. Almost every culture has a creation myth and all the myths are directly reflected in the [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1303

Mythology: Term Definition

The early inhabitants of America, like other ancient groups, derived their own legendary stories on creation of the universe, the people and the locality together with their heroes and their deities in the universe.
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2297

The Aeneid by Virgil

Though the poem's creation was encouraged by the emperor Augustus, Vergil put into The Aeneid not only a laudatory narration of Roman people origin but vividly depicted social and moral values of that period; he [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 840

Creation Myths in American Tradition

Some other Native American groups like the Hopi and the Zuni believed that the creation of the universe began from emergence from the earth.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1478
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