The World of Myth: An Anthology
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Author Description
Building on the best-selling tradition of previous editions, The World of Myth, Fourth Edition, offers a uniquely comprehensive collection of myths from numerous cultures around the globe. Featuring a thematic organization, it helps students understand world mythology as a metaphor for humanity's search for meaning in a complex world.Author David Leeming provides a sweeping anthology of myths, ranging from ancient Egypt and Greece to the Polynesian islands and modern science. Students will be captivated by stories of great floods from the ancient Babylonians, Hebrews, Chinese, and Mayans; tales of apocalypse from India, the Norse, Christianity, and modern science; and myths of the mother goddess from Native American Hopi culture and James Lovelock's Gaia. Leeming has culled myths from Aztec, Greek, African, Australian Aboriginal, Caribbean, Japanese, Muslim, Hittite, Celtic, Chinese, and Persian cultures, offering one of the most wide-ranging collections of what he calls the "collective dreams of humanity."
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This anthology investigates the core question of how diverse global myths function as metaphors for humanity's universal search for meaning. Author David Leeming, a scholar of mythology, utilizes a thematic framework to organize these narratives, arguing that myths serve as the collective dreams of human civilization. By presenting these stories alongside modern scientific concepts, he demonstrates the continuity of symbolic thought across disparate cultures and eras.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A global collection of myths from cultures including Egyptian, Greek, Polynesian, Aztec, African, and Aboriginal Australian.
- Thematic categorization of narratives such as creation, great floods, and apocalyptic visions.
- Comparative analysis linking ancient religious texts with modern scientific theories like the Gaia hypothesis.
- Scholarly introductions and contextual framing for each cultural tradition represented.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and educators frequently cite this text as a foundational resource for undergraduate courses in world mythology. Readers often note the accessibility of the prose, which balances academic rigor with a clear, thematic structure suitable for both students and general interest readers.
Page Count:
296
Publication Date:
2024-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0197685153
ISBN-13:
9780197685150
History
Religion
Politics
Folklore
Mythology
Anthropology
