Fountaindale Public Library

The meaning of myth, with 12 Greek myths retold and interpreted by a psychiatrist, Neel Burton

eng

Includes bibliographical references

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

The meaning of myth

bibliography

1249798141

Neel Burton

with 12 Greek myths retold and interpreted by a psychiatrist

"What is myth, and why does it have such a hold on the human mind? How does myth relate to near forms such as legend and fairy tale, and to other modes of understanding such as religion and science? What is a hero, what is a monster, and what function does magic serve? How has our relationship with myth and mythology changed over the centuries? And are there any modern myths? These are a few of the fascinating questions that psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton explores in the first part of this book. In the second part, he puts theory into practice to unravel 12 of the most captivating Greek myths, including Echo and Narcissus, Eros and Psyche, and Prometheus and Pandora. These myths have been haunting us for millennia, but are they really, as has been claimed, the repositories of deep wisdom and mystical secrets?"--back cover

Part I. The Meaning of Myth. In the beginning was the word ; Myth, legend, fable, and fairy tale ; Myth, religion, and ritual ; Myth and science ; The history of myth and mythology ; Myth, metaphor, and allegory ; Plato's myths ; Magic ; Heroes ; Monsters ; Misogyny ; Myth in the modern world -- Part II. 12 Myths Decoded. Echo and Narcissus ; Eros and Psyche ; Seers and oracles: Teiresias, Cassandra, and Laocoön ; Chiron, the wounded healer ; Pygmalion, the passionate artist ; Prometheus, the fallen rebel ; Orpheus and Eurydice ; Mother goddesses: Demeter and Persephone ; Perseus and Medusa ; Theseus and the Minotaur ; Dionysus, the twice-born liberator ; Plato's myth of Er

adult