What’s the difference?
In my opinion there is absolutely no difference between the two. Joseph Campbell said it himself, “folklore is the common man’s myth.” myth Folklore and mythology are both made up of myths, and the only way these two mythos differ is the setting in which they are most often told. Generally, myths regarded as folklore are told for their entertainment qualities whereas ”mythology” is percevied in a more academic light and therefore examined with a finer lense. However, the difference that is perceived is not inherent in the myths themselves, it is manmade. In actuality it doesn’t exist at all. They are the same exact types of stories but for some reason we separate them in our minds. There is definitely a predjudice that is present when we approach stories regarded as folklore versus when we approach stories regarded as myths, just look at the two words. Mythology is a verifiable science, it means “the study of myths”. Compare that to the word folklore, which is simply a combination of two colloquialisms, folk and lore, the first being used for someone who would be considered more of an Avergare Joe than a dignified academic and the latter term is used more often that not for a story that is exaggerated or false. Judging from the connotations of the terms alone it would appear that mythology is more respected and credible than it’s counterpart, folklore.
Folklore as Mythology
Now many would argue that mythology is in a class all it’s own because myths convey the deep cultural themes of a society, and I would agree. However, folklore accomplishes this same goal but it doesn’t require an intellectual background to appreciate it. In this way I would consider folklore a more effective venue for conveying a theme, because this opens up the story for everyone to enjoy.
If we surveyed everyone in our highschool, the ratio between the amount of people who said they enjoyed Robin Hood or King Arthur to the amount of people who said they enjoyed the myths of any pantheon we’ve studied (including Greece) would, in my opinion, be quite drastic. And while some of this can be attributed to certain stories’ place in mainstream culture, I don’t believe that that is the underlying cause. It is because the idea of mythology immediately carries the burden of intellectual activity, and this will in many cases create a resistance in the minds of the audience, the thought that, “I’m not going to like this, it’s too hard/complex/confusing”. In contrast, folklore will take that same theme and package it in a way that is appealing to the public at large. It essentially gives you the lesson that you need without you knowing you’re learning a lesson at all, thereby preventing the brain from shutting down right off the bat.
Robin Hood and Beowulf
The story of Robin Hood conveys the importance of righteousness, justice, generosity, empathy, selflessness, humility, and duty to community without a assigning a god for each one of these traits that must be learned and understood. Instead, the story is easier to relate to, presenting all these god-like traits in one extraordinary man which gives both children and adults a realistic example of humanity to attempt to imitate.
In Beowulf, the indomitable strength of the human spirit is shown in his mutliple heroic encounters with evil creatures as he travels from country to country, freeing the the native people from the tyranny of their local monster. Even in death he is successful, slaying a dragon but dying from the wounds it inflicted. His story teaches honor, strength, bravery and the duty to protect in the same way that Robin Hood’s does, with a relatable main character and a simple but exciting storyline that keeps the audience drawn in while the theme is slowly released into their consciousness. Beowulf’s life thus becomes somewhat of a guide to an honorable and fulfilling existence, and much like Robin Hood he is emulated for his adirable qualities. For example, the story of Beowulf was read to armies before battle in hopes that they would be inspired to be like the great hero, brave and strong in combat and accepting and honorable in death.
In Conclusion
Just because English folklore is more popular with mainstream society and less complex than other pantheons we have studied does not mean that they are without the deeper themes that we have found in the more traditional “mythologies”. It simply means that in the environment that these stories are generally told they are not examined closely enough to make these themes obvious. Beowulf, King Arthur and Robin Hood are just as admirable as Jason or Hercules, and in my opinion their stories are more respected than their ancient counterparts. If no one hears about Perseus or Theseus then who have they helped? The overall relatability (Copyright Mike Olbrych, 2009) of the English legends is something that every myth and storyteller should strive to achieve. It uses human nature to your advantage, and it helps convey your message to more people than just the scholarly.
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Filed under: UHS Mythology