Myth is considered one of the most essential forms of folk literature, even the most important form of oral expression within it.
A myth is not just an ordinary story to be narrated or a tale told in evening gatherings for entertainment
By Souad Khalil | Libya
The folktale, the story, or the fabula—each inherently carries the traits of ancient and early ages, reflecting people’s beliefs in divine and celestial forces: their gods, demigods, heroes, supernatural beings, and religious doctrines.
In this sense, myth is considered one of the most essential forms of folk literature, even the most important form of oral expression within it. A myth is not just an ordinary story to be narrated or a tale told in evening gatherings for entertainment. Rather, in its complete structure—encompassing words, movements, gestures, and material formations—it embodies the collective thought and expression of human beings in their primitive stages. This leaves little doubt that the origin of drama, as we know it today, arose from rituals and ceremonies explained through myth. These were once believed without question and embraced wholeheartedly by every member of society, containing within them life experiences and perceptions of the surrounding world, preserving social balance, and forming the hidden content of collective ideas.
As noted by Sir D. L. Gomme, the purpose of myth is not only to explain but also to teach and shape belief. A myth explains questions or the essence and origin of knowledge during pre-scientific eras.
Moreover, myths often inform us how the universe, humans, animals, and all earthly features—rivers, mountains, and valleys—came into existence. There’s also a strong connection between myths and totemic traditions involving animals, plants, insects, and reptiles—especially worms, such as the leech, from which the early human was believed to be formed, as mentioned in creation myths. Myths also explain natural phenomena like lightning, thunder, rain, and storms.
To the researcher, myths may seem illogical or even unbelievable. He encounters from the beginning a seemingly paradoxical situation: myths often lack logical sequence or consistent narrative patterns. Their characters combine conflicting traits, shifting between good and evil—anything can happen, no matter how strange. Myths explain why gods dwell in the heavens—on lofty mountaintops or within giant acacia trees. If you hear footsteps in the crown of a weeping tree, beware: the god may be emerging before you.
However, not all old stories (legends) are myths. A proper myth must include certain elements—worlds of gods and deities, and the religious or celestial backdrop. Early scholars defined myth as the deification of human events.
Comparative mythologists like James Frazer developed interpretations related to cosmic phenomena and calendars, both solar (Gregorian) and lunar (Hijri). The lunar calendar, being 11 days shorter than the solar, reflects mythic constructs—like in Pharaonic myths where five gods were created outside the bounds of time.
Folklorists have long debated the overlap and blending between myth and folktale, particularly in tales involving saints, blessed figures, or holy men. Some folktales still retain major mythic features—what the Brothers Grimm observed as remnants or fragments of ancient myths. Many myths absorbed motifs from simple or naïve folktales and elevated them to a higher mythic level. When tricksters and clever characters became human rather than sacred beings, and when the hero became a man rather than a god, the myth turned into a tale—fantastic, yet more accessible.
So, what is myth?
In the humanities, few absolute definitions exist. Most conclusions are general hypotheses that may prove right or wrong, with only occasional consensus.
For example, what is “culture”? When we ask that, we’re overwhelmed by the range and number of definitions—hundreds, in fact—rich but often vague and contradictory.
The same applies to myth. It remains among the most obscure and ambiguous topics, especially for the modern reader, who finds myths full of strange gods and unfamiliar heroes—names disconnected from any recognizable context. Hence, scholars have failed to agree on a single definition despite the extensive literature. Dictionaries and encyclopedias list numerous interpretations, reflecting the varied disciplines and interests of their authors.
St. Augustine captured this difficulty perfectly:
“What is a myth? I know exactly what it is—as long as no one asks me. But if I am asked and try to explain, I falter.”
Let us consider some interpretations
A myth is a sacred story in which humans try to define their relationship to the vast universe.
It is the hidden substance that must be explored to understand the unseen aspects of society’s life.
Jane Harrison, a leading scholar in classical studies, described myth as the dream of the individual.
The French Philosophical Society defines it as a vision of an imaginary future, rarely attainable, that reflects collective emotions and motivates action.
It may simply be stories told about rituals and ceremonies that have faded or are fading—thus, spoken rituals.
The modern French dictionary Le Littré defines myth as a fantastic tale, usually of folk origin, symbolizing natural forces or aspects of human genius and fate.
The Funk Dictionary sees myth as a story that seems to have actually occurred in the past and explains metaphysical beliefs, divine phenomena, gods, heroes, and cultural and religious practices.
Myth is a form of unrefined creative genius, dominated by simplicity and naivety.
Max Müller claimed it reflects a period of insanity that the human mind had to overcome.
What emerges from all this is that myth is a commonly used term, yet elusive—debates about it often involve people not even talking about the same thing. Still, that does not mean myths are unimportant. On the contrary, they have become key subjects in literature, psychology, and anthropology.
Now, if we ask when myths originated, do we encounter the same diversity in answers?
Some researchers believe myths date back to the dawn of humanity, when early humans practiced magic and rituals in attempts to explain natural phenomena. This may seem logical, but it collapses under scrutiny: early humans did not seek explanations because they did not view themselves as separate from nature. Only when humans became more advanced did they begin to discuss such phenomena.
Many agree that myths are a form of fairy tale, with origins in popular rumor that eventually became cultural heritage—long before storytelling took artistic form. Folktales were told in the vernacular, while myths were narrated in classical Arabic. Structurally, though, myths and folktales often blend, which is why Aristotle, in his Poetics, did not distinguish between the two, using instead the Greek word Mythos, meaning falsehood or distancing from truth.
Thus, we must accept that a person might hide inside a beast, or that a serpent might marry a beautiful girl, or that a giant demands daily sacrifices of ten maidens, or that a hero travels to the underworld and meets the dead.
Despite confusion around the term, especially in modern Western philosophy, “myth” remains more precise and meaningful than “folktale”. The scholar of myth finds that it is not just poetic leftovers or dreams—it is the result of continuous effort and cultural power. It is a living truth once believed to have happened, influencing rituals, ethics, beliefs, and behavior.
Scientifically, myth is not just a story—it is a civilizational indicator, a lens for understanding the human condition across time and space.
There are different types of myth, including:
Creation myths, explaining the origin of the universe. Egyptian creation myths, for example, focus on gods of nature, sky, earth, wind, sun, and stars.
Ritual myths, connected to acts of worship and meant to give verbal context to ritual acts—sometimes derived from the Bible (e.g., Heracles as Samson; Deucalion as Noah).
The myth of Isis is an example, where women chant over a doll representing Osiris, tossing it into the Nile to commemorate his burial in a chest.
Instructional myths, which appeared with belief in hidden spiritual forces. Clergy claimed to connect with these forces, creating magic to feed spiritual needs and inspire explanation.
Symbolic myths, emerging once humans moved from questioning nature to resisting it—using priestly incantations and knowledge to confront natural disasters. Most surviving world myths belong to this type, with gods depicted in human traits, and humans challenging the heavens (as in Greek, Egyptian, and Indian myths).
Dr. Abdel Hamid Younes, in Popular Heritage, sees symbolic myths not as metaphors but as expressions of real subject matter, not just logical explanations.
Thomas Bulfinch said symbolic myths are misunderstood metaphors taken literally—e.g., Saturn eating his children became Chronos, time itself.
Interpretations differ among scholars, and one myth may receive multiple symbolic readings, none of which is definitive.
There’s also the historical myth, which may sound contradictory—mixing real historical events with supernatural deeds of a hero who embodies both human and divine traits.
We must distinguish between:
Real heroes who entered history but whose deeds were distorted—like Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan, Roland, Antarah, Hamlet, and Faust.
Mythical heroes who entered symbolic myths—like Oedipus, Ulysses, and Sisyphus.
Myth is the legacy of the arts, an endless source of creativity and inspiration. It offers artists more than material—it encourages the creation of enduring masterpieces.
Pierre Bouet said:
“Myth is a way of thinking that plays with reality and truth. It’s a question without a definite answer, always awaiting a new seeker and interpreter to uncover meanings about existence.”
As Boas noted, mythical worlds rise only to scatter—making way for new ones built from their fragments. Thus, myths remain an inexhaustible source for modern creators to express their visions through contemporary lenses.
References:
Abdel Hakim, Shawqi. Mawsu’at al-Folklore wal-Asatir al-‘Arabiyya [Encyclopedia of Arab Folklore and Myths].
Hassan, Farouk. Al-Asatir: Al-Dalala wal-Istilhām [Myths: Meaning and Inspiration]. Al-Rafid, no. 52.
Read: Poetry and the Poetic Language
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Souad Khalil, hailing from Libya, is a writer, poet, and translator. She has been writing on culture, literature and other general topics.
