Böcker av David A. Leeming

Stories centuries in the making, and many centuries worth of stories, are an integral part of modern society. Whether modern or ancient, every culture has its myths. Mythology forms our understanding of our origin, history, and traditions. They tell of our heroes and deities. Myths are vehicles for understanding religion, for learning language, and for understanding society, but they can often be difficult to understand and confusing. The Handy Mythology Answer Book examines and explains, in plain English, numerous myths and mythology.From the ancient Greek and Roman to Egypt and Babylon, from Native North American Indian to Celtic, Middle Eastern, Indian, Asian, African, and the lesser known myths from around the world, The Handy Mythology Answer Book has them covered. Whether it is the modern retelling of a classic myth or an ancient story about a Norse god, this helpful resource demystifies the myth, looks at different archetypes and motifs, and even shows how myths help explain our existence and institutions. It answers nearly 600 questions and offers fun facts about the treachery and violence, the inspirational and epic, the supernatural monsters and heroic mortals found in mythology, such asHow and when did myths originate?What are the three primary myth types?What is the nature of Creation Myths?How can myths be compared to dreams?Why do humans tell myths?What was the Egyptian Book of the Dead?How is the epic of Gilgamesh like later epics?Why is the biblical flood story so like the Babylonian flood myth?What was the myth of Theseus, the Labyrinth, and the Minotaur?What are the Homeric Hymns?How and why are the Odyssey and the Iliad so different from each other?What is the popular appeal of the Odyssey?Did the Greeks see these myths as religion or as entertainment?What was the background myth of the Oedipus plays?What was the nature of Roman mythology during the Roman Republic?What was the Metamorphosis?How did Christian narrative and tradition fit into and come to dominate the Roman mythological tradition?How is Celtic culture and mythology related to the culture and mythology of Greek, Roman, and other cultures?How did the Vedas contribute to Hindu mythology?Who invented Chinese writing?What was the Aztec pantheon?What is the story of the Cherokee Grandmother Sun?Who are some Native American tricksters?What is the story of Schrdingers Cat?How did Freud use myths?How is myth used in politics?A glossary of commonly used terms and an appendix of parallel mythology exploring universal themes, motifs, and archetypes from across various cultures further explains the world of mythology.

In the Encyclopedia of Allegorical Literature, readers will find more than 400 concise articles covering all aspects of literary allegory: the device wherein characters, situations, and actions stand for ideas. Far-ranging in scope, the book covers the entire Western allegorical tradition during the vast sweep of time between the Old Testament Song of Songs and the postmodernist novels of Thomas Pynchon and Ishmael Reed. Selected Indian, Middle Eastern, South American, and African works are also included, as are works that are not, strictly speaking, allegories, yet contain allegorical aspects. In addition, the authors provide articles on allegory as it relates to film, music, psychoanalysis, and other fields. The A-to-Z entries include allegorical works, authors, characters, definitions, and literary devices and terms, all carefully cross-referenced to direct the reader to related topics. Essays on the works include a brief overview of the work itself as well as an analysis of how closely it adheres to the definition of allegory set out in the helpful introduction. Quick-reference appendixes list titles of works featured in the book both alphabetically and chronologically. An extensive bibliography refers readers to a wealth of background material. A subject index rounds out the volume.