Myths and heroes : how do myths change wih time ?

Myths and heroes

        The notion I am going to deal with is « Myths and heroes ». To begin with, I’ld like to give a definition of the notion : Myth allows us to study the human condition through the figure of heroes, places or communities. The study of the stories and heroes of myths thus makes it possible to probe a collective identity. The myth is also temporally anchored in an era: in the course of time myths are updated or new ones are created. How do myths change with the times? To answer this question, we will first look at the myth of david and goliath before looking at the evolution of the tale little red riding hood.

Firstly, a myth is passed on from generation to generation, so it seems obvious that it is the last to be forgotten when it is told. Indeed, like many people, I thought I knew the myth of David and Goliath: David who shoots down the giant and brave Goliath, from a pebble thrown with a slingshot. But in reality the story is more detailed. Macolm Gladwell in his book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, shows that appearances can be deceiving. Indeed, Goliath is not really the image one has of giants: strong, invincible and without weak points. He is almost blind and moves very slowly. Similarly, just because David is smaller than Goliath doesn't mean that he isn't smarter, smarter and has no more knowledge of fighting and weapons. So it wasn't really an unequal and impossible fight, as appearances would suggest.

        Secondly, stories, tales and myths change over time as mentalities evolve. Indeed, Little Red Riding Hood is a very good example to illustrate the evolution of the place of women in society over the last few centuries. In the original story, by Charles Perrault in the 17th century, Little Red Riding Hood is a weak, stupid girl who manages to save her grandmother from the bad wolf only thanks to the intervention of the hunter. In more recent versions, Little Red Riding Hood is more like the women of today: independent, intelligent and courageous.

                In conclusion, myths can make people believe things that are not true because the person who tells it has probably forgotten some details or simply because he himself had not correctly understood the message of the story. Myths do not always last. The message must adapt to the times. I think it is interesting to change some myths or tales I really enjoyed the story of these new myths precisely because it is based on current events. Gretta thunberg could very well be the Little Red Riding Hood of modern times.

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