Themes:
Greek Myth
Myths and legends
Heroes

Historical Context:
How Do We Know
The Greek Theatre
Time Line

Lesson Plans:
Primary
Secondary

Myths and legends

What are the elements that make myths and legends so powerful?

• Myths are the stories of people and cultures passed down through the oral tradition. They are not constrained by boundaries of form, so their possibilities for invention are endless. The vast range of world mythologies will have some association or attraction for children from all cultures. Some myths seem to be attempts to explain things that would nowadays be described scientifically, such as how the world began. Ancient people had no scientific knowledge so they used their imaginations to fill the gap.

• The myths evolved over many centuries. During this time, there were wars and invasions in the area that was Ancient Greece. Conquerors and settlers brought their own gods with them, which sometimes took over from, or merged with a similar deity that existed in Greece. This gave rise to different versions of the stories about the gods and conflicting reports of their parents or birth place.

• The gods did many strange things in the myths, which the Greeks accepted in supernatural beings, although ordinary people would not have been allowed to do them. For instance, gods often married very close members of their family, such as a sister or mother. They also tended to grow up instantly and were able to do miraculous things straight away. Some of the things humans do seem odd, too. For example exposing unwanted babies to die features in many myths and was not a crime in Ancient Greece.

• Legends are the stories of heroes, with exaggerated characters and fast action. Some can be elaborations of historical events in which human kings or heroes become like gods and do things no real person could really do. Legends are usually based on truth but embellished over time.

Prehistoric cave paintings - Lascaux France

The Greek Myth - Theseus and the Minotaur.

The Greek myths are ancient tales of gods and men that have lasted through centuries of re-telling because they have power and they persist in the imagination. Danger, valour, violence, journeys, family love, romantic love, tragedy, safe return and a search for your true family – this story has it all! It embraces universal and lasting themes that touch children as well as adults. Children know what it is like to be anxious, afraid, brave, loved – we all have our personal monsters to face daily. Stories like Theseus stimulate the imagination and encourage empathy with themes like protection, injustice, dilemma and the consequences of dreadful mistakes.

Junior Education – January 1999