The Power of Form

Book excerpt: Although positivism dismissed myths as childish fancy, bound to be superseded by reason, there has been a continuous reappraisal of the power of myths since the 19th century. Once viewed as primitive and unreliable accounts and an inadequate and distorted form of knowledge, myths came to be perceived as exemplary narratives, consisting of rich and complex symbolic constructs that carry meaning and a connection to reality. Myths then came to be regarded as a privileged expression of the human soul and of its possibly submerged and unconscious abysses and dramas. Rather than inherently obscure and elusive to a rational grasp, mythical narratives would therefore be driven by logical reasoning, giving shape to a particular worldview of life and humankind. The enduring power of mythical narrative is attested to by its very plasticity, subject to multiple recreations informed by changing concerns and insights. Mythical narratives have thus attracted the interest of various disciplines, from ethnology and history to philosophy, literature, sociology, politics, the history of religions and art history. This interdisciplinary volume studies how myths are inscribed and recycled within both individual and collective heritage, and examines the personal and political implications of multifaceted engagement with myths as one of the forms through which societies try to make sense of their perplexities.