What is a Myth?

Today people often use the word “myth” to mean an untrue story or false rumor. For example, if one person asked, “Is Friday the 13th an unlucky day?” another person might answer, “No, that is just a myth.” But the ancient Greeks did not use the word mythos (μῦθος) in this way. For the Greeks, a mythos was simply a story. It was not important whether the story was true or false; what was important was the fact that the mode of speech was that of a story. The Greek word logos (λόγος), on the other hand, means a rational explanation or analytical statement. These two words, mythos and logos, point to two different kinds of speech, corresponding to two different ways of thinking. One was not considered more important than the other; they were just different. If you put the two words together: mythos + logos = mythology. And “mythology” is the explanation or the analytical study of myths. 

• from Mythology Unbound: An Online Textbook for Classical Mythology

PBS.org. Myths & Heroes. What is a Myth? What is Mythology? - Mythology Unleashed

What is Mythology? - Mythology Unleashed

Why do we study myths?

• Mythical Tales of Power: How Global Folk Tales Still Guide Modern Life

• Why Study Mythology? - Providence Classical School

• 5 Reasons to Study (Greek) Myths - The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic

• Why Ancient Greek Mythology is Still Relevant Today - Owlcation

• Why Ancient Myths Remain Relevant Today - Tufts University

• Archetypes and Mythology. Why They Matter Even More So Today - Kristina Dryza

• Why Study the Classics? - N.S. Gill 

Three Kinds of Myths

from Mythology Unbound: An Online Textbook for Classical Mythology

What about fairy tales?