Joe Ratner’s Outline for Chapter 15 of Oxford Readings in
Greek Religion
“Misconceptualizing
Classical Mythology” by C. Robert Phillips, III
March 12, 2002
I. Greek mythology is our (Western)
standard for any mythology.
A Two early 19th C. German assumptions
1. Homo religiosus had to use stories to make theology
2. Preconception of Greek superiority led to its being standard.
II. Mythology as theology
A. Non-western religions first seen as needing Christianizing.
B. Seemed to be pure and untainted by Christianity to the Enlightenment.
1. Weapon against clergy
2. Non-Christian religion could be studied as mythology.
3. Looked down on “folk religion”
C. Romantics embraced mythology.
1. Promoted national mythologies.
D. Application of evolution to society redefined myth as proto-religion
in mid 1800s
1. British studied material from across the empire comparatively
2. Studied religion starting with “primitive” roots
3. Christianity, as “true” religion not studied in this way
III. Greek superiority
A. Nineteenth- century Germans saw parallel with Greece in spirit
1. Looked at idealized past through modern sensibility
2 Personal agenda guided inquiry
3. Sanskrit studies gave comparative material
4. Greek myth and religion seen as having evolved early and quickly
from primitive roots
B. Linguistic and philological studies
1. Attempt to tie ancient ideas to modern
2. Varying German views of Greek religion
a. Superficial because of poetry and visual arts
b. Poetry and art key to Greek “church”
c. Primitive and without order
3. British studies
a. Greek mythology and ritual interrelated
b. Devalued Roman religion
c. Mythologies had to have functional role in society
C. Modern studies
1. Mythology without religion (ludicrous)
2. Functionalist/evolutionist paradigm
3. Mythology with religion
a. Without question of validity of mythology
b. With examination of interrelation
D. Roman religion marginalized
1. Did not have Hellenic-style mythology
a. No genealogical connection to gods
b. Perceived as no mythology
2. Rites without belief
3. Mythology seen as “savage” attempt at religion
a. Romans worse since no mythology
E. Other areas of study affected
1. Ancient history
a. If myth was important why did Thucydides (5th C BCE Greek historian)
ignore it?
b. Better to view as religious adherence, not myth
c. Romans elite seen as using rites for personal ends
2. Ancient literature and art
a. Myth as themes for literature (simplistic)
b. Myth as full of underlying meaning (doesn’t address myth vs. religion)
c. Vases classified by style and technique (ignoring content)
3. World religions
a. Greek patterns imposed on religions which developed within very different
cultures
IV. Conclusion: The study
of Greek mythology should be redefined as integrated with religion and society
and as their way of dealing with feelings of alienation from society and
deficiencies of moral framework
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