Recurrent Themes in Myths and Mythmaking

Abstract

It is purpose of this paper to draw together some information on and interpretation of certain features of mythology that are ap parently universal or that have such wide distribution in space and time that their generahty may be presumed to result from recurrent reactions of human psyche to situations and stimuli of same general order. Addressing a group from a wide range of disciplinary affiliations, I shall utilize recent writings that are, as yet, generally famihar only to anthropologists and folklorists. I shall also add a mod est effort on my own part to sample independently distribution of a small number of mythic elements. The result makes no preten sions to completeness or indeed to more than approximate accuracy on materials surveyed. But even a crude and tentative synthesis may have some interest and provide some stimulation to more comprehensive and precise research. Literary scholars, psychiatrists, and behavioral scientists have, of course, long recognized that diverse geographical areas and historical epochs have exhibited striking parallels in themes of myth and folklore. Father-seekers and father-slayers appear again and again. Mother-murder appears in exphcit and in disguised form (see Bunker, 1944). Ehade (1949) has dealt with myth of the eternal return. Marie Bonaparte (1947) has presented evidence that wars give rise to fantasies of patently similar content. Animal stories?at least in Old World?show hkenesses in many details of plot and embellishment: African tales and Reynard Fox,

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