The Creation Myth in Different Cultures

The Creation Myth in Different Cultures Myths can be discussed as the important elements of each culture because ancient people expressed their vision of the world and its laws in the form of mythological stories as the attempt to explain the unfamiliar objects and processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Creation Myth in Different Cultures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, myths included the description of the processes which nature was rather difficult to be understood by the ancient people. That is why, a lot of myths which are presented in different cultures are based on the similar topics, but the details of the myth can be various. From this point, the theme of the world creation is one of the most popular topics of myths, and the creation myth is typical for different cultures. To understand the significance of the creation story for different cultures and explore the particular features of the myth, it is necessary to focus on the Mesopo tamian myth known as the Enuma Elish, on the Pelasgian myth characteristic for the Greek culture, and on the Egyptian myth about Atum. Although the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Greek cultures developed their own mythological stories based on the topic of the world creation, these myths have a lot of similarities which accentuate the common form of the creation myth and its significance for different cultures. The problem of the world’s beginnings is one of the most controversial points for the discussion today. Furthermore, it is the central idea of many ancient myths. According to Murtagh, â€Å"at the foundation of nearly every culture is a creation myth that explains how the wonders of the earth came to be† (Murtagh). The ancient people could not understand the world processes and explained them with the help of mythological imagery. Different cultures used their own approaches to explaining the birth of the Universe, but the basic aspects of the process are similar because they depend on the people’s beliefs, values, and expectations.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to people’s visions, the world can have its origin from the chaos or water, and the myths where the earth emerges out of water are known as diver myths (Murtagh). For instance, the story of creating the world out of water as a result of the struggle with the chaos is depicted in the Mesopotamian Enuma Elish. The role of the water and chaos is also significant for the Pelasgian creation myth. Furthermore, the watery chaos Nu is accentuated in the Egyptian creation myth as the roots of the Universe. The role of water in the creation stories can be explained with references to the role of water in the ancient people’s everyday life as it was in Egypt or in the Mesopotamian territories. Nevertheless, it is possible to determine various actors as the world creators in different cultures. It is stated in the Enuma Elish that the Universe was organized as a result of the struggle between the body of water Tiamat who lost her husband Apsu and the god Marduk (â€Å"The Babylonian Creation Story†). The bodies of water have definite gender features, and they are perceived as the god and the goddess. When Marduk killed Tiamat in the struggle for superiority, the heavens and the earth were made from her body. Thus, it is possible to speak about the origin of the Universe from the water body of Tiamat. In the Pelasgian creation myth, the main actors are Eurymone and Ophion, and the major symbol is the Cosmic Egg after breaking which the Universe was made (â€Å"Greek Creation Story†). The Egyptians focused on their sun-god Ra or Atum and his children as the gods creating the world (Hagin). In spite of the fact different gods and creators of the world depicted in various creation myths have different names and characteristics, there are a lot of similar features in their portraying. The Enuma Elish and the Pelasgian creation myth are similar in depicting female powers of Tiamat and Eurymone known as the Goddess of All Things.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Creation Myth in Different Cultures specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the Enuma Elish, the world was made out of Tiamat, and Eurymone who was born from the chaos divided the water and heavens to dance on the sea waves in the Pelasgian myth. In the Egyptian creation myth, the accents are made on the role of male gods, but the goddess Tefnut as the daughter of Atum plays the important role in creating the other gods. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that those myths the central idea of which is to present the story of the Universe creation include definite elements which are typical for all the myths on the topic. The creation myth should inc lude not only the mentioned images of the world’s creators and describe the process of creating the earth and sky but also present the processes of creating the other gods and the man. Moreover, the Universe can be created by the definite god who is alone as it is in the story about Atum, by the god with assistants or by the active and passive creators as it is in the myth about Eurynome, or as a result of the gods’ struggle as it is in the Enuma Elish. From this point, the processes of creating the earth and sky, the gods and the man can be discussed as the mythemes of creation stories. The water and the chaos are two important symbols which are used in all the studied myths as the source for the other parts of the Universe. However, the birth of the man is the next important mytheme. According to the Mesopotamian myth Enuma Elish, people are created from the blood of Kingu, the henchman of Tiamat. It is stated in the Pelasgian creation myth that the first man is made from the dust of Arcadia. The usage of dust or dirt as the source for creating the man is typical for many myths and religious traditions. Nevertheless, the Egyptians were inclined to think that the first man was made out of Atum’s tears of joy when the Universe was created.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, there are similar stories about the birth of new gods. According to the Enuma Elish, there were several gods, and they fought with each other before the Universe was created, but the emergence of gods in the Egyptian and Greek traditions is a result of the main gods’ unions. Thus, Shu and Tefnut became the parents of Geb and Nut who became the parents of the other gods in relation to the Egyptian myth. Moreover, Eurynome gave the birth to Eros, also known as Protagonus or ‘firstborn’, and then to the seven Powers which also became the gods (â€Å"Greek Creation Story†). Those myths which are based on the topic of the world creation have a lot of specific details characteristic for different cultures, but there are many similarities in the basic symbols of these myths. The specific details accentuate the uniqueness of the cultures and the particular features of the people’s interpretation of the world with references to the geographical and social characteristics. The similar aspects which are depicted in the myths with the help of certain symbols stress the importance of the topic for all the cultures and its universal character. Greek Creation Story. n.d. Web. Hagin, Stephen. Egyptian Creation Stories. n.d. Web. Murtagh, Lindsey. Common Elements in Creation Myths. n.d. Web. The Babylonian Creation Story (Enuma Elish). n.d. Web.

Understanding a Mystery in Different Types of Writing

Understanding a Mystery in Different Types of Writing A mystery purveys the element of shock and awe. We explore hidden paths or explore the unknown until we discover the truth. A mystery is usually presented in the form of a novel or a short story, but it could also be a non-fiction book that explores uncertain or illusory facts. Murders in the Rue Morgue Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is usually recognized as the father of the modern mystery. Murder and suspense are evident in fiction before Poe, but it was with Poes works that we see the emphasis on using clues to get to the facts. Poes Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) and The Purloined Letter are among his famous detective stories. Benito Cereno Herman Melville first serially published Benito Cereno in 1855, and then republished it with five other works in The Piazza Tales the next year. The mystery in Melvilles tale starts with the appearance of a ship in sad repair. Captain Delano boards the ship to offer assistanceonly to find mysterious circumstances, which he cant explain. He fears for his life: am I to be murdered here at the ends of the earth, on board a haunted pirate ship by a horrible Spaniard?Too nonsensical to think of! For his tale, Melville borrowed heavily from an account of the Tryal, where slaves overpowered their Spanish masters and tried to force the captain to return them to Africa. The Woman in White With The Woman in White (1860), Wilkie Collins adds the element of sensationalism to the mystery. The discovery by Collins of a young and very beautiful young woman dressed in flowing white robes that shone in the moonlight inspired this story. In the novel, Walter Hartright encounters a woman in white. The novel involves crime, poison, and kidnapping. A famous quote from the book is: This is a story of what a womans patience can endure, and what a mans resolution can achieve. Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) wrote his first story at the age of six, and published his first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887. Here, we learn how Sherlock Holmes lives, and what has brought him together with Dr. Watson. In his development of the Sherlock Holmes, Doyle was influenced by Melvilles Benito Cereno and by Edgar Allan Poe. The novels and short stories about Sherlock Holmes became enormously popular, and the stories were collected into five books. Through these stories, Doyles depiction of Sherlock Holmes is amazingly consistent: the brilliant detective encounters a mystery, which he must solve. By 1920, Doyle was the most highly paid writer in the world. The successes of these early mysteries helped to make mysteries a popular genre for writers. Other great works include G.K. Chestertons The Innocence of Father Brown (1911), Dashiell Hammetts The Maltese Falcon (1930), and   Agatha Christies Murder on the Orient Express (1934). To learn more about the classic mysteries, read a few of the mysteries of Doyle, Poe, Collins, Chesterton, Christie, Hammett, and the like. Youll learn about the drama, the intrigue, along with the sensational crimes, kidnappings, passions, curiosities, mistaken identities, and puzzles. Its all there on the written page. All of the mysteries are designed to baffle until you discover the hidden truth. And, you may come to understand what really happened!