Comparison, general features and differences of myths, fairy tales and legends.
Content
Many of us myths and legends, as well as fairy tales, consider the varieties of folk art, and understand little of how they differ among themselves. In fact, the difference between these concepts is huge.
How the myth differs from a fairy tale and legends: comparison
If you turn to the translation of words, then the myth translates as a “word”. A fairy tale in translation means "Tales or a story to tell." Myths were created even before the advent of religions and the first references to the gods and their existence. In ancient times, myths were created in order to explain the various phenomena of nature, such as snow, fog, storms and hurricanes.
A little later, myths about various gods and their actions began to appear. Thus, people tried to explain the same actions of nature, but explained them in somewhat in other ways. If there was no rain for a long time, and a strong drought was observed, the gods blamed in everything. And they said that people were guilty, and thus the gods punish them.
A fairy tale, unlike the myth, is the genre of folk art, which tells about some hero. Tales can be a variety of nature, they can be both instructive and ridiculous. The purpose of the fairy tale is not to explain something. The main goal of the fairy tale is to teach and warn against repeating certain errors.
Legends are a separate species that tells you about a particular hero. Most often, fictional characters are not based on legends, but those who have once lived for a long time. Of course, the legend is a somewhat distorted display of reality, but on the basis of very real events. The heroes of the legends are very real characters.
Differences:
- Different time frames
- Various tasks
- Differences in the reality of events
What are myths telling about fairy tales and legends about?
All characters of fairy tales are fictional. Tales can be fictional both the people and certain authors. First of all, a fairy tale is a literary genre. The task of the fairy tale is to tell you about some fictitious hero and tell about his mistakes. This is done in order to teach people and children not to repeat the mistakes of a particular hero.
Features of fairy tales, myths and legends:
- Myths capture a very large time interval. It can be both centuries and millennia. And at all, do not contain bindings to time.
- The fairy tale is most often not indicated when events took place. Usually they begin with the words "long for a long time." Once it was really possible. But all the characters of the fairy tales are fictitious, the events in it are also fictitious. One example of myths is the stories of the gods of ancient Rome or ancient Greece.
- A fairy tale is not only folk art, but also exists as a genre of literary work that a writer or author can completely come up with. The myth, unlike a fairy tale, has no authorship and develops for many centuries. The task of the fairy tale to entertain and warn, warn, teach. The task of the myth is to explain certain phenomena and the world.
- If we are talking about a legend, then there is a legend about what was once. Describes a specific historical period, which may, in principle, not explain the story in any way.
Can a myth, the legend to become a fairy tale?
It is worth noting that both myth and legend over time can become fairy tales. This happens if the people take as a basis a specific event and add their colors to it. That is, adds some details and fictional characters. Most often, fairy tales are based on some real events. The basis of fictitious characters are still ordinary people who make mistakes for some reason.
That is, over time, a legend or myth can turn into a fairy tale. This will happen if fictional characters and events are added to the legend or myth, but the legends about the real person are based on the basis.
As you can see, the myth of a fairy tale and legend are not the same thing. These are the genres of folk art, which differ significantly from each other not only in tasks, but also in the methods of construction. The main task of the fairy tale is to warn, tell, warn and teach. The myth and legend do not teach anything. They simply describe some events, action or behavior of specific heroes.
Another significant difference between the legend from the myth is that most often the myth is some kind of inanimate creatures. Such as the gods, and the basis of legends are ordinary mortal people.
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