Introduction
People often interpret things differently. One person may make a connection that someone else has never made before. For this reason, stories can be told repeatedly to different audiences, and people still may find new meanings within the story that relate to them. One type of story that often has an underlying meaning is a myth. According to Tanski, Myths are traditional stories that usually involve immortal beings and are typically used to explain natural phenomena, cultural attributes, institutions, religious rites, or other things beyond human control. Myths also teach values, ideas, and imagined heritage of cultures. Many myths are still relevant today because of the underlying truth they contain (Tanski). Unique myths have originated throughout history from all different types of cultures across the globe. Some people may believe that certain myths actually took place while others may think that they are told solely for the valuable message they possess. The Bible and greek mythology both contain many myths that are still told, studied, and interpreted today. Many similarities can be found between the myths of the two peoples. For example, parallels exist between the biblical figure Samson and Greek demigod Hercules. Both Samson and Hercules possessed great strength and experienced similar situations in life. However, the men each reacted to their experiences in their own ways. Today, people can still relate to Samson and Hercules, learning from their mistakes and triumphs and determining how to apply that knowledge to their own lives, which is why myths from centuries in the past are still shared. Everyone has a different life experience and can gain something unique to their own situation from hearing about the lives of others. |