Full Description
Since its publication in 1991, The World of Myth has provided thousands of students with a fascinating, wide-ranging introduction to world mythology. Building on the bestselling tradition of the first edition, the long-awaited second edition offers a uniquely comprehensive collection of myths from numerous cultures around the globe. Featuring a thematic organization, it helps students understand world mythology as a metaphor for humanity's search for meaningin a complex world. Author David Leeming presents a sweeping variety of myths whose origins range from ancient Egypt and Greece to the Polynesian islands and modern science. Students will be captivated by stories of great floods from the ancient Babylonians, Hebrews, Chinese, and Mayans; tales of apocalypsefrom India, the Norse, Christianity, and modern science; myths of the mother goddess from Native American Hopi culture and James Lovelock's Gaia; and much more. One of the most wide-ranging anthologies available, this volume includes myths from African, Australian Aboriginal, Aztec, Celtic, Chinese, Greek, Hittite, Japanese, Moslem, and Persian cultures.Greatly expanded coverage of non-Western myths, including new selections from Arabia, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mesoamerica, North and South America, and Sub-Saharan AfricaMore coverage of "Great Mother" and "World Mother" myths-including new selections from Ireland, Mexico, and North American Indian cultures-and other feminine-based mythsMany new translations, a new design, key terms (boldfaced at their first appearance), and a glossaryA world locator map at the front of the book showing the geographical distribution of the myths covered in the text
Contents
PART ONE. COSMIC MYTHS; THE CREATION; THE FLOOD; THE APOCALYPSE; PART BEING; THE GREAT MOTHER; THE DYING GOD; THE TRICKSTER; GODS, GODDESSES, AND LESSER SPIRITS; PART THREE. HERO MYTHS; PART FOUR. PLACE AND OBJECT MYTHS; STONE; THE TREE; THE GARDEN, THE GROVE, AND THE CAVE; THE LABYRINTH
