The Origin of Death in the Mythologies of the Nations; A Typological Approach

Subject Areas : Mytho

Seyyed Saeedrezā Montazery ¹ , Hossein Sāberi Varzaneh ²

1 - The Assistant Professor of Religions and Mysticism, University of Tehran
2 - The Assistant Professor of Religions and Mysticism, University of Tehran

Received: 2018-03-03 Accepted : 2018-11-20 Published : 2019-11-22

Keywords: god, Myth, Death, Typology, Man,

Abstract :

  The myths speak about the entrance of mythical elements (good or evil) to the realm of human beings; they depict different themes and there is much to be gained from them. There are myths about the origin of the world, man, drugs, plants, animals, and so on. Also, some myths deal with the issue of death. The myths associated with the origin of death have different types and layers and traces of it can be found across cultures. The study of their typology can pave the way for a more sophisticated analysis of the myths of the nations. The aim of the present article is to identify the typology of the myths associated with the origin of death in the mythologies of different nations. By using descriptive-analytical method and based on comparative approach, in the present research the myths associated with the origin of death are divided into two kinds of human-centered and non-human-centered. In human-centered myths, man brings consciously or unconsciously death into his/her life; but in non-human-centered one, an inhuman creature has a central role. Each of these two kinds have different divisions.  

References:

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English Souces

Boas, Frantz (1918): “Origin of Death: Notes and Queries”, Journal of American Folk-Lore, No 30, Pp. 486-491.

Codrington, R. H (1891): The Melanesians: Studies in Their Anthropology and Folk-Lore, Oxford:Clarendon Press.

Coleman, J.A (2007): The Dictionary of Mythology, Arcturus.

Cooper, Jerrold (1992): “The Fate of Mankind: Death and Afterlife in Ancient Mesopotamia”, in Death and Afterlife: perspectives of World Religions, edited by Obayashi, Hiroshi, London, pp 19-34.

Curtin, Jeremiah (2002): Creation Myths of Primitive America, ABC-CLIO.

Dixon, Roland (1916): Oceanic Mythology, Bost on:Marshal Jones.

Ebersole, Gary (2005): “Death”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, vol 4,edited by Lindsay Jones, 2^nd edition, pp. 2235-2245.

Hartland, E. S (1908): “Death and Disposal of the Dead”, in Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, vol 4, edited by James Hastings, pp. 411-444.

Lacocque, Andre (2005): “Sin and Guilt”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, vol 12,edited by Lindsay Jones, 2^nd edition, pp. 8402-8407.

Lang, Andrew (1897): Modern Mythology, London: Longman.

Leeming, David (2005): World Mythology, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Leeming, David (2010): Creation Myths of the World, vol 2, ABC-CLIO.

Long, J.Bruce (2005): “Underworld”, Encyclopedia of Religion, 1^st edition,Edited By Lindsay Jones, vol 14, pp 9451-9458.

Lynch, P. A (2010): African Mythology A to Z, 2^nd edition, Chelsea House.

Mbari Hinga, Teresia (2005): “Afterlife: African Concepts”, Encyclopedia of Religion, 2^nd edition, Edited by Lindsay Jones, Vol 1, pp 139-144.

Middleton, John (1960): Lugbara Religion: Ritual and Authority among an East African People, Oxford: LIT Verlag Mnster.

Partin, Harry (1987): “Paradise”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Mircea Eliade, Vol 11, pp 184-189.

Pritchard, Evans (1956): Nuer Religion, Clarendon, Oxford.

Radin, Paul (1927): Primitive Man as Philosopher, New York and London.

Van Baaren. Th. P (1987): “DEATH”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, Edited by Mircea Eliade, Vol.4, pp 251 – 259.

English Souces

Boas, Frantz (1918): “Origin of Death: Notes and Queries”, Journal of American Folk-Lore, No 30, Pp. 486-491.

Codrington, R. H (1891): The Melanesians: Studies in Their Anthropology and Folk-Lore, Oxford:Clarendon Press.

Coleman, J.A (2007): The Dictionary of Mythology, Arcturus.

Cooper, Jerrold (1992): “The Fate of Mankind: Death and Afterlife in Ancient Mesopotamia”, in Death and Afterlife: perspectives of World Religions, edited by Obayashi, Hiroshi, London, pp 19-34.

Curtin, Jeremiah (2002): Creation Myths of Primitive America, ABC-CLIO.

Dixon, Roland (1916): Oceanic Mythology, Bost on:Marshal Jones.

Ebersole, Gary (2005): “Death”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, vol 4,edited by Lindsay Jones, 2^nd edition, pp. 2235-2245.

Hartland, E. S (1908): “Death and Disposal of the Dead”, in Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, vol 4, edited by James Hastings, pp. 411-444.

Lacocque, Andre (2005): “Sin and Guilt”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, vol 12,edited by Lindsay Jones, 2^nd edition, pp. 8402-8407.

Lang, Andrew (1897): Modern Mythology, London: Longman.

Leeming, David (2005): World Mythology, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Leeming, David (2010): Creation Myths of the World, vol 2, ABC-CLIO.

Long, J.Bruce (2005): “Underworld”, Encyclopedia of Religion, 1^st edition,Edited By Lindsay Jones, vol 14, pp 9451-9458.

Lynch, P. A (2010): African Mythology A to Z, 2^nd edition, Chelsea House.

Mbari Hinga, Teresia (2005): “Afterlife: African Concepts”, Encyclopedia of Religion, 2^nd edition, Edited by Lindsay Jones, Vol 1, pp 139-144.

Middleton, John (1960): Lugbara Religion: Ritual and Authority among an East African People, Oxford: LIT Verlag Mnster.

Partin, Harry (1987): “Paradise”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Mircea Eliade, Vol 11, pp 184-189.

Pritchard, Evans (1956): Nuer Religion, Clarendon, Oxford.

Radin, Paul (1927): Primitive Man as Philosopher, New York and London.

Van Baaren. Th. P (1987): “DEATH”, in Encyclopedia of Religion, Edited by Mircea Eliade, Vol.4, pp 251 – 259.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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