Modern Art, Ancient Myths and the Waters in Which We Swim

There is a rich tapestry of modern works of art that are about or inspired by myths and folklore. The list of such works is so long that it would be tedious to put into a blog post, but some of my favorite works of fiction in this vein include:

American Gods by Neil Gaiman The Centaur by John Updike Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker Grendel by John GardnerThe Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break by Steven Sherrill The Once and Future King by T.H. White The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Ulysses by James Joyce

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I’m sure there are many more I could add to my own personal list if I devoted more time to it, and this does not include fiction in which the authors create their own mythologies that reflect or influence their main characters.

My own fiction often has these linkages as well. Of course, The Tollkeeper is packed with such references, but my short story Phoenix is not only named after a mythological creature but reimagines the myth in the context of a not-quite-yet-invented technology. My story The River of Long Shadows invents a mythology for the Niagara River. My story The Municipality alludes to the ravens of Odin, Huginn and Muninn, and pivots on the archetype of corvids representing death.

I’ve only mentioned works of fiction so far, but mythology is the water in which all artists swim. Consider all the sculptures, paintings, musical works, poems, plays, television shows, films, graphic novels and more that are based on or inspired by mythologies. One could create an entire encyclopedia of such works.

Yet even these works represent only a fraction of ways in which myths play a role in our lives. Our religions may represent an even more potent source of mythology. Even our dreams appear peopled with cultural references and archetypes, especially if the Jungians are onto something.

Why does this matter? Because understanding the role of mythologies in our lives helps us better understand ourselves, our societies, our histories and probably our futures as well. And striving to make sense of the world is what humanity is all about.

What works of art can you think of that are based on or inspired by mythologies?

Image source:  Wikipedia: Myths and legends of Babylonia & Assyria

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