Greek mythology is silly—isn’t it?  Who would be interested in stories about Gods and Goddesses, supernatural powers, and strange creatures?  Our intellectual society certainly doesn’t have any room for those sort of tales.

 

If you believe any of that, you might have a hard time explaining the popularity of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter books, and even Spiderman comics.  The exciting adventures of Zeus, Apollo, Athena and other Greek heroes are still alive today—they just have different names.

 

Many scholars might argue that comparing Greek mythology and modern literature is like comparing apples and oranges.  They are two completely different things.  Let’s take a closer look.

 

Greek mythology is a collection of legends passed on from generation to generation by the ancient Greeks.  The stories usually contained many supernatural elements (i.e. magic, monsters, Gods and Goddesses, etc.), although their purpose was often to help clarify or rationalize natural occurrences.  For example, a Greek myth might help shed light on the origin of lightning and rain, or it might explain why cultural differences exist.  The myths also provided moral lessons, and often featured a show down between good and evil.

 

In modern society, the general public rarely uses myths or stories to explain why a cat meows, or why some people are black and others are white.  Most people rely on science to answer these questions.  But there is a skeptic in all of us. 

 

Because it is so difficult to explain exactly why things are the way they are, or why certain things happen when they do, it is not uncommon for individuals to look for answers beyond science.  Perhaps that is why Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings—or even Star Trek and Star Wars—have become so popular.  They describe a world that exists—or has existed—without the average person having any knowledge of it.  Just like Greek mythology, these stories tell of a world that is more fascinating than the one we live in.  If such a world did exist, it would certainly offer an easier explanation to some of life’s puzzling mysteries.

 

There is another theme in Greek mythology that has lasted through the centuries.  The battle of Good vs. Evil.  This is a story line that never seems to grow old.  You can still find the “right against wrong” theme in Superman comics, James Bond movies, or Hardy Boys novels. 

 

The struggle of Good and Evil premise isn’t something that is limited only to Greek mythology or to modern literature.  It has been a common topic in the writings, myths, and legends of an assortment cultures throughout history.  It can easily be concluded that the battle of morality has remained the same, despite changes in technology, language, culture, and even religion.