LESSON 1: FOLK LITERATURE: MYTHOLOGY
AND FOLKLORE – AN OVERVIEW
By: Novecio, Mico
Question:
Think-Pair-Share
Discuss this: “What is myth and
folklore?”
I. FOLK LITERATURE AS A
RELEVANT HISTORICAL
ARTIFACT
Folk literature refers to the traditional stories, beliefs, customs,
and expressions passed down orally from generation to
generation. It includes myths, legends, folktales, songs, and
proverbs, all of which provide a window into the culture,
values, and worldviews of the people who told them.
Why is it a historical artifact?
• It reflects the life, struggles, beliefs, and aspirations of
ancient people.
• It preserves the collective memory of a society.
• It reveals how people explained the natural world,
justified customs, or maintained social order before
written history.
Folk literature is more than entertainment—it is a cultural
mirror and a tool for understanding civilizations from the
inside.
1. Can you think of a story your
grandparents told that explained
something about life or nature?
2. Why might a culture choose to preserve a
story even if it is not literally true?
• Myth – Sacred narratives explaining the origins of the
world, gods, humans, and natural events (e.g., creation
myths, flood myths).
• Legend – Semi-true stories rooted in history but
enhanced by imagination (e.g., legends of national
heroes or saints).
• Folktale – Fictional stories intended for entertainment,
II. GENRES OF Folk
often with moral lessons (e.g., trickster tales, fairy tales). Literature
• Epic – Long, narrative poems that celebrate heroic deeds
(e.g., The Iliad, Biag ni Lam-ang).
• Fable – Short stories using animals as characters to
teach moral lessons (e.g., Aesop’s Fables).
• Proverb and Riddle – Short, witty sayings or questions
that reflect wisdom, values, and humor.
III. SIGNIFICANCE OF
STUDYING FOLK LITERATURE
• Cultural Identity – It helps students understand and appreciate
their own and others’ heritage.
• Moral and Ethical Lessons – Folk literature often contains
embedded values that guide behavior.
• Development of Critical Thinking – Analyzing stories fosters
interpretation and symbolic understanding.
• Literary Appreciation – It introduces narrative structures,
archetypes, and styles foundational to world literature.
• Connection to History and Religion – Myths and folklore offer
insight into the ancient belief systems and societal structures.
IV. THEORIES RELATED
TO FOLK LITERATURE
A) ANCIENT THEORIES
Rationalism
⚬ Myths are primitive attempts to explain natural
phenomena using reason.
⚬ Example: Thunder is explained as Zeus’s anger.
Etymological Theory
⚬ Myths originated from misunderstandings or
misinterpretations of language.
⚬ Words or names may have evolved, creating
new stories.
A) ANCIENT THEORIES
Allegorical Theory
⚬ Myths are symbolic stories conveying hidden
philosophical or moral meanings.
⚬ Example: The myth of Persephone symbolizes
the changing seasons.
Euhemerism
⚬ Myths are exaggerated stories about real
historical figures who were later deified.
⚬ Example: Hercules was a strong man whose
feats made him a god in legend.
B) MODERN THEORIES
Naturalism
• Myths arose as imaginative explanations of natural forces and events.
• Sun gods, rain gods, and earth deities reflect nature’s power.
Ritualism
• Myths were created to explain religious rituals.
• The story of a god’s death and rebirth explains seasonal fertility rituals.
B) MODERN THEORIES
Diffusionism
• Similar myths exist in different cultures due to contact and exchange.
• Common motifs (like a great flood) may have spread globally through migration or trade.
Evolutionism
• Myths evolve alongside the intellectual development of societies.
• From animism → polytheism → monotheism.
B) MODERN THEORIES
Freudianism
• Myths express unconscious desires, especially related to family and sexuality.
• Example: The Oedipus myth reflects repressed desires.
Jungian Archetypes
• Myths reflect universal “archetypes” or patterns in the collective unconscious.
• Examples: The Hero, the Shadow, the Wise Old Man, the Great Mother.
B) MODERN THEORIES
Structuralism
• Myths have a universal structure of binary opposites (e.g., life/death, good/evil).
• Meaning is found in how elements relate to each other.
Historical-Critical Theory
• Myths must be studied in their historical and cultural contexts.
• Understanding when and where a myth developed gives deeper meaning.
THANK
YOU
ANY QUESTION?
