Myth: A Very Short Introduction

Robert A. Segal

Jun 2021 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Ben Esner

About this audiobook

Where do myths come from? What is their function and what do they mean? In this Very Short Introduction, Robert Segal introduces the array of approaches used to understand the study of myth. These approaches hail from disciplines as varied as anthropology, sociology, psychology, literary criticism, philosophy, science, and religious studies. Including ideas from theorists as varied as Sigmund Freud, Claude Levi-Strauss, Albert Camus, and Roland Barthes, Segal uses the famous ancient myth of Adonis to analyze their individual approaches and theories. In this new edition, he not only considers the future study of myth, but also considers the interactions of myth theory with cognitive science, the implications of the myth of Gaia, and the differences between story-telling and myth.

About the author

Robert A. Segal taught in the US for many years before relocating to the UK in fall 1994. He taught at Lancaster University, before moving in 2006 to the University of Aberdeen, where he is Sixth Century Chair in religious studies. He teaches and writes on theories of myth and on theories of religion.