The Legendary Past World of Myths - Brief Article - Book Review

Contemporary Review, Oct, 2003

Marina Warner et al. The British Museum Press. 16.99 [pounds sterling]. 410 pages. ISBN 0-71412783-3. This compilation, introduced by the author and historian, Marina Warner, has essays by five experts in mythology in which they analyse, describe and in some cases retell the great myths from different civilisations.

The five are: Lucilla Burn on the Greek myths; Jane E Gardner, on the Roman; R. I. Page on the Norse; George Hart, on the Egyptian; and Miranda Green on the Celtic. Finally there is a most helpful glossary compiled by Rosalind Kerven. Miss Warner, whose 1994 Reith Lectures were on Managing Monsters: Six Myths of Our Time, defines myths as 'stories that inquire into everyday realities, projected on to an eternal and supernatural horizon'. Myths also 'form a deep substratum to knowledge held in common'. Of course the study of Norse mythology inspired two of the greatest writers of the last century, C. S. Lewis and J. R.R. Tolkien. Myths differ from religious faiths because 'mythologies are other peoples' faiths when those other peoples existed in the distant past'. This is the basis for the five discussions included here and these, combined with the learned introduction, allow readers to compare and contrast, to examine similarities and differences, and to see how ancient myths still affect our lives today. The illustrations, numbering 180, help make this a most attractive book. (T.E.O.)