Introduction

‘Myth, Symbol and Literature’.

What a MASSIVE topic.

I mean, when you look at anything that’s considered ‘creative’, there’s a very strong likelihood that there’s some kind of mythological influence. Or symbolism. Or Easter egg of some kind.

A smart person would get overwhelmed and simply point me in the direction of Joseph Campbell’s vast collection of writing, or tell me to just reread ‘The Odyssey’ with a good set of university notes beside me so I get all the references.

Of course, I’m not necessarily the sharpest knife in the drawer, as they say, but I’m very curious and I do love my research.

So, please join me on this quest to explore the world of myth and its influence on the world of writing.

Plan? What Plan?

I’m just starting out with this, so I don’t really have a plan. However, my goal is to create a long-running series about the world of mythology and the influence it has on pretty much any form of literature that humans have had the audacity to create.

Some sources or points of focus might be an ancient classic like ‘The Odyssey’. I might take a stab at deconstructing the lyrics for a popular song or collection of songs.

Comic books offer up an endless source of inspiration, so I’ll dive into various ‘universes’ and try to understand them a little better. Ideally without repeating too much of what’s already been said about the subjects.

Major corporate brands use different symbols and colours, so perhaps they’ll be scrutinized one day. I might even put on my marketing hat for these pieces.

TV shows, poetry, writing, movies and many other forms of media might fall under my gaze as I try to explore the depths to which mythology touches us every day.

I honestly don’t know where this effort will take me, but I know I’ll have fun taking a look at these stories and legends and how they shape our lives.

I have some ideas about where to start, but I’d love to hear from you. Please email me or comment below for topics you want to discuss.

I look forward to sharing what I find and starting this journey (and yes, that’s a reference to Joseph Campbell and his Hero’s Journey).