Mythology: Folktales
By A.W.H. Adkins &
Britannica Editors
Source: Britanica
Photo Source: Unsplash,
Folktales, consisting of popular recurring themes and told for amusement, inevitably found their way into Greek myth. Such is the theme of lost persons—whether husband, wife, or child (e.g., Odysseus, Helen of Troy, or Paris of Troy)—found or recovered after long and exciting adventures. Journeys to the land of the dead were made by Orpheus (a hero who went to Hades to restore his dead wife, Eurydice, to the realm of the living), Heracles, Odysseus, and Theseus (the slayer of the Minotaur). Modern writers continue to use themes that were popular with the Greeks, including the victory of the underdog by means of cunning against impossible odds, the exploits of an individual with great powers (e.g., Heracles), or the long-delayed victory over enemies.
Other familiar themes in Greek myth include the successful countering of the machinations of cruel parents, the rescue of individuals from monsters, and temporary forgetfulness at a crucial moment. Recognition by tokens, such as peculiarities of dress or Odysseus’s scar, is another common folktale motif. The theme of the inexperienced characters exposed unawares into potentially dangerous situations and their subsequent recovery is also found in Greek myth.
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