How Has Mythology Shaped Society?

From the dawn of time, people from all countries have invented their own deities and myths. These legends were often handed down from one generation to the next, until the invention of the written word. Once the written word was invented, it was far easier for people to keep record of their deities and the many heroes that went on quests, and mythology involved into something far more interesting and personal for all societies. Gods gained their own personalities and agendas, heroes went off on epic quests, and from the mind of the authors, entire worlds were invented. Myth and legend had been tied in to life back in the days of yore, and to this day, it still plays a very important role in society.

The days of the week are in fact named after the Norse gods, each of whom had a day dedicated to them, even though there are not many people today who are aware of it. The creatures that modern society has come to love, such as dragons, werewolves, faeries and even vampires all originated from multiple legends and myths. Mythology has also played a role in politics and even some of the spoken phrases that we use. Many video games and movies owe their back stories to creatures or figures that have come straight out of ancient texts.

Religion even sprang forth from legends. People needed to believe that there was someone, some omnipotent beings, that created the world and everything within it. Therefore, the gods were born. Our modern religions all have very close similarities to the deities invented by ancient cultures. Though it has evolved in the same manner that all thoughts and dreams do, our religions all contain somewhat modern twists on ancient mythology.

We have even named our vehicles, some of our cities, planets, plants, animals and a few bodies of water after mythological creatures or deities. Pets are commonly named after mythological gods, and that trend has also began to affect how we name our children. Even some of our more commonly used words such as "satire" are simply re-spellings of words taken out of mythological texts. Some musicians include mythological references in their song lyrics or titles, and we still teach ancient religion in school. Though most people probably do not realize it, society is actually very heavily influenced by ancient society and the legends that were created and passed down for thousands of years.

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