Legends

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the heroes in various myths and legends, like the story of Noah and the flood, the Welsh legend of Cardigan Bay, and "The Fate of the Children of Lir". The paper notes that these legends exhibit important characteristics of the cultures to which they belonged and usually show the characters as outstanding beings, endowed with supernatural or magical powers. The paper further comments that the stories, as well as the characters, embody the principal beliefs of a certain people. Therefore, the mythical characters are, depending on their positive or negative role, either the embodiment of the main virtues and aspirations of a certain culture or the opposite. The paper then discusses and compares various mythical and legendary characters.

"Noah and the Flood''
"Welsh legend of Cardigan Bay"
"The Fate of the Children of Lir"

From the Paper:

"The main attributes of Noah from the flood legend and those of Gwyn from one of the best known Welsh legends are constructed very differently. Interestingly, both of the myths are concerned with the idea of a flood and the way in which a whole country or the entire population of the earth (as in Noah's flood) disappear under the waters. Thus, the story of the flood is central for Christian religion as it incorporates many important symbols. The story relates how God destroyed the whole of the human race as a punishment for its evil nature and its impurity. Noah is the only man that God singles out from all the people as a righteous man who deserved to begin the human race again: "That righteous man art, as I see / A ship soon thou shalt make thee..."(Noah's Flood) Therefore, not only is Noah an outstanding character, but also his entire family and his ancestors have been pure and godly. ".

Sample of Sources Used:

• Everyman and Other Miracle and Morality Plays.
• The Fate of the Children of Lir. http://mockingbird.creighton.edu/english/micsun/IrishResources/childlir.htm
• The Welsh Legend. www.interlink.org.nz/projects/myth/mythglan.html

More papers on Legends:

• Book Review # 131512 : "The Assassin Legends" - A Review"
• Essay # 34004 : "Urban Legends"
• Analytical Essay # 8420 : "The Role of Women in the Arthurian Legends"
• Narrative Essay # 65123 : "Urban Legends"

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