--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mythology is the study of whatever…" description: "\"Mythology is the study of whatever religious or heroic legends are so foreign to a student's experience that he cannot believe them to be true. . . . M..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/robert-graves-2410_accounts_mythology-is-the-study-of-whatever-relig_1595179.jpg" --- # Mythology is the study of whatever religious or heroic… ![“Mythology is the study of whatever religious or heroic legends are so foreign to a student's experience that he cannot believe them to be true. . . . Myth has two main functions. The first is to answer the sort of awkward questions that children ask, such as: 'Who made the world? How will it end?…” quote by Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/robert-graves-2410_accounts_mythology-is-the-study-of-whatever-relig_1595179.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/robert-graves-2410_accounts_mythology-is-the-study-of-whatever-relig_1595179.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/robert-graves-2410_accounts_mythology-is-the-study-of-whatever-relig_1595179.jpg) > “Mythology is the study of whatever religious or heroic legends are so foreign to a student's experience that he cannot believe them to be true. . . . Myth has two main functions. The first is to answer the sort of awkward questions that children ask, such as: 'Who made the world? How will it end? Who was the first man? Where do souls go after death?'. . . . The second function of myth is to justify an existing social system and account for traditional rites and customs.” [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Myths explain existential questions and reinforce cultural norms, offering stories that answer big mysteries and legitimize social practices. **In simple terms:** Myths answer big questions and support society. Key Takeaway Use myths to explore meaning and critique traditions. Themes mythology culture existence education Mood curious reflective Type analytical educational When to use this quote - teaching philosophy - religious studies - cultural analysis - storytelling workshops - community rituals Key Concepts symbolism social function psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do myths shape your worldview? - When might a myth be challenged? A Different Perspective Myths can oversimplify complex issues and may be used to suppress dissent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [After death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-death/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Awkward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkward/) [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Function Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function-myth-5187258/) [Heroic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroic/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Legends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legends/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Myth Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-justify-6054302/) [Myth Main](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-main-6054303/) [Mythology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythology/) [Mythology Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythology-study-1122754/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Rite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rite/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-systems/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Traditional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditional/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Psychology is ultimately mythology, the study of the stories of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/psychology-is-ultimately-mythology-the-study-of-the-stories-of-the/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Thus we hope to teach mythology not as a study, but as a relaxation from study; to give our work the charm of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bulfinch/thus-we-hope-to-teach-mythology-not-as-a-study-but-as-a-relaxation/) [Thomas Bulfinch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bulfinch/) > [“the deepest function of myth, which is to lend narrative order to apparently disconnected bits of information,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/the-deepest-function-of-myth-which-is-to-lend-narrative-order-to/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) > [“Myth basically serves four functions. The first is the mystical function,... realizing what a wonder the universe is, and what a wonder you are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/myth-basically-serves-four-functions-the-first-is-the-mystical/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Constructing a social system that tends to those who agree with it is a piece of cake compared to constructing one that makes those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/constructing-a-social-system-that-tends-to-those-who-agree-with-it-is/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Socialism is a fundamentally different social system where the world's resources are not controlled by a greedy, undemocratic oligarchy. This is not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshama-sawant/socialism-is-a-fundamentally-different-social-system-where-the-world/) [Kshama Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshama-sawant/) > [This war is not as in the past; whoever occupies a territory also imposes on it his own social system. Everyone imposes his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/this-war-is-not-as-in-the-past-whoever-occupies-a-territory-also-2/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [This war is not as in the past: whoever occupies a territory also imposes his own social system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/this-war-is-not-as-in-the-past-whoever-occupies-a-territory-also/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Education must be a great equaliser in our society. It must be the tool to level the differences that our various social systems have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-gandhi/education-must-be-a-great-equaliser-in-our-society-it-must-be-the/) [Rajiv Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-gandhi/) > [I believe there are huge numbers of people in this country who would be willing to have radical changes in our economic and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/i-believe-there-are-huge-numbers-of-people-in-this-country-who-would/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The American system demands success, and in order to succeed we must first believe that we can. Yet our society, with its intolerance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/the-american-system-demands-success-and-in-order-to-succeed-we-must/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [“As things stand the "intellectuals" only come out to lick the bones left over by the tyrant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilantha-ilangamuwa/as-things-stand-the-intellectuals-only-come-out-to-lick-the-bones/) [Nilantha Ilangamuwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilantha-ilangamuwa/) > [In all social systems there must be a class to do the menial duties, to perform the drudgery of life. That is, a class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-henry-hammond/in-all-social-systems-there-must-be-a-class-to-do-the-menial-duties/) [James Henry Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-henry-hammond/) > [Only art is capable of dismantling the repressive effects of a senile social system that continues to totter along the deathline: to dismantle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-beuys/only-art-is-capable-of-dismantling-the-repressive-effects-of-a-senile/) [Joseph Beuys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-beuys/) > [I think that consumerism is intrinsically a pretty flawed social system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elkington/i-think-that-consumerism-is-intrinsically-a-pretty-flawed-social/) [John Elkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elkington/) ## More by Robert Graves > [The poet's first rule must be never to bore his readers; and his best way of keeping this rule is never to bore himself-which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/the-poet-s-first-rule-must-be-never-to-bore-his-readers-and-his-best/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [She told me that all the girls in Annezin prayed every night for the war to end and for the English to go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/she-told-me-that-all-the-girls-in-annezin-prayed-every-night-for-the/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“As quick as boiled asparagus!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/as-quick-as-boiled-asparagus/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“Children born of fairy stock Never need for shirt or frock Never want for food or fire Always get their heart's desire Jingle pockets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/children-born-of-fairy-stock-never-need-for-shirt-or-frock-never-want/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [To know only one thing well is to have a barbaric mind: civilization implies the graceful relation of all varieties of experience to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/to-know-only-one-thing-well-is-to-have-a-barbaric-mind-civilization/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Before an attack, the platoon pools all its available cash and the survivors divide it up afterwards. Those who are killed can't complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/before-an-attack-the-platoon-pools-all-its-available-cash-and-the/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“To resist the social pressure now put even on one's leisure time, requires a tougher upbringing and a more obstinate willfulness about going one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/to-resist-the-social-pressure-now-put-even-on-one-s-leisure-time/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“The child alone a poet is: Spring and Fairyland are his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/the-child-alone-a-poet-is-spring-and-fairyland-are-his/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [The art of poetry consists in taking the poem through draft after draft, without losing its inspirational magic: he removes everything irrelevant or distracting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/the-art-of-poetry-consists-in-taking-the-poem-through-draft-after/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Entrance and exit wounds aresilvered clean, The track aches only when the rain reminds. The one-legged man forgets his leg of wood. The one-armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/entrance-and-exit-wounds-aresilvered-clean-the-track-aches-only-when/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [What we now call "finance" is, I hold, an intellectual perversion of what began as warm human love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/what-we-now-call-finance-is-i-hold-an-intellectual-perversion-of-what/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“Manticor in Arabia (The manticors of the montaines Mighte feed them on thy braines.--Skelton.) Thick and scented daisies spread Where with surface dull like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/manticor-in-arabia-the-manticors-of-the-montaines-mighte-feed-them-on/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [As you are woman, so be lovely: As you are lovely, so be various, Merciful as constant, constant as various, So be mine, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/as-you-are-woman-so-be-lovely-as-you-are-lovely-so-be-various/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Philosophy is antipoetic. Philosophize about mankind and you brush aside individual uniqueness, which a poet cannot do without self-damage. Unless, for a start, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/philosophy-is-antipoetic-philosophize-about-mankind-and-you-brush/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [Abstract reason, formerly the servant of practical human reasons, has everywhere become its master, and denies poetry any excuse for existence. Though philosophers like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/abstract-reason-formerly-the-servant-of-practical-human-reasons-has/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) [Explore all 166 Robert Graves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) ## More Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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