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The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist
Not just the stories, but what they mean.
What is myth, and why does it have such a hold on the human mind? How does myth relate to near forms such as legend and fairy tale, and to other modes of understanding such as religion and science? What is a hero, what is a monster, and what function does magic serve? How has our relationship with myth and mythology changed over the centuries? And are there any modern myths?
These are a few of the fascinating questions that psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton explores in the first part of this book. In the second part, he puts theory into practice to unravel 12 of the most captivating Greek myths, including Echo and Narcissus, Eros and Psyche, and Prometheus and Pandora.
These myths have been haunting us for millennia, but are they really, as has been claimed, the repositories of deep wisdom and mystical secrets?
What is myth, and why does it have such a hold on the human mind? How does myth relate to near forms such as legend and fairy tale, and to other modes of understanding such as religion and science? What is a hero, what is a monster, and what function does magic serve? How has our relationship with myth and mythology changed over the centuries? And are there any modern myths?
These are a few of the fascinating questions that psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton explores in the first part of this book. In the second part, he puts theory into practice to unravel 12 of the most captivating Greek myths, including Echo and Narcissus, Eros and Psyche, and Prometheus and Pandora.
These myths have been haunting us for millennia, but are they really, as has been claimed, the repositories of deep wisdom and mystical secrets?
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2021
About the author
Neel Burton
48 books242 followersDr Neel Burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the winner of several book prizes including, the feather in his cap, a Best in the World Gourmand Award. His work features regularly in the likes of Aeon and Psychology Today and has been translated into several languages. When he is not reading or writing, or imbibing, he enjoys cooking, gardening, skiing, learning languages, visiting museums and gardens, and travelling, especially to wine regions.
His books include:
- The Meaning of Myth (Ancient Wisdom 1)
- Stoic Stories (Ancient Wisdom 2)
- The Meaning of Madness (Ataraxia 1)
- Hide and Seek: The Psychology of Self-Deception (Ataraxia 2)
- Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions (Ataraxia 3)
- For Better for Worse: Essays on Sex, Love, Marriage, and More (Ataraxia 4)
- Hypersanity: Thinking Beyond Thinking (Ataraxia 5)
- The Art of Failure: The Anti Self-Help Guide (Ataraxia 6)
- Growing from Depression
- The Secret to Everything: How to Live More and Suffer Less, and
- The Concise Guide to Wine and Blind Tasting
www.neelburton.com
His books include:
- The Meaning of Myth (Ancient Wisdom 1)
- Stoic Stories (Ancient Wisdom 2)
- The Meaning of Madness (Ataraxia 1)
- Hide and Seek: The Psychology of Self-Deception (Ataraxia 2)
- Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions (Ataraxia 3)
- For Better for Worse: Essays on Sex, Love, Marriage, and More (Ataraxia 4)
- Hypersanity: Thinking Beyond Thinking (Ataraxia 5)
- The Art of Failure: The Anti Self-Help Guide (Ataraxia 6)
- Growing from Depression
- The Secret to Everything: How to Live More and Suffer Less, and
- The Concise Guide to Wine and Blind Tasting
www.neelburton.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 5, 2021
To live without myth is to live in an untenable state of cold and objective detachment, a perpetual present devoid of feeling and belonging. Plato defined man as “a being in search of meaning”, and our modern uprootedness, or anomie, may underlie our other, much quieter, pandemic: that of mental illness.
Dr Neel Burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and reading The Meaning of Myth felt precisely like attending a general interest seminar led by such an interestingly polymathic professor. Burton begins by explaining the differences between myths, fables, and legends, goes on to explain the important roles that a culture’s enduring myths play (and how they complement religion and science), and then recounts and dissects twelve of the myths from Ancient Greece that would be at least passingly familiar to a Western reader. I highlighted passages in every chapter, found the whole thing fascinating and accessible, and I would recommend this as a general interest read to anyone. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
Clearly, people in ancient times would not have been as detached from myth as we are today — or think we are, since, in general, we are as blind to our own paradigms as fish to water.
I would be reprinting the entire book here if I tried to share everything that I found so engaging, so I’ll just quote Dr. Burton as a philosopher of modern times:
The myth of Perseus and Medusa is extraordinarily misogynistic in its portrayal not only of Medusa but also of Danaë, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia. Like Medusa, Danaë and Andromeda are victims of abuse made to suffer for the crimes of others. Andromeda suffers for the vanity of her mother Cassiopeia, who measures her worth by her beauty. The treatment of Medusa by the Olympian gods is an epitome of rape culture: assaulted by Poseidon, who thought he had every right, and then blamed and punished for it by Athena in a case of one woman turning upon another to get in with the patriarchy. In fact, Athena and Medusa are not so different. Both represent a pole or extreme of how to deal with the threat of female autonomy, authority, and sexuality. A woman can be either a virgin or a mother, and if she is neither, she must be a whore or a monster. The myth may be three thousand years old, but the attitudes it portrays or betrays are still entrenched: during the 2016 US presidential campaign, Hilary Clinton, like many a “nasty woman”, was compared to Medusa, and her rival Donald Trump to an improbable Perseus.
And as a psychiatrist:
In some cases, a hero’s hamartia can be subtle or complex or even external and no fault of his own — as arguably with Oedipus. When Tiresias reveals his hamartia to him, that he himself is his father’s murderer, Oedipus flies into a rage, which is a common reaction to hearing the truth about oneself and why psychotherapy can take so long.
And, finally, as an oenophile (which I found pretty charming; he employs every opportunity to tie in his love of wine):
If Prometheus gave us fire, Dionysus gave us wine, the inner fire which loosens the mind and dissolves the ego along with all of its problems. Wine brings us together, helps us be together, and be inventive together, as in the Greek symposia and Roman convivia, in which measured drinking could lead to expansive elation and creative conversation and the voicing of disruptive ideas and perspectives. It can be no coincidence that, on all four sides, in all four corners, the borders of the Roman Empire stopped where wine could no longer be made. Life without wine would be a pale shadow of itself, and it is in honour of his gift that I included a chapter on Dionysus in this work.
I learned quite a bit from this short book and would recommend it highly.
July 22, 2021
Great book, finally I understood the difference between myths, legends, fables, and fairy tales. I prefer fables and i am trying to teach my children the stories close to reality.
Thank you NetGalley for this interesting book.
Thank you NetGalley for this interesting book.
June 1, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review - thank you so much!
I love myths, retellings, and interpreting/analyzing well-known stories. Therefore it comes as no surprise that I absolutely adored this book.
It is separated into two parts. Part 1 explains the differences between myths, fables, and legends. I loved that he interspersed the academic definitions with stories and anecdotes, which made for a fun and engaging reading experience.
I highlighted so many things on my Kindle to come back to later. I think the author's great explanations helped me understand the differences between the types of stories and set the scene for the later retellings and psychological interpretations of some myths in part 2 of the book.
I enjoyed the second part of the book a lot. The myths themselves are (obviously) classics and great, and Neel Burton does a great job retelling them. The interpretations of each myth were fascinating. I loved looking at these beloved stories from a different viewpoint, see things that I had never noticed before, and overall get a better and deeper understanding of the actual meaning hidden behind the story.
I'm definitely tempted to delve deeper into the topic now, and I'm glad that I got the chance to read this book.
I love myths, retellings, and interpreting/analyzing well-known stories. Therefore it comes as no surprise that I absolutely adored this book.
It is separated into two parts. Part 1 explains the differences between myths, fables, and legends. I loved that he interspersed the academic definitions with stories and anecdotes, which made for a fun and engaging reading experience.
I highlighted so many things on my Kindle to come back to later. I think the author's great explanations helped me understand the differences between the types of stories and set the scene for the later retellings and psychological interpretations of some myths in part 2 of the book.
I enjoyed the second part of the book a lot. The myths themselves are (obviously) classics and great, and Neel Burton does a great job retelling them. The interpretations of each myth were fascinating. I loved looking at these beloved stories from a different viewpoint, see things that I had never noticed before, and overall get a better and deeper understanding of the actual meaning hidden behind the story.
I'm definitely tempted to delve deeper into the topic now, and I'm glad that I got the chance to read this book.
June 1, 2021
The piece is split into two categories - the first half encompassing “The Meaning of Myth”, which covers comparisons between myths and other forms of storytelling (fairy tales, legends, fables, etc.), as well as discussions on the intersection of myth with religion, science, and the modern world. There’s also some analysis of different generalized characters within myths - monsters and heroes, for example. The second half includes the 12 “decoded” myths, of which each chapter includes a small summary of the myth, followed by Burton’s analysis.
First, the positive - the author obviously loves mythology, and is super enthusiastic about his subject matter. That’s always cool to see. The cover is also cool, I also liked all the pictures incorporated into each chapter.
However, I had a lot of issues.
- Firstly, each chapter in the first portion is so short, and therefore there’s not actually a lot of real content. I felt like it skimmed the surface a lot. This actually reminded me of a primer or textbook-like handout you might read in a high school English class when covering a mythology module. I did find the “Monsters”, “Misogyny” and “Myths in the Modern World” sections interesting, but those are topics I knew I was already interested in. Readers should go to Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths or Not All Dead White Men: Classics and Misogyny in the Digital Age instead for deep dives into these subjects. I suppose the first half could be interesting if you weren’t very familiar with mythology.
- The second section consists of myth retellings followed by analysis. I struggle trying to figure out who these retellings would be best for - I found them too short/uninspiring for first-time myth readers, and too familiar for anybody that’s into Greek mythology. The myths include Prometheus, Orpheus, Perseus vs. Medusa, Theseus vs. Minotaur, etc. These have been told and retold many times, and therefore I was bored reading the retellings. Perhaps this would have worked better with new, unfamiliar myths. For classic retellings, I’d go to D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths or any of Stephen Fry’s new retellings (those are great in audiobook format).
- As for the analysis of the myths, I felt they were super psychoanalytic, but from a very modern and contemporary perspective. For example, in the Perseus/Medusa chapter, the author says “If we want to see the truth, we must close our eyes to the world and look inside our self”. This is so fluffy. What does that even mean? He also claims that Medusa represents truth because it is hard to look truth in the face (since Medusa’s gaze turns people to stone). I mean…. okay… but is this what people hearing the myths in the past thought? What’s the actual psychology behind this? I was really unimpressed. The analysis was also confusing and jarring at times. For example, in the Echo/Narcissus chapter, the author talks about how the myth is a warning against vanity and self-love (I mean, duh, his name is Narcissus), and being trapped in the self. The final two sentences of the chapter are copied here: “In Greek myth, the hero has to die and travel through the underworld before re-emerging as a hero. He has to conquer himself, to die to himself, to become more than merely human. For nothing is harder than to come back from hell.” What is this about? Narcissus is never portrayed as a hero - the author doesn’t even mention that word anywhere else in this chapter. Narcissus also doesn’t go to the afterlife or underworld. Nothing about hell is mentioned anywhere in the chapter before this line! It’s so confusing, and this was only one of many examples where I felt sentences were dropped haphazardly.
- The author inserts himself into the book a lot - there are too many “I” statements for my preference. I typically like author involvement in investigative nonfiction, but it felt out of place here. He also references his own books too much… in at least five different instances.
While I love mythology, I cannot recommend this book.
I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and BooksGoSocial in exchange for an honest review!
First, the positive - the author obviously loves mythology, and is super enthusiastic about his subject matter. That’s always cool to see. The cover is also cool, I also liked all the pictures incorporated into each chapter.
However, I had a lot of issues.
- Firstly, each chapter in the first portion is so short, and therefore there’s not actually a lot of real content. I felt like it skimmed the surface a lot. This actually reminded me of a primer or textbook-like handout you might read in a high school English class when covering a mythology module. I did find the “Monsters”, “Misogyny” and “Myths in the Modern World” sections interesting, but those are topics I knew I was already interested in. Readers should go to Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths or Not All Dead White Men: Classics and Misogyny in the Digital Age instead for deep dives into these subjects. I suppose the first half could be interesting if you weren’t very familiar with mythology.
- The second section consists of myth retellings followed by analysis. I struggle trying to figure out who these retellings would be best for - I found them too short/uninspiring for first-time myth readers, and too familiar for anybody that’s into Greek mythology. The myths include Prometheus, Orpheus, Perseus vs. Medusa, Theseus vs. Minotaur, etc. These have been told and retold many times, and therefore I was bored reading the retellings. Perhaps this would have worked better with new, unfamiliar myths. For classic retellings, I’d go to D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths or any of Stephen Fry’s new retellings (those are great in audiobook format).
- As for the analysis of the myths, I felt they were super psychoanalytic, but from a very modern and contemporary perspective. For example, in the Perseus/Medusa chapter, the author says “If we want to see the truth, we must close our eyes to the world and look inside our self”. This is so fluffy. What does that even mean? He also claims that Medusa represents truth because it is hard to look truth in the face (since Medusa’s gaze turns people to stone). I mean…. okay… but is this what people hearing the myths in the past thought? What’s the actual psychology behind this? I was really unimpressed. The analysis was also confusing and jarring at times. For example, in the Echo/Narcissus chapter, the author talks about how the myth is a warning against vanity and self-love (I mean, duh, his name is Narcissus), and being trapped in the self. The final two sentences of the chapter are copied here: “In Greek myth, the hero has to die and travel through the underworld before re-emerging as a hero. He has to conquer himself, to die to himself, to become more than merely human. For nothing is harder than to come back from hell.” What is this about? Narcissus is never portrayed as a hero - the author doesn’t even mention that word anywhere else in this chapter. Narcissus also doesn’t go to the afterlife or underworld. Nothing about hell is mentioned anywhere in the chapter before this line! It’s so confusing, and this was only one of many examples where I felt sentences were dropped haphazardly.
- The author inserts himself into the book a lot - there are too many “I” statements for my preference. I typically like author involvement in investigative nonfiction, but it felt out of place here. He also references his own books too much… in at least five different instances.
While I love mythology, I cannot recommend this book.
I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and BooksGoSocial in exchange for an honest review!
June 2, 2021
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for providing me with an eARC of “The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist” by Neel Burton for me to read and provide an honest review!
This book provides a unique take on several (mostly Greek) myths and their meanings. I was a bit lost in the beginning when the focus was on philosophers but I can mostly narrow that down to my own reader error as it was full of topics I am not very educated on. That being said I can now say I am a bit more educated on them now after reading this book, at least when it comes to the myths. I think my favorite chapter in this book was the section on Monsters. Burton provides lots of insight from his own knowledge as a psychiatrist and also from many other sources such as Plato and Socrates, among many others. I particularly found the entire “Myths Decoded” section very interesting and I learned a great deal. Plato’s “Myth of Er” was something I had never encountered, and I really enjoyed learning about it.
This book provides a unique take on several (mostly Greek) myths and their meanings. I was a bit lost in the beginning when the focus was on philosophers but I can mostly narrow that down to my own reader error as it was full of topics I am not very educated on. That being said I can now say I am a bit more educated on them now after reading this book, at least when it comes to the myths. I think my favorite chapter in this book was the section on Monsters. Burton provides lots of insight from his own knowledge as a psychiatrist and also from many other sources such as Plato and Socrates, among many others. I particularly found the entire “Myths Decoded” section very interesting and I learned a great deal. Plato’s “Myth of Er” was something I had never encountered, and I really enjoyed learning about it.
February 20, 2024
Ok, 3.5 stars. I was looking for a book that would provide some in-depth meaning behind some of the classic Greek myths. I had read a previous book by Burton and enjoyed it. Part I of The Meaning of Myth gives a nice overview of what myths are, how myth fits with other genres of ancient literature, and some common themes found in mythology. Part I provided an excellent overview of how to understand myths. Part II featured 12 myths from Greek mythology and offered a psychological interpretation of each one. After a brief overview of each myth, an even more brief interpretation was offered. I was honestly looking for more depth on the interpretive element of each chapter. But the book as a whole was a nice introduction to Greek mythology and how to begin understanding the stories.
August 2, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book does exactly what it says it does, it looks deeper into what a myth is as well as the psychological analysis of some myths. The beginning of this is a big jarring as it includes many mini chapters dissecting a myth and all of the themes it could entail. By the time we get to the actual deep diving of particular myths I was ready to learn new myths and what they could teach us. However, all the myths are ones we have seen beaten to death and retold by Hollywood. I wish there would have been lesser known myths so that the authors insights could have felt genuine and his own.
Overall, you get what you pay for with this book, and it just wasn't worth it for me. If you're into Greek myths that you've heard over and over but unwrapped to the point of boredom this one is for you. However I truly wish this would have just been lesser known myths or even just the first part of the book that would then reference numerous myths.
This book does exactly what it says it does, it looks deeper into what a myth is as well as the psychological analysis of some myths. The beginning of this is a big jarring as it includes many mini chapters dissecting a myth and all of the themes it could entail. By the time we get to the actual deep diving of particular myths I was ready to learn new myths and what they could teach us. However, all the myths are ones we have seen beaten to death and retold by Hollywood. I wish there would have been lesser known myths so that the authors insights could have felt genuine and his own.
Overall, you get what you pay for with this book, and it just wasn't worth it for me. If you're into Greek myths that you've heard over and over but unwrapped to the point of boredom this one is for you. However I truly wish this would have just been lesser known myths or even just the first part of the book that would then reference numerous myths.
May 20, 2021
I was really interested in reading a psychiatrist's interpretation of the Greek Myths, but this book just didn't deliver.
The chapters felt disjointed, there was no real in-depth reading of the myths and the author was somewhat condescending in several chapters regarding ancient cultures.
The chapters felt disjointed, there was no real in-depth reading of the myths and the author was somewhat condescending in several chapters regarding ancient cultures.
June 13, 2021
This was a really fun and engaging read from start to finish. For those interested in mythology and in psychology, this book is broken down into two sections:
1. The meaning of myth
2. Myths decoded.
In part 1, Burton spends a good chunk of time breaking down the idea and concept of mythology and it’s importance in the classical world. This is hugely important for people who (no shade) rely on Percy Jackson to understand mythology. This will provide a good primer-level background for life, definitions, and key roles for myth in the golden age of Greece. A reader will need all of this to beat understand part two.
In part 1, I particularly loved his chapter 8 on Magic and the tropes in our lore. He writes, “Magic is fading or has been banished from the land, which is in deathly decline—caught, perhaps, in a perpetual winter—and the hero is called upon to rescue and restore the life-giving forces of old. There is, of course, a glaring parallel with our own world, in which magic has been slowly driven out, first by religion, which over the centuries became increasingly repressive of magic, and more latterly by science, which, for all its advantages, struggles to meet our emotional needs.” In each chapter, he explains elements or themes of importance, and explains how they are still relevant thousands of years later. He also provides images to solidify his claims, which I enjoyed greatly.
In part 2, he takes some of the most famous myths (Medusa, Theseus, Odysseus, Pygmalion) and first retells them from the original sources and then begins to analyze them. For some, this may seem redundant as these myths are quite popular but for me (a life long reader of myth), I quite enjoyed the retelling. I don’t think a book like this could get away without the retelling aspect.
Each chapter is set up with a detailed retellings from as far back a source as possible, Plato’s Republic, Ovid even. And then, Burton provides an image inspired my the myth (sculpture, painting, etc), and then his analysis begins. Much of it is grounded in historical context from Greco-Roman society, and then he branches into a more modern take— why we still read them today and how they’re still archetypes for people, relationships, case studies, etc.
Not once did I feel like this nonfiction text was over my head, using jargon I didn’t understand or couldn’t comprehend. I enjoyed this reading from start to finish.
I received this copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
1. The meaning of myth
2. Myths decoded.
In part 1, Burton spends a good chunk of time breaking down the idea and concept of mythology and it’s importance in the classical world. This is hugely important for people who (no shade) rely on Percy Jackson to understand mythology. This will provide a good primer-level background for life, definitions, and key roles for myth in the golden age of Greece. A reader will need all of this to beat understand part two.
In part 1, I particularly loved his chapter 8 on Magic and the tropes in our lore. He writes, “Magic is fading or has been banished from the land, which is in deathly decline—caught, perhaps, in a perpetual winter—and the hero is called upon to rescue and restore the life-giving forces of old. There is, of course, a glaring parallel with our own world, in which magic has been slowly driven out, first by religion, which over the centuries became increasingly repressive of magic, and more latterly by science, which, for all its advantages, struggles to meet our emotional needs.” In each chapter, he explains elements or themes of importance, and explains how they are still relevant thousands of years later. He also provides images to solidify his claims, which I enjoyed greatly.
In part 2, he takes some of the most famous myths (Medusa, Theseus, Odysseus, Pygmalion) and first retells them from the original sources and then begins to analyze them. For some, this may seem redundant as these myths are quite popular but for me (a life long reader of myth), I quite enjoyed the retelling. I don’t think a book like this could get away without the retelling aspect.
Each chapter is set up with a detailed retellings from as far back a source as possible, Plato’s Republic, Ovid even. And then, Burton provides an image inspired my the myth (sculpture, painting, etc), and then his analysis begins. Much of it is grounded in historical context from Greco-Roman society, and then he branches into a more modern take— why we still read them today and how they’re still archetypes for people, relationships, case studies, etc.
Not once did I feel like this nonfiction text was over my head, using jargon I didn’t understand or couldn’t comprehend. I enjoyed this reading from start to finish.
I received this copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
June 1, 2021
The Meaning of Myth by Neel Burton is an innovative and unique perspective on the most common myths of Greek Mythology. The author is a psychiatrist by trade, so he offers his perspective on some of the most famous stories from his area of expertise. The first part of the book breaks down the meaning of myths (i.e. the literal definition, what they mean symbolically, their relation to religion). The second part breaks down twelve stories from Greek history. My favorite myth covered in this book is that of Theseus and the Minotaur.
The author has undoubtedly put in the work to create this book. It seems well-edited and succinct. All the explanations presented are very detailed and show signs of many hours of research. The Meaning of Myth had the potential to have a higher rating, but I lowered the score because there were times that it felt more like a college lecture than a fun engaging read. I wanted it to be informative and fun the whole way through. Burton does present the material in such a way it feels accessible and not “dumbed down”, but there are still moments where it feels like a professor presenting material instead of a storyteller weaving a picture.
If you want to learn more about the content of the stories, this is not the book to choose. If you want to learn more about the history surrounding the stories as well as the archetypes and psychology involved with each myth, then this might be a good choice. I wish he had gone into some of the lesser-known stories (i.e. I would love to see an analysis of the story of Athena and Arachne, with some references to arachnophobia if possible). Analysis into the stories of other cultures would be cool too.
The author has undoubtedly put in the work to create this book. It seems well-edited and succinct. All the explanations presented are very detailed and show signs of many hours of research. The Meaning of Myth had the potential to have a higher rating, but I lowered the score because there were times that it felt more like a college lecture than a fun engaging read. I wanted it to be informative and fun the whole way through. Burton does present the material in such a way it feels accessible and not “dumbed down”, but there are still moments where it feels like a professor presenting material instead of a storyteller weaving a picture.
If you want to learn more about the content of the stories, this is not the book to choose. If you want to learn more about the history surrounding the stories as well as the archetypes and psychology involved with each myth, then this might be a good choice. I wish he had gone into some of the lesser-known stories (i.e. I would love to see an analysis of the story of Athena and Arachne, with some references to arachnophobia if possible). Analysis into the stories of other cultures would be cool too.
March 27, 2024
The book has two sections: the first one gives an introduction to myths, fables, and fairy tales. The second part retells 12 Greek myths with some commentary from the author. Burton calls it interpretation, but they highly pass as such.
The "interpretations" are simplistic and don't add much to the myths. Burton seems to be obsessed with the notion that Greek mythology is filled with misogyny. I understand that this aligns with current narratives and helps him sell more copies, but I wish Burton had a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
For example, he calls the existance of a vengeful goddess a sign of misogyny, despite male gods often displaying the same behavior, like Zeus with Prometheus, or Poseidon with King Minos. He overlooks the powerful and influential roles that female characters play in Greek mythology. Athena, my favourite deity and a key figure in nearly all major events, is one example. The quest for the Golden Fleece would have failed without Medea, and Theseus wouldn't have escaped the Labyrinth without Ariadne's help.
Burton frequently mentions Hera, a vengeful goddess, to back his hypothesis, but fails to mention that her actions stem from being married to Zeus, who is essentially a playboy. If Hera had been equally promiscuous, Zeus' reaction would likely have been the same, if not worse, given his temper.
To me it seems like Burton had probably read a few articles on Greek mythology and then decided to write a book without proper and in-depth research.
The "interpretations" are simplistic and don't add much to the myths. Burton seems to be obsessed with the notion that Greek mythology is filled with misogyny. I understand that this aligns with current narratives and helps him sell more copies, but I wish Burton had a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
For example, he calls the existance of a vengeful goddess a sign of misogyny, despite male gods often displaying the same behavior, like Zeus with Prometheus, or Poseidon with King Minos. He overlooks the powerful and influential roles that female characters play in Greek mythology. Athena, my favourite deity and a key figure in nearly all major events, is one example. The quest for the Golden Fleece would have failed without Medea, and Theseus wouldn't have escaped the Labyrinth without Ariadne's help.
Burton frequently mentions Hera, a vengeful goddess, to back his hypothesis, but fails to mention that her actions stem from being married to Zeus, who is essentially a playboy. If Hera had been equally promiscuous, Zeus' reaction would likely have been the same, if not worse, given his temper.
To me it seems like Burton had probably read a few articles on Greek mythology and then decided to write a book without proper and in-depth research.
August 11, 2021
A nice but surface discussion of the denotative meaning of "myth" and interpretations of 12 stories
The premise of a psychologist plumbing the depths of Western society's bedrock stories to decode the symbolism of our culture is compelling. This book delivers on the premise, but with a bit less depth than I'd hoped.
The first part of the book is not devoted to analysis, but to definition of terms. What distinguishes a myth from a legend or folktale? What are fables and allegories? What qualifies as a monster? A hero? It's a good discussion for those who like precision in their story taxonomy (and I do), but it's likely not the sense of the "meaning of myth" that we came for, and it takes up half the book.
The second half is the analysis of 12 myths, and it is interesting, though if you've done some reading of Freud and Jung, you'll not be surprised by the interpretations. I'd hoped for some newer interpretive frameworks, but perhaps there aren't any?
The writing is clear and accessible, though there are some quirks. There are repeated passages (e.g. with Pandora) that seem to be copied and pasted multiple times, as if the chapters were freestanding essays. In the ebook, there are a lot of hyperlinks to the author's other books (and a section about them at the end). There are odd anecdotes about the author's wine trips which don't necessarily serve the context in which they're inserted. But hey, it's wine.
The premise of a psychologist plumbing the depths of Western society's bedrock stories to decode the symbolism of our culture is compelling. This book delivers on the premise, but with a bit less depth than I'd hoped.
The first part of the book is not devoted to analysis, but to definition of terms. What distinguishes a myth from a legend or folktale? What are fables and allegories? What qualifies as a monster? A hero? It's a good discussion for those who like precision in their story taxonomy (and I do), but it's likely not the sense of the "meaning of myth" that we came for, and it takes up half the book.
The second half is the analysis of 12 myths, and it is interesting, though if you've done some reading of Freud and Jung, you'll not be surprised by the interpretations. I'd hoped for some newer interpretive frameworks, but perhaps there aren't any?
The writing is clear and accessible, though there are some quirks. There are repeated passages (e.g. with Pandora) that seem to be copied and pasted multiple times, as if the chapters were freestanding essays. In the ebook, there are a lot of hyperlinks to the author's other books (and a section about them at the end). There are odd anecdotes about the author's wine trips which don't necessarily serve the context in which they're inserted. But hey, it's wine.
August 10, 2021
So how does a myth differ from a legend or a fable or even a fairy tale? What are the origins of myths? Do myths share a common structure across many cultures around the world? Yes, they do. How did political and sociological events affect the synthesis of myths? Neel Burton's book assembles some of these questions and brings history, philosophy, literature, theology, and psychology to grapple with the essence of myths. Learn Spinoza's views about myths in this book. Or Feyerabend's critique about science which makes for a good page stopper. Has science led to the demise of myths?
The first part of this book is very interesting. The chapters are not only devoted to the history of myths but discuss a range of elements in mythology like characters such as heroes and monsters, the use of metaphors, and the presence of misogyny. Readers interested in the last topic can refer to my review of Antigone Rising by Helen Morales. A brilliant book that can be read with this particular one.
The second part of the book summarises well-known myths with specific historical nuggets, modern interpretation, and psychological maps of the characters in those myths.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is one of the books in the ataraxia series.
The first part of this book is very interesting. The chapters are not only devoted to the history of myths but discuss a range of elements in mythology like characters such as heroes and monsters, the use of metaphors, and the presence of misogyny. Readers interested in the last topic can refer to my review of Antigone Rising by Helen Morales. A brilliant book that can be read with this particular one.
The second part of the book summarises well-known myths with specific historical nuggets, modern interpretation, and psychological maps of the characters in those myths.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is one of the books in the ataraxia series.
May 9, 2021
Received an advance review copy in return for an honest review.
The book is split into two halves. The first explores the significance of myth (both in modern and ancient times). The fluidity of writing is outstanding as Neel switches nimbly between definitions, historic examples and carefully chosen quotes which each illustrate the origin and role of myth in human societies.
The second half of the book is a critical analysis of 12 Greek myths through varying lenses. My personal favourite was Theseus and the Minotaur the philosophy of labyrinth ; how traversing one represents a descent into the deepest parts of the self, and a re-emergence,completeness.
"To walk the labyrinth is to re-enter the womb and travel inward,
and to come back out is a kind of rebirth."
A minor quibble I had with this part however was that some chapters went into too much detail with the retelling of a myth.
Overall a great read - planned to read over several days but devoured it over one evening...
The book is split into two halves. The first explores the significance of myth (both in modern and ancient times). The fluidity of writing is outstanding as Neel switches nimbly between definitions, historic examples and carefully chosen quotes which each illustrate the origin and role of myth in human societies.
The second half of the book is a critical analysis of 12 Greek myths through varying lenses. My personal favourite was Theseus and the Minotaur the philosophy of labyrinth ; how traversing one represents a descent into the deepest parts of the self, and a re-emergence,completeness.
"To walk the labyrinth is to re-enter the womb and travel inward,
and to come back out is a kind of rebirth."
A minor quibble I had with this part however was that some chapters went into too much detail with the retelling of a myth.
Overall a great read - planned to read over several days but devoured it over one evening...
May 13, 2021
The Meaning of Myth is a book about myth written from the perspective of psychiatrist Neel Burton, He dissects the meaning of myth, differentiates it from legends and fairytales, examines the function of heroes, monsters, and magic, and explores the evolution of myths. The second part of the book takes a close look at 12 well known myths such as Eros and Psyche, Demeter and Persephone, Prometheus, Pandora etc... to uncover the deeper meanings and potential purposes of the myths.
This is a vast topic for any author to tackle and I thought Neel Burton was succinct in his writing. He concisely summarzied the myths and offered a deeper analysis of their meanings without getting lost in archetypal and mystical ideas.
I give this book 4/5 stars because the myths featured in this book have been over-analyzed by mythologists and psychologists, so the interpretations were not new or original. It would be nice to see some lesser known myths be explored in a future book,
This is a vast topic for any author to tackle and I thought Neel Burton was succinct in his writing. He concisely summarzied the myths and offered a deeper analysis of their meanings without getting lost in archetypal and mystical ideas.
I give this book 4/5 stars because the myths featured in this book have been over-analyzed by mythologists and psychologists, so the interpretations were not new or original. It would be nice to see some lesser known myths be explored in a future book,
May 30, 2021
Fascinating insights on the contemporary and enduring relevance of some ancient myths.
Neel Burton starts with a good account of what myth is and how it differs from fable, legend and other forms. He then looks at a number of Greek myths and discussed them both in terms of how they were seen in their own time and what they have to tell us now. I particularly liked the way in which his discussions clearly arise from a way of seeing that integrates psychological and philosophical perspectives. Too often psychology and philosophy each implicitly claim a kind of conceptual primacy in understanding what it is to think and make sense of our experience. Neel Burton avoids this entirely. Based on the blurbs for his other books, I think he may discuss this point in one of more of them.
Neel Burton starts with a good account of what myth is and how it differs from fable, legend and other forms. He then looks at a number of Greek myths and discussed them both in terms of how they were seen in their own time and what they have to tell us now. I particularly liked the way in which his discussions clearly arise from a way of seeing that integrates psychological and philosophical perspectives. Too often psychology and philosophy each implicitly claim a kind of conceptual primacy in understanding what it is to think and make sense of our experience. Neel Burton avoids this entirely. Based on the blurbs for his other books, I think he may discuss this point in one of more of them.
May 31, 2021
I found this a good overview of the meaning of myth, just as the title suggests, although I did find the writing uneven and disjointed at times, almost as if the whole thing had been put together in a bit of a hurry. The first half of the book explores the differences between myth, legend, fable and fairy tale, and the universality of all of them. It’s all presented in an accessible way, so easy to read, but sometimes I felt that there was a lack of depth. The second half of the book explores 12 key Greek myths, and here, although overall the interpretations were useful and to the point, I occasionally felt myself bridling at some of the conclusions. All in all, the whole book felt rushed and not thoroughly considered. A good introduction to the subject, however, and worth reading – just not quite as good as it could have been.
May 15, 2021
This little book first examined what a myth actually is, alongside its close cousins the legend, parable, fable and fairy tale. The myth reaches parts of the psyche that neither the latter nor the world of 'objective' science can - they speak to the soul, and the human need to make sense of life in and reconnect to something beyond themselves. The writer is a psychiatrist by profession, but he is clearly a very erudite scholar in Hellenic mythology. And it is to the Greek myths he turns to, to look at what lies behind their layered meanings and how the might apply to the various common human dilemmas of today. A must for anyone who is interested in mythology and how European civilisation evolved, through examining the stories that have been passed down about it.
August 22, 2021
4.5 ⭐
Thank you NetGally for letting me review this book.
This is such an interesting and informative book. For sure I did get a lot of information and new views about the things that's being discussed on this book. Very detailed and also engaging that really interest me in many ways.
The 2nd part really what I enjoyed the most (because it's full of Greek Myths), I was really invested on the takings and discussions on that part. I just find it very well written, and the pointed out and voiced up that is really interesting and informative on the part where I get to noticed different and new aspects from the stories.
Overall it's very good read.
Thank you NetGally for letting me review this book.
This is such an interesting and informative book. For sure I did get a lot of information and new views about the things that's being discussed on this book. Very detailed and also engaging that really interest me in many ways.
The 2nd part really what I enjoyed the most (because it's full of Greek Myths), I was really invested on the takings and discussions on that part. I just find it very well written, and the pointed out and voiced up that is really interesting and informative on the part where I get to noticed different and new aspects from the stories.
Overall it's very good read.
May 13, 2021
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and choose to leave a review.
This is a good look at some of the common Greek Myths, and what their symbiology tends to mean. He even breaks down some of the name which are more description than true names. These myths are also connected to myths of other lands, and even how they can be relevant now. His use of Greek lettering for the names of the main character(s) of the myth, in addition to in English), is a nice added touch. The only draw back is the assumption that the reader is familiar with all of the myths.
This is a good look at some of the common Greek Myths, and what their symbiology tends to mean. He even breaks down some of the name which are more description than true names. These myths are also connected to myths of other lands, and even how they can be relevant now. His use of Greek lettering for the names of the main character(s) of the myth, in addition to in English), is a nice added touch. The only draw back is the assumption that the reader is familiar with all of the myths.
June 17, 2021
If you like mythology and appreciate getting insight on the myths, this is the book for you. Burton delves into a number of Greek myths and compares them to myths of other cultures and even religion, in some cases. He shows the reader the psychology behind the myths which gives a greater understanding to the hows and whys of mythology. I found this book rather enlightening. It gives the reader something to think about.
July 13, 2021
Amazing
I purchased this Kindle edition with credit given to me by my daughter for Father's Day. I had seen it advertised and dropped it into my wishlist. I could not stop reading. I have a keen interest in Myths of all origins. This book is very well written, full of information, and a real pleasure to read. U have also purchased Hypersanity which I will read next, and then go on and get all of Neel's books in the series.
I purchased this Kindle edition with credit given to me by my daughter for Father's Day. I had seen it advertised and dropped it into my wishlist. I could not stop reading. I have a keen interest in Myths of all origins. This book is very well written, full of information, and a real pleasure to read. U have also purchased Hypersanity which I will read next, and then go on and get all of Neel's books in the series.
April 11, 2022
hold on, hold on. wow.
this book really opened another perspective of mine. and you telling me the stories i heard as a little kid are all lies??? 😭 what a nightmare.
but i'm so stunned by how the author retells the story and the interpretations. especially the story about the 3 oracles. 🥲🤌 i'll never view these stories the same now.
***got an arc from netgalley in exchange of honest review. thank you netgalley!
this book really opened another perspective of mine. and you telling me the stories i heard as a little kid are all lies??? 😭 what a nightmare.
but i'm so stunned by how the author retells the story and the interpretations. especially the story about the 3 oracles. 🥲🤌 i'll never view these stories the same now.
***got an arc from netgalley in exchange of honest review. thank you netgalley!
July 4, 2023
During a period of reading Ancient History, I broke away to read this good book on mythology. I liked the early chapters that define myth and compare it to folktale and legend and other genres. I like too how he interprets each myth though we don't have to agree with all he says. His analysis is skewed to that of psychiatry and that is good, but the myths also serve as origin stories. He can acknowledge this at times at does discuss ritual and myth and which came first.
June 9, 2021
Threading classical myths helpfully
The author succeeds in describing and interpreting classical myths to help ground us into new self-understanding. His pages are an easy reference of tales half remembered and a sharpening of blurred perspectives. Short chapters facilitate reading the whole book.
The author succeeds in describing and interpreting classical myths to help ground us into new self-understanding. His pages are an easy reference of tales half remembered and a sharpening of blurred perspectives. Short chapters facilitate reading the whole book.
August 5, 2021
I found this really interesting and easy to read.
I really liked that the information was given in 'plain english' and didn't try to sound superior etc.
I did speed read this book but think I will definitely be rereading it again at a more leisurely pace. I don't usually read books for a second time but feel that this one deserves a second reading.
I really liked that the information was given in 'plain english' and didn't try to sound superior etc.
I did speed read this book but think I will definitely be rereading it again at a more leisurely pace. I don't usually read books for a second time but feel that this one deserves a second reading.
August 26, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and probably one the few books where I have taken so many highlights. I have always been fascinated with stories and the meaning behind them all, especially, within myths and the author produces a great book and has inspired me to venture in this domain extracting wisdom with the masses through myths. I will revisit this golden gem time after time.
May 16, 2021
Overall a three. Was a very good blend of two things I'm very interested in, mythology and psychology. If another version was too every be made I would love to see more myths from outside of Greece and more social psychology and mental health over psychoanalysis.
June 14, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book but I wish it had gone a bit deeper into the explanations of the myths. For me it seemed to skim over the re telling and explanations of the myths but it was still an enjoyable book experience.
December 16, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this!
This was a really great introduction to interpretations on some of the most famous greek myths! I also really loved the Myth of Er and the similarities between that and Dante; I'm definitely looking for more on this now.
This was a really great introduction to interpretations on some of the most famous greek myths! I also really loved the Myth of Er and the similarities between that and Dante; I'm definitely looking for more on this now.
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