Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Barry" <nebarry AT verizon.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stoney Breyer" <stoneyb AT touchwoodcreative.com>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2010 5:13 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] Myth and Legend (was Genesis 30:20-30)


> > > that is a bit different than basic genre identification. However, it's
> still an odd question, &c
>
> If I understand James' objection correctly I think it's a very proper
> question. To the best of my recollection the traditional definitions
> distinguish legend from myth not on the basis of origin in some sort of
> historical actuality (which is the definition George advanced) but in what
> we might term historical 'virtuality': legend is located **by its 
> narrators
> and audiences** in historical time. The Matter of Britain and the Trojan
> War are legendary rather than mythical not because Arthur and Odysseus 
> have
> the same sort of documented historical actuality as Charlemagne (they do
> not) but because his epos is securely placed by the narrative tradition in
> 'historical' time.

I also know of no classicists who would say that Hercules or Odysseus did 
exist as historical figures in that sense, only that there is a possibility 
that they might have.  It's all very subjective, really, sort of like 
historical criticism...  :)  (Ducking and running for cover...)

N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
Mentor, TNARS
http://www.tnars.net

http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry