The Riddle Of The Sphinx :: essays research papers

The Riddle of the SphinxThe study of myths probably began in the fourth coulomb. BC. when Euthemerusexplained them as exaggerated adventures of historical individuals. Theallegorical interpretation of myths , stemming from the 18th century study ,says that at one metre myths were invented by wise workforce to point out a truth, butafter a time myths were taken literally. The linguistic corruptioninterpretation says that myths could be understood as allegory for events foundin nature. The Jungians school denoted myths as a chemical mechanism of wish fulfillment.Sir James Frazer, believed that all myths were originally connected with theidea of fertility in nature, with birth, death, and resurrection of vegetationas a constantly recurring motif. though the modern interpretation of myths isnot general but a particularized explanation for myths of a single people. Thetheological interpretation states that myths are foreshadowings of facts of the al-Quran or corruptions of them. T his view, which is not contemporarily popular,is surprisingly enlightening when attention is paid to the significance of names ofcharacters and places in relation to Biblical stories. Even recent female monarch taleswhich fall into the category of myth, often reveal through metaphor more than truthin sacred scripture than one would anticipate.The most relevant and needed topic for the understanding of theimagery and symbolism of myth is found in the framework of the celestial zodiac.The pictures found today in the zodiac were not demonstrable by the Greeks, butwere in place perhaps as proto(prenominal) as 4000 B.C. predating even the civilizations ofSumaria. The pictures were not arranged in haphazard enjoin to aid in thetracking of the star movements but with order and mark of depicting an epicnarrative. This understanding of the zodiac reveals an intelligence andscientific understanding that was misdirect through time . The symbolism whichremains can be examine to revea l the basic truth behind it.The story of the sphinx is an excellent utilization of the zodiac / mythconnection. The sphinx a composite creature with the head of a muliebrity or man andthe body of a lion was associated with the guarding of sacred sites of antiquity.It delineated the whole of the narrative of the zodiac, with the head of awoman, Virgo the beginning of the celestial pass and the body of a lion,Leo,the end of the cycle. In fact, the actual design for what scripture calls acherub is in actuality,a sphinx. The angels were beings whose sole purpose wasto reflect the will and the corona of the God who created them.