Includes bibliographical references (pages 127-138) and index.

Introduction: Theories of myth -- Myth and science -- Myth and philosophy -- Myth and religion -- Myth and ritual -- Myth and literature -- Myth and psychology -- Myth and structure -- Myth and politics -- Conclusion: Bringing myth back to the world.

PRE-CHRISTIAN EUROPEAN & MEDITERRANEAN RELIGIONS. Where do myths come from? What is their function and what do they mean? In this Very Short Introduction Robert Segal introduces the array of approaches used to understand the study of myth. These approaches hail from disciplines as varied as anthropology, sociology, psychology, literary criticism, philosophy, science, and religious studies. Including ideas from theorists as varied as Sigmund Freud, Claude Levi-Strauss, Albert Camus, and Roland Barthes, Segal uses the famous ancient myth of Adonis to analyse their individual approaches and theories. In this new edition, he not only considers the future study of myth, but also considers the interactions of myth theory with cognitive science, the implications of the myth of Gaia, and the differences between story-telling and myth. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area.