What Is the Role of Monsters in Mythology?

What is the role of monsters in mythology?

Myths are traditional stories which tries to explain social phenomenons with the involvement of supernatural being. Supernatural beings are deities and monsters. Monsters are the unknown to the humankind, because of their shape. However, actually they are mainly made from animals and plants. The monster from is basicly a distorted form of these living creatures we see everyday in our Daily lives. It can be your cat, Snowball. But the difference between a monster and a cat is monster can have the body of a goat. This is what makes a monster a mythical,supernatural creature. And this is the reason why we can’t sleep at nights,being afraid of them. The role of a monster is mostly as an antagonist.  In Beowulf, we have the Grendel and the dragon. Examples from Greek mythology: The Sirens(giant headed,winged creatures), Medusa(gorgon), lamiai(vampires), King Lycaion(werewolf),Cerberus(three-headed dog),Hydra(a poisonous serpent with nine heads.Furthermore, examples from the celt mythology: Banshee(the wailing ghost),Kelpie(spirit in the shape of a water horse,haunts people) .These examples show us that monsters truely are shaped in the form of the creatures we know. However, when they intertwine, they become unknown.Their obscurity,otherness is the key which makes us afraid of them. In prehistoric era, we have afraid of the dark, thunder , other sounds which occur in the woods like howling of a wolf, hooting of an owl.  Now, we have explanations for each. We don’t fear them, at least some of us don’t. And yet, we still can’t explain the monsters because they are fictional. They are beyond of our comprehension, normal experiences.  Therefore, the writers make them antagonists in myths.

If they wouldn't exist, there would be no heros. Because, they can show their abilities superpowers on monsters.

Heroes are generally humans. Except for the hercules, he is a demigod. A human can beat another human. That's really simple. Even if, a person is not quite fit. He or she can be fit to beat the other humanbeing.

But on the other hand, killing a distorted, giant, extremely powerful creature. That's the big deal. That's the thing what makes a hero, a hero.

Saving his/her people from the hands of ugly,crual creatures. Monsters don't have motives generally. They just act. They don't kill people because they think they are superior.

ıt is because the story needs a villain. You can't make a blond,beautiful woman like Aphrodite a villain. Since they are pretty. Nowadays, a blond beautiful character can be villain but that's not our subject.

Our subject is the mythology. And during that times, villains were either old guys(Hades),old women(3 graces) or monsters who live underground or sea. During that era, people were illiterate, unaware of the existence that monsters aren't real.

They would think that Zeus will punish us with lightning or another disaster. People afraid from what they don't know. They don't know anything about monsters. Their genes,ancestors,why they look so distorted. So, in my opinion this is the reason behind why people afraid of monsters and think them as villains. Don’t you think that wouldn’t it be great if cyclops sitting on his chair, drinking his wine(made by bacchus wineries,sorry for the advertisement),eating his nectar, watching the sunset. Why not?  

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