Philomathean sponsors talk on Jewish mythology

Folklore and Folklife Professor Dan Ben-Amos spoke Monday evening about Jewish folklore, saying that the stories of Jewish tradition are "one step short of mythology." Ben-Amos's 75-minute lecture, held at the Philomathean Society's library, addressed the question of whether there is a Jewish mythology. Ben-Amos said it is important to distinguish different types of mythologies -- such as Roman, Greek and Jewish -- from one another because each has its distinct characters and settings. "I am referring to the Jewish culture or cultures as they unfold during the biblical era and through many exiles," Ben-Amos said. Ben-Amos warned that it is not valid to compare figures in Jewish narratives to Greek mythological figures. But he admitted there are similarities between mythologies. "Can I find anything that is unique [in Jewish mythological narratives] that we do not find in the mythology of Greece, of Africa or of any other culture?" Ben-Amos asked. "Basically, I don't know." Ben-Amos also speculated about the origins of the relationship between mythology and ritual in the Jewish religion. "Has mythology given rise to ritual?" he asked. "Or, the reverse -- has ritual given rise to mythology?" The rituals, Ben-Amos explained, are found in the words of the songs and prayers within Judaism. Ben-Amos acknowledged that most Jewish mythology is gender-biased, because it "develops in the creative imaginations of males in Jewish society." "Jewish mythology is the mythology of Jewish males," he said. Members of the audience, which numbered about 35, said they found the lecture "enlightening." "I think it was very interesting," said Monica Lawton, a first-year Folklore graduate student. "His presentation was very good in terms of making it accessible to people who do not have prior exposure to the material." "I especially liked the discussion afterward," said College sophomore Ethan Torrey, a member of the Philomathean Society and one of the organizers of the lecture series. The lecture was the first of five lectures on mythology and legendry organized by the Philomathean Society.

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