mythology and folklore unit 1-8
In which world region did Brer Rabbit stories originate?
Africa
Vodou is a syncretic religion mixing which two cultures?
African and Catholic
What trait is shared by Romulus, Remus, Octavius, and Paris?
All were raised by animals.
Based on the original meaning of the words the term is derived from, why is the term "Amazon" being applied to the Dahomey warriors ironic?
Amazon actually means "without breast."
DC Comics' Wonder Woman character represents which mythological group?
Amazons
What piece of legislation contains the clauses stating things like:"...the history of the United States effectively demonstrates that building a strong nation does not require the sacrifice of cultural differences;" and"...it is appropriate and necessary for the Federal Government to support research and scholarship...in order to contribute to an understanding of the complex problems of the basic desires, beliefs, and values of the American people in both rural and urban areas"?
American Folklife Preservation Act
What two mythological creatures are both part spider?
Anansi and Ushi-oni
In a classic episode of the animated series Futurama, it is revealed that after a character was frozen in time, their dog waited for them every day for years until its eventual death. This same tragedy occurred for which mythical animal?
Argos
What woman rode with the Argonauts and was a skilled huntress and runner?
Atalanta
The banshee is a mythological creature that is said to foretell death with her wailing cries. Based on which culture has several goddesses with similar purviews, which group would a scholar guess the banshee is related to?
Celtic
Which two countries pull many tales of legendary warriors from well-documented wartime eras in their actual history (the Warring States and Three Kingdoms eras)?
China and Japan
Which Greek mythological figure was imprisoned in a maze of his own design?
Daedalus
Which Christian holiday is MOST directly inspired by a West Germanic goddess?
Easter
Which Greek group was an embodiment of vengeance itself and was referred to as the "kindly ones" in an attempt to escape their wrath?
Erinyes
Historians have verified that Disney's film Mulan is an accurate portrayal of the real-life historical figure Hua Mulan who dies while battling the nomadic forces.
False
The Inmost Cave mentioned in the heroic monomyth is an allegory for the hero overcoming their personal flaws that limited them during the journey.
False
The idea of a hero journey with discrete stages, shared across many myths, was first put forth by psychologist Carl Jung.
False
Which country's troops were responsible for the ultimate defeat of the Dahomey?
France
Which figure is known for being so ferocious that she single-handedly caused a native military group to flee?
Freydis Eiriksdottir
Which trio of mythological characters are united by their use of magic?
Hecate, Grimhild, and Nyx
Which common communication is MOST likely to be considered folklore?
INCORRECT: Joke
Which myth's central story involves an animal, beast, or similar creature that is entirely antagonistic toward the hero?
INCORRECT: Persephone's Journey to the Underworld
What would be the MOST likely role for a peacock in mythology, given the common way peacocks are personified?
INCORRECT: tenacious survivor and courageous hero
Someone who is "flying too close to the sun" is MOST mimicking what mythological figure?
Icarus
Which Japanese god would be MOST likely to be associated with kitsune?
Inari
Which pair of mythical beasts share common roles and features despite belonging to different cultures?
Leviathan and Jörmungandr
Dante's Inferno explains what Catholic concept (reserved for virtuous souls who still cannot yet enter heaven)?
Limbo
Which two legendary or mythical figures were both forced to engage in physically strenuous activities while pregnant?
Macha and Freydis Erikisdotter
Disney's Moana included mythological characters MOST related to which real-world culture?
Maori
Which legendary warrior, if she existed today and lived in the United States, would be MOST likely to work for the Central Intelligence Agency?
Mochizuki Chiyome
Which two mythical figures both have ties to death on the battlefield?
Morrigan and Freya
Brock is writing a story using the heroic monomyth framework. Which stage is MOST appropriate for him to use to include details about his hero's basic qualities and the family the hero lives with?
Ordinary World
Which character would be explainable only as a tall tale?
Paul Bunyan, an 18-foot-tall lumberjack
Which mythological character covered in the course comes from the culture for which the term "myth" itself originated?
Pelops
Against whose forces did Boudica rebel?
Roman
Which religious system is MOST embedded in traditional Japanese mythology?
Shintoism
In which region of Greece were women allowed more rights than most other Greek females?
Sparta
What is an example of a stage in the heroic monomyth that is present in Campbell's original version but missing in Vogler's more modern version?
Supernatural Aid
In which country would the Aurora Borealis be most visible?
Sweden
During which stage of the heroic monomyth is the hero MOST likely to finally defeat the main antagonist?
The Resurrection
Imagine a writer living in the United States was writing a myth about a god with the head of a dog. What would they most likely be trying to suggest?
The god was a loyal guardian.
A teacher is grading an essay by a student, and the student mentions a mythical creature named Kerberos. The more common name for this creature is Cerberus. What is the MOST likely explanation for the student using an uncommon spelling for the creature?
The student's sources matched the Greek spelling.
Which Greek mythological figure was responsible for ending the terror caused by the Minotaur?
Theseus
What mythological creature is known both for its humongous size and for its role as a mediator?
Thunderbird
A fable is a type of folktale.
True
Boudica lived in ancient Britain and rebelled against the occupying Roman forces.
True
Campbell's original version of the hero's journey had several more stages than the more modern version popularized by Vogler.
True
For myths that explain the creation of the world as being caused by an animal, there's a wide variety of animal types responsible, with no single thread connecting them all.
True
Scottish and Amazonian legends both tell of beautiful men and women that break the hearts of their lovers when they eventually must return to their true form, an aquatic mammal.
True
Syncretic mythologies commonly mix aboriginal mythologies with tales common to later settlers.
True
The Dahomey Amazons were such a large military force that, by the 1800s, the female warriors made up about one-third of the entire Dahomey army.
True
In 1000 CE, women would have the most rights (ability to divorce, access to legal remedies, etc.) living in which cultures?
Vikings and Celts
Which character is notable as likely being the first reference to prosthetics?
Vishpala
He became too civilized and distanced from the wild.
Why did Enkidu lose some of his powers?
Korean mythology tells of Samjo-ko, a three-legged crow that lives in the sun. This creature MOST matches what other mythological creature?
Yatagarasu
According to the Ainu, what is the source of tsunamis and earthquakes?
a fish
What is one of the two primary functions of myths according to Robert Graves?
answering questions children ask
What is one major overarching role of trickster animals in myths and legends?
clarifying rules and laws by challenging them
A chthonic goddess would be MOST likely to rule over what concept?
darkness
What is believed to be the reason for the transformation of Celtic goddesses from a balanced, dual-nature role into one with a greater emphasis on death and bloodlust?
decline in women's status
A folklorist finds the following sample of writing that, when translated into equivalent English lines, reads: What you seek, you shall never find. For when the Gods made man, They kept immortality for themselves. Fill your belly. Day and night make merry, Let Days be full of joy. Love the child that holds your hand. Let your wife delight in your embrace. For these alone are the concerns of man. What is the MOST likely category for the full piece of literature this segment came from, given its form? A.
epic
What elemental force is shared in both Sigrid's and Brynhild's legends, especially when it comes to would-be husbands?
fire
In the popular manga (Japanese comic) One Piece, there are two similar animal hybrid races: the classic ningyo and the more interpretive gyojin (divided roughly into whether their more human aspects are on their top half or their bottom half). What does gyo mean in Japanese?
fish
A writer is inspired to create a character named after the Celtic goddess Morrigan. What talent could the character have that MOST represents the actual goddess?
fortune telling
Given the meanings of Qinlong, Fucanglong, and Tianlong in Chinese mythology, what would the word "tian" translate to in English?
heaven
Evaluating the most popular stories across cultures and the idea of the heroic monomyth, what quality do MOST well-written heroes share?
human faults they overcome
For which product would a brand name of "Daedalus" make the MOST sense?
intricate 3D puzzles
Johannes Bückler, also known as Schinderhannes, was arguably Germany's most famous outlaw; stories of his escapades are shared in popular tourist areas in the region he was active. What is the BEST label for these stories?
legends
In many modern retellings of the story of King Arthur, Merlin the Magician appears to give the headstrong young Arthur advice, taking the edge off Arthur's more brash tendencies. In these stories, Merlin MOST fits which monomythic archetype?
mentor
What is the term for Japanese folklore studies?
minzokugaku
A classic story involves a scorpion that convinces a frog to carry it across a river. The frog is hesitant because he is afraid of being stung, but the scorpion argues that doing so would mean they both would drown. The frog carries the scorpion but is stung anyway halfway across the river. As the frog dies, it asks why the scorpion stung him, because they are now both doomed. The scorpion responds that he couldn't help it; it was in his nature. What is the BEST description of this story?
morality tale
How are myths different from legends?
myths usually take place before the world was in its current form, while legends are more likely to include characters from history
What is the primary purpose of the Approach to the Inmost Cave in the heroic monomyth?
pausing to regroup before the final battle
What common trait is found in most trickster animals?
physical limitation
The Western concept of a "Grim Reaper" that personifies death is MOST an example of what role, common to many animals in myths and legends?
psychopomp
Why was Daedalus imprisoned in the Labyrinth?
punishment for helping Theseus escape the Labyrinth
Huginn and Muninn, two of Odin's "pets," were what kind of animal?
ravens
In Greek mythology, Hercules, as penance for having murdered (some of) his own children, is told by the oracle he must serve King Eurystheus. Eurystheus gives Hercules a series of punishingly challenging tasks to perform—10 originally, then two more when Eurystheus discounted two of the tasks on technicalities. Even after the tasks are complete, Eurystheus is bitter and tries to kill Hercules's remaining children. What archetype does Eurystheus MOST fit in this story?
shadow
In the Disney movie Frozen, Anna is courted by a handsome prince who asks her to marry him, but near the end of the movie it turns out the prince never loved her and only wants her kingdom—and is willing to kill her and her sister to take it! What archetype does the prince MOST represent (besides the obvious shadow archetype)?
shapeshifter
What do psychologists and folklorists mean when they refer to a collective unconsciousness?
some shared universal ideas essential to the human psyche
Which character would be the MOST likely hero, according to the monomyth?
someone whose father was a mighty god
Arachnophobia is associated with the Greek myth about Arachne. What is arachnophobia a fear of?
spiders
Omar orders a sno-cone and asks to have both strawberry and cherry flavoring added to it to create a new combined flavor. What term is this MOST similar to?
syncretic
A video game designer is creating a game inspired by various Middle East mythologies. If he wanted to create a massive aerial fight between two giant flying creatures, what would be MOST thematically appropriate for inspiration?
the Rucke and the Simurgh
Creation myths are MOST focused on the creation of what?
the earth itself
In the heroic monomyth, what is the BEST description of the "threshold" the hero crosses in the Crossing the Threshold stage?
the ordinary world and the journey itself
In Greek mythology, to enter the underworld and accomplish some heroic deed, heroes must sometimes outwit Cerberus, a three-headed dog who prevents the dead from leaving the underworld. In these stories, what archetype does Cerberus MOST fulfill?
threshold guardian
According to Dante, which sin is most heinous?
treachery
In the cartoon series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Double Trouble uses their shapeshifting powers to work as a double agent, working for and against the major factions of the world, seemingly enjoying chaos for its own sake. Like many animal shapeshifters, Double Trouble BEST fits what common animal role?
trickster
What do Athena, Aphrodite, and Amaterasu have in common?
unconventional births
Which topic is MOST appropriate for a nature myth?
what creates the ocean's tides
How did Beowulf ultimately die?
when he was fighting a dragon nearly alone
The very earliest Dahomey Amazons made their living through what practice?
wild game hunters
Based on the nure-onago and harionago of Japanese folklore, what does "onago" indicate in the Japanese language?
woman or girl
Which Greek deity was well-known for transforming himself into animals in order to "seduce" women and men?
zues