Relationship Between Mythology and Earthly Authority - Essay Example

Relationship between mythology and earthly ity Myths have proved to be a rich ground that anthropology researcher can utilize to understand cultures of different people. Understanding different culture is essential to anthropology scholars in their studies about human origin and developments. Studying different myths also enable scholars to establish the relationship between different races and the period of their separation. Myths have their basis in the existence of supernatural beings that have extra-ordinary powers. This aspect protects myths from challenges and preserves their credibility. Closely related to mythology is the earthly authority. Unlike mythology, earthly authority is based worldly governance and institutions. Although the two concepts are different, they share common roots and practices. This paper will therefore analyze the relationship between mythology and earthly authority. The paper achieves its objective by discussing the implications of myths on kingship authority. The reality of existence between myth and kingship stands out as the main difference between the two aspects. However, different kingships around the world existed in a close relationship with supernatural world. Relationship between earthly kingships was of immense interest to different rulers since it strengthened their influence. Kingship acted as a link between the supernatural world and the mortal world. In this relationship, the earthly rulers acted as the mediator between the people and the supernatural world. In such cases, the people believed that their kings had direct conversations with their gods and ancestors. The kings or people in authority were also expected to offer sacrifices to the spirits in orders to reconcile them with the people. This usually happened when there was a catastrophe. People believed that catastrophe resulted when the spirits were angry with them. In such cases, the king was expected to offer sacrifice in order to reconcile the people with the spirit spiritual world (Richard, 2004). Kings not only offered sacrifice in order to reconcile the people with the spiritual world but they also offered sacrifice as a form of thanksgiving for a fortune that has taken place in the society. Although people believe in their earthly rulers, they have more faith and adoration to the spiritual world. This indicates that kings associated themselves with mythology in order to build their legitimacy among the people. Believing in spiritual world is human nature that enables people to explain their origin and relationship with the natural world. By acting as the mediator between the spiritual world and the earthly world, kings were able to win people’s confidence. This aspect also enhanced the legitimacy of the kings. Some earthly kings considered themselves as immortal, in such societies people considered the kings as gods. The ancient Egyptian society considered their kings as immediate after their gods. The Egyptians believed that their rulers had powers that were equivalent to the powers of their gods. Ancient Egyptian artifacts such as the pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx were constructed to demonstrate the immortal nature of the Egyptian pharaohs. These features demonstrated that different kings existed among the people despite them being dead. Egyptian kings also served as a link between the Egyptians and their gods. They played this role by maintaining Egyptian cults and religious practices. The kings also led religious activities within the society and maintained the temple. The king was also expected to protect the community from the chaotic world by maintaining a close a relationship with the gods. By playing this role, the kings appeared as direct apostles or earthly representative of the gods. This made the society to believe in their kings as they believed in their gods. Playing these roles also enabled the kings to win the confidence of their subject that was vital in strengthen their authority (Ions, 1982). Similarly, the Greeks considered their rulers to have a close relationship with the supernatural world. The association of kings with the supernatural world and gods increased the legitimacy of the kings among the people. Myths played a key role in maintaining authority and kingship in different societies. The effects of various myths on different societies changes regularly with time. These changes affected the influence of myths over the people. With time people started to slacken their belief in the supernatural world. As the world developed, priorities among different societies also changed and, this affected the role played by the myths in earthly kinships. Firstly, increase in population increased pressure on availability of resources. Scarcity of resources made people to adopt newer method of creating goods and services to satisfy their needs. This led people to relax their faith on myths and roles played by the kings in maintaining their relationship with the spiritual world. In ancient Greek, people started to substitute their belief on supernatural world with belief on different Greek philosophers. People considered philosophers as people who provided solution to their immediate problems. The Greeks also viewed the philosopher as people who had extra-ordinary powers (Richard, 2004). The development of knowledge correlates with changes in the role of myths in kingship. With increase in knowledge, the Greeks preferred kings who were philosophers. Similarly, increase in knowledge mage the Egyptians to prefer a king who had extra knowledge that could be useful to the people. Increase in knowledge proved that mythology was insufficient for maintaining authority over people. In Egypt, the king was expected to offer guidance to the people on how to carry out and plan their annual activities such as agriculture and storage of food. The kings had to rely on wise men within the society in order to serve the people effectively. Such people included astronomers and astrologers. The wise men helped the kings to interpret different occurrences within the country. Scarcity of resources also contributed to conflicts among different society, this also changed the role played by kings. Although most societies believed in victory that comes from the spiritual world or god, most societies expected their kings to lead them in wars (Long, 2000). Different societies also expected their kings to engage in wars with their rivals. Changes in the expectation of the people on their kings effected changes on the role played by myths in kingship. People in different societies began to view their myths as insufficient in solving and explaining all their day-to-day problems. People also wanted to have kings who could provide them with immediate solutions to their problems particularly the economic problems. The roles played by myths in different kingships changed constantly with increase in knowledge. However, the rate of change increased during the times of need. Although myths were associated with ancient leaders, modern leaders still have an aspect of mythology. Such aspects are demonstrated on how different leaders practice their leadership. Modern religious leaders believe in modern knowledge despite having a certain degree of defiance on scientific knowledge. Although most religious leaders acknowledge the capabilities of science, they fail to acknowledge simple scientific discoveries such as the world is spherical. Most religious leaders do not accept scientific explanations on the nature of the universe. Religious leaders still maintain that God controls the weather despite their understanding on the natural weather cycle. Religious leaders in the modern world still consider themselves to have a certain degree of control over the universe through prayers. In Christian communities, the religious leaders have control over natural occurrences through prayers. Although most Christian societies have modern education, their leaders still consider traditional knowledge as the most superior. Unlike religious leaders, national leaders have an indirect aspect of mythology. Most world leaders have certain groups that they associate with in order to maintain their influence over their countries. World leaders also have certain ideologies that they associate themselves with in order to maintain their influence over the people. Socialism and capitalism are the most popular ideologies in the recent history. Capitalism and socialism has become a myth that differentiates countries. The myth has resulted in the creation of the Eastern and Western blocks. Most world leaders consider the association with a certain block as vital in determining the success of a country. Although different world leaders are aware of the success and failure of each system of government, they still maintain their association with the ideologies. Different leaders consider the two forms of government to have different implication on their leadership. Community leaders also associate themselves different groups and organization as a form of mythology. Although myths play a key role in the legitimating of kingships, they have limitations. Myths enhance the legitimacy of a kingship or authority by brainwashing the society. Access to knowledge determines the period within which a myth can have influence over the people. Ancient Egyptians believed that the pharaohs had power and control on various natural phenomenons. The rise of ancient astronomy and philosophy in Egypt made the people to change their perception concerning the powers of the pharaohs. Egyptians also lacked proper methods to preserve information on their gods since their mythology was transferred orally from one generation to another (Long, 2000). In conclusion, mythology was a key element in ancient kingship and authority. Kings and rulers of various societies associated themselves with myths in order to win legitimacy over their people. Although mythology played a key role in determining the influence of a certain ruler over the people, it had various limitations. Enlightenment of societies and limitations of kings on natural phenomenon proved to be a major limitation of myths. References Armour, R. (2001). Gods and Myths of Ancient Egypt. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. Ions, V. (1982). Egyptian Mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books. Long, C. (2000). Egyptian Mythology. Retrieved March 18, 2012 from: Richard, B. (2004). The Complete World of Greek Mythology. London: Thames & Hudson. Read More