I have a thing for mythos too.
(And Methos, if you're a Highlander fan)
How much do I intentionally use mythology in my stories? They're the deliberate foundations of my urban fantasies. How far do I twist them?
Fafafafafaaaaar.
I really like to play with take the characters that aren't the popular ones. More fun? The ones who wandered off into the sunset never to be heard from again. Every pantheon has a stable of the forgotten. What about the tertiary characters who are there just to hand over the Weapon of Utter Success to the protagonist then vanish from the myth? These folks are ripe for their own sagas.Oh, then there are the symbols that cross multiple myths from around the world. Circle of Life anyone? (Go ahead, sing the song form the Lion King, I'll wait.) What about my personal fave, the dragon? Eh? Eh? I'm on team "Benevolent until You Piss Them Off" for the record.
How can any author resist those writing prompts?
Now, the funny part. I don't intentionally use established mythology in my epic fantasies. However. By the time I'm reading the almost-nearly-final draft, I see pieces of assorted familiar myths waving from the pages. Jeffe pretty much nailed the reason for that on Sunday -- "[myths] are iconic embodiments of our understanding of the world - both natural and supernatural." Without those bits of common understanding, I don't know that the story would resonate with readers.
Dear, dear readers, if you could create a story for a secondary or tertiary character from an established myth whose story would you write?
I've been thinking about Rapunzel a lot lately. She never seems to get the press the other princesses do. And often she's portrayed as mute, or able only to sing. Maybe she had a rich internal life??
ReplyDeleteWell, except for the Disney version of Tangled from a few years ago. (Tho it nicely glossed over how the "prince" knocked her up with twins and then was blinded when the witch tosses him off the tower. Go figure.)
DeleteI've always wanted to do a version of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. :D
What about Rapunzel's father, the one who promised his yet-to-be-conceived child to the enchantress just to appease his thieving wife's desires?
DeleteOr what of Rapunzel's twins?
Gods, the potentials ... ~evil laugh~
I didn't see the Tangled movie, but I love these other twists!
DeleteInteresting. Off the top of my head, I think I'd do one about the guy who played sidekick to Hercules. He never got enough press. (And I don't even remember the poor man's name.)
ReplyDeleteAre you thinking of his nephew Iolaus? Oh the fun to be had with his story! Whatever did he do after Hercules completed his Labors? ~rubs chin~
DeleteExcellent idea!
I kinda played with Cecrops/Kekrops as I was creating the history behind the three sisters that are vampire harpies, appearing in WICKED CIRCLE and SHATTERED CIRCLE. Cecrops didn't make the cut as their father, but he was the founder of Athens, and was sait to have a serpents tail instead of legs. I'd love to do a twist on him. :)
ReplyDeleteThe deity of marriage and ceremonial burials. Nice choice. What did he do to be half man and half snake? Oh, yeah, I can see the potentials there!
Delete