Myth, Memory, and the Oral Tradition: Cicero in the Trobriands

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In nonliterate societies, myths are often linked to specific geographical locations. Using Malinowski's Trobriand material and taking a lead from Cicero's De oratore, it is argued that spatial location functions (1) as a mnemonic device for the recall of a corpus of myth, (2) as a structural marker dividing a corpus into separate thinkable units, and (3) as a means of restricting social change at least temporarily to specific institutions. Malinowski's instrumental theory of myth is contrasted with the cognitive theory advanced by LéviStrauss, and certain didactic functions of myth are also discussed. [myth, memory, oral tradition, social space, Trobriands]

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: