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Mythopoeic literature is literature that involves the creation of fictional myths. Notable mythopoeic authors are J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, H.P. Lovecraft, and George MacDonald.

Tolkien's concept of mythopoeia

The term Mythopoeia (virtually Greek μυθο-ποιία "myth-making") was coined by Tolkien as a title of one of his poems , which was written following a discussion on the night of 19 September 1931 at Magdalen with C. S. Lewis and Hugo Dyson.

The poem is addressed by one "Philomythos" to one "Misomythos" and takes a position opposed to rationalism and materialism. It was addressed to defend the genre. It begins by addressing the arguments of C.S. Lewis who he was debating its merits with at the time:

"To one who said that myths were lies and therefore worthless, even though 'breathed through silver'".

Tolkien chose to compose the poem in heroic couplets, the preferred metre of British Enlightenment poets, as it were attacking the proponents of materialist progress on their own turf. The poem refers to the creative human author as "the little maker" wielding his "own small golden sceptre" ruling his Subcreation (understood as genuine Creation within God's primary Creation).

I will not treat your dusty path and flat,

denoting this and that by this and that,

your world immutable wherein no part

the little maker has with maker's art.

I bow not yet before the Iron Crown,

nor cast my own small golden sceptre down.

C.S. Lewis and Narnia Series

At the time that Tolkien debated the usefulness of myth and mythopoeia with C.S. Lewis in 1931, Lewis was a theist, but was sceptical of mythology, taking the position that myths were "lies and therefore worthless, even though 'breathed through silver'". However Lewis later conceded, and began to speak of Christianity as the one "true myth". Lewis wrote, "The story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened." Subsequently, his Chronicles of Narnia is regarded as mythopoeia, with storylines based allegorically on Christian narrative, namely the narrative of a great king who is sacrificed to save his people and is resurrected after three days.

George Lucas and Star Wars Series

Filmmaker George Lucas speaks of the cinematic storyline of Star Wars as an example of modern myth-making. He claims: "With 'Star Wars' I consciously set about to re-create myths and the classic mythological motifs." The idea of Star Wars as "myth" has been met with mixed reviews by some reviewers and critics. John Lyden, the Professor and Chair of the Religion Department at Dana College, argues that Star Wars does indeed reproduce religious and mythical themes: specifically, he argues that the work is apocalyptic in concept and scope. The Decent Film Guide's Steven D. Greydanus agrees, calling Star Wars a "work of epic mythopoeia". In fact, Greydanus argues that Star Wars is the primary example of American mythopoeia:

"The Force, the Jedi knights, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan, Princess Leia, Yoda, lightsabers, and the Death Star hold a place in the collective imagination of countless Americans that can only be described as mythic. In my review of A New Hope I called Star Wars 'the quintessential American mythology,' an American take on King Arthur, Tolkien, and the samurai/wuxia epics of the East..."

However Lucas's claims about Star Wars's "mythical" aspects have also been criticized (i.e as "pseudo-mythic Joseph Campbell hogwash").

Organizations

The Mythopoeic Society exists to promote mythopoeic literature, partly by way of the Mythopoeic Awards.

See also

• Artificial mythology
• Legendarium
• Religion and mythology

References

1. Mythopoeia by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. Commentary on poem
3. Commentary on poem
4. George Lucas, quoted by Hart, 2002.
5. Lyden, 2000.
6. Greydanus 2000-2006
7. Greydanus 2000-2006
8. Hart 2002.

• Hart, Steven. Galactic gasbag, Salon.com', April, 2002.
• Greydanus, Steven D. An American Mythology: Why Star Wars Still Matters, Decent Film Guide, copyright 2000-2006.
• Lyden, John. The Apocalyptic Cosmology of Star Wars, The Journal of Religion & Film: Vol. 4, No. 1 April 2000 (Abstact).

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