MYTHICAL CODES IN WESTERN LITERATURE

Abstract

The myth is a central phenomenon in the history of culture, as well as an ancient means to perceive the world and human’s nature. The myth is also the first paradigm of all ideologies, the cradle of the various cultural forms of literature, art, religion and even philosophy and science. Therefore, the myth becomes a “code”, a special artistic sign of Western literature. The power of the myth in modern Western literature is due to many forms of special symbols, archetypes, and mythical models (like a journey or a quest). This article shows the role and meaning of the myths as symbols in semiotics with some famous mythical codes in literature such as Monomyth (Hero’s Journey), Holy Grail and the death-rebirth myth.