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An accessible introduction to the role of myth historically and in popular culture.

Myth: A Handbook by William G. Doty is a foundational and wide-ranging exploration of myth as one of humanity’s most enduring and powerful forms of expression. Designed for students and scholars across the humanities and social sciences, this authoritative volume offers both a comprehensive introduction to myth studies and a sophisticated framework for interpreting myth in diverse cultural contexts.

Doty approaches myth not as a static body of ancient stories, but as a dynamic and evolving system of meaning—one that reflects the values, beliefs, and psychological structures of the societies that produce and preserve it. Drawing from a rich interdisciplinary base that includes anthropology, literary criticism, psychology, religious studies, and cultural theory, the book examines how myths operate symbolically, structurally, and socially. Readers are guided through major theoretical approaches to myth, from classical interpretations to modern critical frameworks, enabling them to engage thoughtfully with myth as both narrative and cultural artifact.

One of the book’s central strengths is its emphasis on methodology. Rather than presenting myth as a fixed subject, Doty equips readers with analytical tools to interpret myths across different traditions and historical periods. He explores how myths encode meaning through symbols and archetypes, how they reinforce or challenge cultural norms, and how they adapt over time to address shifting social realities. By emphasizing interpretation over simple retelling, Doty transforms myth from a collection of stories into a living field of inquiry.

The handbook also addresses key questions that continue to resonate in contemporary scholarship: What distinguishes myth from legend or folklore? How do myths shape identity—individual, communal, and national? In what ways do myths persist in modern literature, film, and popular culture? Through clear explanations and carefully structured discussions, Doty demonstrates that myth remains deeply relevant, not only in understanding ancient civilizations but also in analyzing modern narratives and cultural expressions.

Accessible yet intellectually rigorous, Myth: A Handbook has become a widely respected resource in university classrooms, providing students with the conceptual grounding needed to engage critically with mythological material. At the same time, its clarity and breadth make it valuable for general readers interested in the deeper meanings behind the stories that have shaped human thought across time and place.

Ultimately, Doty’s work reveals that myth is not confined to the past—it is an essential framework through which humans interpret experience, construct meaning, and understand their place in the world. This handbook stands as an indispensable guide to that process, illuminating the enduring significance of myth in both ancient traditions and contemporary life.
 

This new edition of William Doty's critically acclaimed study provides a comprehensive guidebook to the many schools of interpretation in this burgeoning field

William Doty's popular text has been hailed as the most comprehensive work of its kind. Extensively rewritten and completely restructured, the new edition provides further depth and perspective and is even more accessible to students of myth. It includes expanded coverage of postmodern and poststructuralist perspectives, the Gernet Center, mythic iconography, neo-Jungian approaches, and cultural studies, and it summarizes what is new in the study of Greek myth, iconography, French classical scholarship, and ritual studies. It also features a comprehensive index of names and topics, a glossary, an up-to-date annotated bibliography, and a guide to myth on the Internet.

Presenting all major myth theorists from antiquity to the present, Mythography is an encyclopedic work that offers a cross-disciplinary approach to the study of myth. By reflecting the dramatic increase in interest in myth among both scholars and general readers since publication of the first edition, it remains a key study of modern approaches to myth and
an essential guide to the wealth of mythographic research available today.