One morning he slips in and steals a piece of the fire. ![]() He spies on the Fire Beings day and night and sees that there is a brief window every morning during the changing of the guard when the fire is unwatched. Coyote thinks that these Fire Beings are selfish and decides to steal some fire and give it to the humans. He knows that there are Fire Beings on a far mountaintop that have fire but guard it from the humans so that the humans will not have too much power. In the Native American myth “How Coyote Stole Fire” as retold by Gail Robinson and Douglas Hill in their book Coyote The Trickster, Coyote overhears ancient humans wailing over the loss of their children and elderly during the cold winter (79). With this wily ability to upset the apple cart, the trickster is a cultural hero, in that he seems compelled to disrupt the abuse of power and balance the scales in favor of the underdog. As Hynes and Doty write of situation inverting, “the trickster exhibits typically the ability to overturn any person, place, or belief, no matter how prestigious” (37). The trait of situation-inverter is the one most important to my thesis. The authors claim that the trickster is “ambiguous/anomalous, a deceiver/trick-player, a shape-shifter, a situation-inverter, messenger and imitator of the gods, and a sacred and lewd bricoleur” (33-42). Though there are others, they say these six represent the most common elements in trickster myths around the world. Doty identify six characteristics of the trickster that transcend cultural differences. In their book Mythical Trickster Figures: Contours, Contexts, and Criticisms, William J. In spite of the cultural differences, the myths here all point to a common feature of the trickster: He is both destructive and helpful. American culture in the 1950’s prized the family unit and its distinct roles. Others, like the 5 th Century Welsh people, placed a high value on property and wealth. ![]() Some cultures, such as the Native Americans, revered animals and the earth. The details of the myths vary widely, revealing differences in the values of these cultures. Myths from the cultures of Ancient Greece, Medieval Wales, Native America, modern America and the Ancient Mayans will be analyzed. In this article the trickster will usually be referred to as “he”, but there are plenty of female tricksters to be explored as well. The focus of this article is to highlight the way the trickster crosses boundaries and topples corrupt social mores. In an interview about the Trickster, the scholar Joseph Campbell said, “He is both a devil and a fool, and the creator of the world”. And yet, he plays a sacred role in many myths, as the progenitor of benevolent changes, even bringing life into existence in some myths, such as the Native American story of “The Great Flood” wherein a trickster rolls mud in his hand and turns it into dry land for people to repopulate the world (Campbell). For example, the trickster is often portrayed as having an excessive appetite for sex and food, and as being selfish and vain. The trickster defies definition because his presence in myths and folktales seems to be that of boundary crosser and duplicitous mediator he is a hero and a fiend at the same time. Carroll, in his article “The Trickster as Selfish Buffoon and Culture Hero,” surmises that modern scholars have written more about the trickster than any other type of mythical character (105). The world is rife with stories about the trickster. The trickster possesses both positive and negative qualities, but overall is a helpful force that challenges the status quo and improves humanity. However, since the term was coined, the telltale signs of the trickster have been noticed in mythical characters dating back to Ancient Greece. ![]() The term “Trickster” was first introduced to the academic world in connection with the study of Native American mythology in Paul Radin’s book The Trickster in 1955 (Hynes and Doty 2). The archetype of the Trickster runs through myths from cultures around the world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |