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The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist (Ancient Wisdom) Paperback – April 15, 2021

by Neel Burton (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 167 ratings
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Not just the stories, but what they mean. Are myths really the repositories of deep wisdom and mystical secrets?

Readers’ Favorite Book Award Winner

What is myth, and why does it have such a hold on the human mind? How does myth relate to near forms such as legend and fairy tale, and to other modes of understanding such as religion and science? What is a hero, what is a monster, and what function does magic serve? How has our relationship with myth and mythology changed over the centuries? And are there any modern myths?

These are a few of the fascinating questions that psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton explores in the first part of this book. In the second part, he puts theory into practice to unravel 12 of the most captivating Greek myths, including Echo and Narcissus, Eros and Psyche, and Prometheus and Pandora (see the full contents list below).

These myths have been haunting us for millennia, but are they really, as has been claimed, the repositories of deep wisdom and mystical secrets? Get your copy now to find out.

Staggeringly exquisite… The Meaning of Myth by Neel Burton is teaching and writing at its most superb and is as entertaining as you could ever wish for. —Readers' Favorite ★★★★★

In this fascinating read, psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton unpacks 12 popular tales—from Eros and Psyche to Orpheus and Eurydice—to explore the meaning of myth in today’s society and its relation to life, science, and religion. —BookBub (Featured New Release)

Burton’s erudition is apparent throughout this highly readable construction, balanced by a personable style and subtle humor. —The US Review of Books (Recommended)

Accessible and entertaining... Burton expounds some of the most intriguing Greek myths to shed light on this fascinating expression of the human imagination. —Armand D'Angour, classical scholar and author of Socrates in Love

Burton is never short of an interesting and sharp judgment. —Prof Peter Toohey, Psychology Today

Burton’s writing blends deep knowledge of his subject with lively anecdote and a genuine concern for how we might draw on the insights of psychology and philosophy to live a better life. Highly recommended! —Dr Gareth Southwell, philosopher and writer

About the author

Dr Neel Burton FRSA is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the recipient of the Society of Authors’ Richard Asher Prize, the British Medical Association’s Young Authors’ Award, the Medical Journalists’ Association Open Book Award, and a Best in the World Gourmand Award. His work has featured in the likes of Aeon, the Spectator, and the Times, and been translated into several languages.

Contents

Part I: The Meaning of Myth

1. In the beginning was the word
2. Myth, legend, fable, and fairy tale
3. Myth, religion, and ritual
4. Myth and science
5. The history of myth and mythology
6. Myth, metaphor, and allegory
7. Plato’s myths
8. Magic
9. Heroes
10. Monsters
11. Misogyny
12. Myth in the modern world

Part II: 12 Myths Decoded

13. Echo and Narcissus
14. Eros and Psyche
15. Seers and oracles: Teiresias, Cassandra, and Laocoön
16. Chiron, the wounded healer
17. Pygmalion, the passionate artist
18. Prometheus, the fallen rebel
19. Orpheus and Eurydice
20. Mother goddesses: Demeter and Persephone
21. Perseus and Medusa
22. Theseus and the Minotaur
23. Dionysus, the twice-born liberator
24. Plato’s Myth of Er

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  1. Part of series
    Ancient Wisdom
  2. Print length
    206 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 15, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.52 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    191326016X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1913260163
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

Narcissus

A fascinating read...

—BookBub

Echo and Narcissus

I have long been fascinated by the myth of Echo and Narcissus, and may finally have cracked its meaning.

First, let’s remind ourselves of the myth. In Ovid’s version, the nymph Echo falls in love with Narcissus, a youth of extraordinary beauty. As a child, Narcissus had been prophesied by Teiresias, the blind prophet of Thebes, to ‘live to a ripe old age, as long as he never knows himself’.

One day, Echo followed Narcissus through the woods as he hunted for stags. She longed to speak to him but dared not utter the first word. Overhearing her footsteps, the youth cried out, ‘Who’s there?’—to which she responded, ‘Who’s there?’ When at last she revealed herself, she leapt to embrace Narcissus, but he scorned her and cast her off. Echo spent the rest of her days pining for Narcissus, and slowly withered away until there was nothing left of her but her voice.

Some time after his encounter with Echo, Narcissus went to quench his thirst at a pool of water. Seeing his own image in the water, he fell in love with it. But each time he bent down to kiss it, it seemed to disappear. Narcissus grew ever more thirsty but would not leave or disturb the pool of water for fear of losing sight of his fine features. In the end, he died of thirst, and there, on that very spot, appeared the narcissus flower, with its bright face and bowed neck.

So what could this myth mean? On one level, it is an admonition to treat others as we would ourself be treated—and in particular to be considerate in responding to the affections of others, which, as with Echo, are often so raw and visceral as to be existential. Poor Echo had no self and no being outside of Narcissus, and after being rejected by him ‘slowly withered away until there was nothing left of her but her voice’. Even her voice, the only thing that remained of her, was his rather than her own.

On another level, the myth is a warning against vanity and self-love. Sometimes we get so caught up in our being, in our ego [Latin, ‘I am’], that we lose sight of the bigger picture and, as a result, pass over the beauty and bounty that is life. Paradoxically, by being too wrapped up in ourself, we actually restrict our range of perception and action and, ultimately, our potential as human beings. And so, in some sense, we kill ourself, like so many ambitious or self-centred people. Treating other people badly, as Narcissus did, is a sure sign of still being trapped in ourself.

Teiresias prophesied that Narcissus would ‘live to a ripe old age, as long as he never knows himself ’, because to truly know ourself is also to know that there is nothing to know. Our self, our ego, is nothing but an illusion, nothing more substantial than the unstable reflection that Narcissus tried in vain to kiss. Ultimately, Narcissus’s ego boundaries dissolved in death, and he merged back into creation in the form of a flower—the daffodil, which, like us, flowers too early and too briefly, and often too brashly, if it flowers at all.

Echo had not enough ego, and Narcissus far too much. The key is to find the right and dynamic equilibrium, to be secure in ourself and yet to be able to dissociate from the envelope that we happen to have been born into.

In Greek myth, the hero has to die and travel through the underworld before re-emerging as a hero. He has to conquer himself, to die to himself, to become more than merely human. For nothing is harder than to come back from hell.

Neel Burton

There is much more to mental health than the mere absence of mental disorder. Today, I write about all the things that I was never taught.

The Ancient Wisdom series
The new Ancient Wisdom series

The best, most beautiful, and most powerful ideas of the Classical World.

To be ignorant of the past is to be forever a child. For what is the time of man, lest it be interwoven with that memory of ancient things of a superior age? —Cicero

  • The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist
  • The Gang of Three: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
  • Stoic Stories: Stoicism by Its Best Stories
  • Indian Mythology and Philosophy

Neel Burton

Multi award-winning non-fiction author

Dr Neel Burton FRSA is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the winner of the Society of Authors' Richard Asher Prize, the British Medical Association's Young Authors' Award, and the Medical Journalists' Association Open Book Award. His work regularly features in the likes of Aeon and Psychology Today and has been translated into several languages.

His books include:

  • The Meaning of Madness: A Critical Guide to Mental Health and Illness
  • Hide and Seek: The Psychology of Self-Deception
  • Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions
  • For Better For Worse: Essays on Love, Marriage, and More
  • Hypersanity: Thinking Beyond Thinking
  • The Art of Failure: The Anti Self-Help Guide
  • The Meaning of Myth: With 12 Greek Myths Retold and Interpreted by a Psychiatrist
  • The Gang of Three: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and more...
Neel Burton books

The Ancient Wisdom series

Revel in the wisdom of the Ancients.

To be ignorant of the past is to be forever a child. For what is the time of man, lest it be interwoven with that memory of ancient things of a superior age? —Cicero

The first three books in the Ancient Wisdom series survey a thousand years of Western intellectual history, from the rise of the Greek city states to the peak height of the Roman Empire. This uniquely fertile period, which encompasses the Golden Age of Athens, began in mystical, mythological thought, and culminated in the hyper-rational, hyper-practical philosophy of the Stoics.

The incipient Christian religion absorbed and adapted, and for a long time occulted, many ancient doctrines, which is why, despite their remoteness, they can seem so strangely familiar. In the late Middle Ages, the rediscovery of Plato fuelled the humanistic Renaissance, which pushed back against the Church.

The Renaissance was a time of great hope and optimism, which, in many ways, proved premature. Faith provides a compelling reason to live, and a compelling reason to be good, which, for better or worse, many people have lost. For all our progress in science, technology, and education, more than one in five adults are now suffering from some form of depression. It’s almost as if we’ve come full circle, minus the philosophy.

Might it then be time to look afresh at these ancient ideas and find in them a happier way of living? Might it be time, in other words, for a new Renaissance?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Staggeringly exquisite... The Meaning of Myth by Neel Burton is teaching and writing at its most superb and is as entertaining as you could ever wish for. --Readers' Favorite ★★★★★

In this fascinating read, psychiatrist and philosopher Neel Burton unpacks 12 popular tales--from Eros and Psyche to Orpheus and Eurydice--to explore the meaning of myth in today's society and its relation to life, science, and religion. --BookBub (Featured New Release)

Accessible and entertaining... Burton expounds some of the most intriguing Greek myths to shed light on this fascinating expression of the human imagination. --Armand D'Angour, classical scholar and author of Socrates in Love

Burton's erudition is apparent throughout this highly readable construction, balanced by a personable style and subtle humor. --The US Review of Books (Recommended)

I've read many Neel Burton books. He's a wonderful writer and able to immerse you lightly in pretty heavy stuff. --Adrian Bailey, Vine Voice

About the Author

Dr Neel Burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the recipient of the Society of Authors' Richard Asher Prize, the British Medical Association's Young Authors' Award, the Medical Journalists' Association Open Book Award, and a Best in the World Gourmand Award. His work has featured in the likes of Aeon, the Spectator, and the Times, and been translated into several languages.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Acheron Press (April 15, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 206 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 191326016X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913260163
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.52 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 167 ratings

About the author

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Neel Burton

Neel Burton

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"There is much more to mental health than the mere absence of mental disorder. Today, I write about all the things that I was never taught."

Dr Neel Burton FRSA is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and wine-lover who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. He is a Fellow of Green-Templeton College in the University of Oxford, and the winner of several book prizes including, the feather in his cap, a Best in the World Gourmand Award. His work features regularly in the likes of Aeon and Psychology Today and has been translated into several languages. When he is not reading or writing, or imbibing, he enjoys cooking, gardening, skiing, learning languages, visiting museums and gardens, and travelling, especially to sunny wine regions.

His books include

★ In the Ancient Wisdom series

• The Meaning of Myth

• The Gang of Three: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

• Stoic Stories

• Indian Mythology and Philosophy

★ In the Ataraxia series

• The Meaning of Madness

• Hide and Seek: The Psychology of Self-Deception

• Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions

• For Better For Worse: Essays on Sex, Love, Marriage, and More

• Hypersanity: Thinking Beyond Thinking

• The Art of Failure: The Anti Self-Help Guide

★ Self-help books

• The Secret to Everything: How to Live More and Suffer Less

• Growing from Depression

★ Wine

• The Concise Guide to Wine and Blind Tasting

Blog and bio at www.neelburton.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
167 global ratings
If you want to expand your brain, pick this book up!
5 Stars
If you want to expand your brain, pick this book up!
"The Meaning of Myth" by Neel Burton is a fascinating exploration of the role of myth in our lives. In this book, Burton offers a comprehensive overview of the various functions of myth across different cultures and time periods. Drawing on examples from ancient Greek, Norse, and Hindu mythology, as well as contemporary culture, Burton examines how myths can provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose, help us to understand ourselves and the world around us, and offer a means of connecting with others. There are two sections of this book; The first section gives the backgrounds of the terms Folklore, Fable and Myth and the differences between them. The second section contains 12 Myths, where he used a lot of comparative thoughts and Myth from different parts of the world. Throughout the book there are also pictures of beautiful ancient artwork. The only thing is that I felt his interpretations were a tad bit choppy. It definitely left room for the mind to think and wonder. I chose to read this book for a Mythology course. As a Psychology major, it really helped me analyze and see things in a different perspective. There were a lot of things pointed out that I never realized until reading this book. Overall, "The Meaning of Myth" is an insightful and thought-provoking book that offers a fresh perspective on the enduring power of myth and where we gain a lot of terminology from. For that, I am giving this book five stars and recommend this book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Heather Gei
5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to expand your brain, pick this book up!
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
"The Meaning of Myth" by Neel Burton is a fascinating exploration of the role of myth in our lives. In this book, Burton offers a comprehensive overview of the various functions of myth across different cultures and time periods. Drawing on examples from ancient Greek, Norse, and Hindu mythology, as well as contemporary culture, Burton examines how myths can provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose, help us to understand ourselves and the world around us, and offer a means of connecting with others. There are two sections of this book; The first section gives the backgrounds of the terms Folklore, Fable and Myth and the differences between them. The second section contains 12 Myths, where he used a lot of comparative thoughts and Myth from different parts of the world. Throughout the book there are also pictures of beautiful ancient artwork. The only thing is that I felt his interpretations were a tad bit choppy. It definitely left room for the mind to think and wonder. I chose to read this book for a Mythology course. As a Psychology major, it really helped me analyze and see things in a different perspective. There were a lot of things pointed out that I never realized until reading this book. Overall, "The Meaning of Myth" is an insightful and thought-provoking book that offers a fresh perspective on the enduring power of myth and where we gain a lot of terminology from. For that, I am giving this book five stars and recommend this book.
Customer image
Heather Gei
5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to expand your brain, pick this book up!
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2023
"The Meaning of Myth" by Neel Burton is a fascinating exploration of the role of myth in our lives. In this book, Burton offers a comprehensive overview of the various functions of myth across different cultures and time periods. Drawing on examples from ancient Greek, Norse, and Hindu mythology, as well as contemporary culture, Burton examines how myths can provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose, help us to understand ourselves and the world around us, and offer a means of connecting with others. There are two sections of this book; The first section gives the backgrounds of the terms Folklore, Fable and Myth and the differences between them. The second section contains 12 Myths, where he used a lot of comparative thoughts and Myth from different parts of the world. Throughout the book there are also pictures of beautiful ancient artwork. The only thing is that I felt his interpretations were a tad bit choppy. It definitely left room for the mind to think and wonder. I chose to read this book for a Mythology course. As a Psychology major, it really helped me analyze and see things in a different perspective. There were a lot of things pointed out that I never realized until reading this book. Overall, "The Meaning of Myth" is an insightful and thought-provoking book that offers a fresh perspective on the enduring power of myth and where we gain a lot of terminology from. For that, I am giving this book five stars and recommend this book.
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6 people found this helpful
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Kate
4.0 out of 5 stars second half is better
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
I bought the book after running across the author's illuminating articles on psychology/philosophy online (such as "meaning of life" etc.) and found them interesting. I wanted to see how a psychiatrist would interpret mythology, which is one of my favorite subjects.

The first half of the book (definitions of various terms) was too basic for my taste. Among it, the highlights were his take on magic, modern world and Plato. The rest--esp. heros, monsters, legend, fairy tales, etc.--were elementary concepts that you'd learn in high school (or Eng Lit 101). The second half however was riveting! Very fun summary of each myth, followed by psychological and/or "historical" (he's using all that he defined in the first half of the book) interpretations--well done! (I see why Burton defined all terms first half, but still, second half would have sufficed).

There was one part I did love from the first half: "But now religion... is on the decline--in favor of science... which has come to occupy the same place in the human psyche as religion once did--and, before that, magic." I think Burton's strength is in psychology and philosophy, and not English Lit. His writing is extremely clear and very easy to read.
6 people found this helpful
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Crystal
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2024
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I am looking forward to reading this book again.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good place to explore the ideas.
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2022
Verified Purchase
Really basic intro to mythology, I mean this in the good way. It is well written entertaining and stirs the want for more. Made me think how cool it would be if Amazon could add a "how to pronounce" feature to their books.
7 people found this helpful
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Helen Bennett
5.0 out of 5 stars De-mystifies Myth
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
I loved this book about the ancient Greek myths and their probable meaning. I studied philosophy in college long ago and have recently been teaching senior citizens about ancient Greece and Rome, and the much loved mythology of the older culture. I especially liked learning about the misogyny so many of the Greek myths reveal. Having recently seen the musical "Hadestown" and the movie "Black Orpheus," I was intrigued by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, and also that of Hades and Persephone. I learned many new perspectives on the Greek myths, which are endlessly fascinating to me. They are more than just delightful fairy tales!
4 people found this helpful
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Nicholas LaBelle
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read Overall, wish there was more of the first half of the book
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Picked this book up because I liked the cover and was interested in the meaning of myth. I see a lot of retellings and surface level explanations out there, but am more curious about interpretations and significance of the myth (meaning). I was was also hesitant to buy the book because I’m always suspicious when I see self published series (don’t know why).

I really enjoyed the first half of this book but the some of the chapters in part 2 didn’t hit for me as the authors takeaways weren’t necessarily clear, which is what I was looking for. But overall I liked the book enough that I’m going to buy the authors book on Stoicism.
2 people found this helpful
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Rajiv M
3.0 out of 5 stars A nice but surface discussion of the denotative meaning of "myth" and interpretations of 12 stories
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2021
Verified Purchase
The premise of a psychologist plumbing the depths of Western society's bedrock stories to decode the symbolism of our culture is compelling. This book delivers on the premise, but with a bit less depth than I'd hoped.

The first part of the book is not devoted to analysis, but to definition of terms. What distinguishes a myth from a legend or folktale? What are fables and allegories? What qualifies as a monster? A hero? It's a good discussion for those who like precision in their story taxonomy (and I do), but it's likely not the sense of the "meaning of myth" that we came for, and it takes up half the book.

The second half is the analysis of 12 myths, and it is interesting, though if you've done some reading of Freud and Jung, you'll not be surprised by the interpretations. I'd hoped for some newer interpretive frameworks, but perhaps there aren't any?

The writing is clear and accessible, though there are some quirks. There are repeated passages (e.g. with Pandora) that seem to be copied and pasted multiple times, as if the chapters were freestanding essays. In the ebook, there are a lot of hyperlinks to the author's other books (and a section about them at the end). There are odd anecdotes about the author's wine trips which don't necessarily serve the context in which they're inserted. But hey, it's wine.
35 people found this helpful
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jsantana2418
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2022
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I really enjoyed this book and probably one the few books where I have taken so many highlights. I have always been fascinated with stories and the meaning behind them all, especially, with in myths and the author produces a great book and has inspired me to venture in this domain extracting wisdom with the masses through myths. I will revisit this golden gem time after time.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

John Snelling
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating insights on the contemporary and enduring relevance of some ancient myths.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2021
Verified Purchase
Neel Burton starts with a good account of what myth is and how it differs from fable, legend and other forms. He then looks at a number of Greek myths and discussed them both in terms of how they were seen in their own time and what they have to tell us now. I particularly liked the way in which his discussions clearly arise from a way of seeing that integrates psychological and philosophical perspectives. Too often psychology and philosophy each implicitly claim a kind of conceptual primacy in understanding what it is to think and make sense of our experience. Neel Burton avoids this entirely. Based on the blurbs for his other books, I think he may discuss this point in one of more of them.
10 people found this helpful
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Matt Shinn
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2021
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I purchased this Kindle edition with credit given to me by my daughter for Father's Day. I had seen it advertised and dropped it into my wishlist. I could not stop reading. I have a keen interest in Myths of all origins. This book is very well written, full of information, and a real pleasure to read. U have also purchased Hypersanity which I will read next, and then go on and get all of Neel's books in the series.
2 people found this helpful
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J. Goulding
5.0 out of 5 stars Myths for today
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2021
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I enjoyed this vibrant retelling of myths. The book was well researched and the link with psychiatry fascinating. It's universality relates well for today.
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fictionreader
3.0 out of 5 stars A book of two halves
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2021
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The first half of this book was fantastic and a pleasure to read, giving insights to story and myth, and the differences between for example fable and fairy tale. It is worth buying for this half of the book and I will keep it on my shelf. This half of the book flowed really well and the author's enthusiasm for his subject came over to the reader.

However, the re-tellings in the second half are rushed, and not particularly insightful. The stories don't flow or have any sense of momentum, and the commentaries for each story are sometimes as short as three or four lines. Why choose twelve? Three in more depth with proper analysis would have been better and allowed us to get a real sense of their meaning.

The book is still worth buying for its analysis of story & myth in the first section, but read the myths themselves somewhere else, and use your own amateur psychology to decode them!
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Martin McN
2.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as you would hope.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2021
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While it was interesting enough to read the retelling of the myths, the analysis was dubious at best and perhaps facile at worst. As a non-psychologist, I could have written this with simply my personal unfounded (and lacking in evidence) views.
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