Section 2, Part 1 Summary and Analysis

This section is entitled Myth Today, and is an in-depth analysis of the meanings and manifestations of myth in contemporary society—contemporary, that is, to the author's time (mid-twentieth century).

"Myth is a Type of Speech" The author begins his examination of myth by asserting that myth is, in its essence, a form of speech, a communication of meaning. He extends the definition of speech to include what is written and visual as well as verbal, supporting this argument by pointing out that prehistoric cave paintings have, for several years, been identified as forms of speech. He also asserts that myth exists solely within historical context, and within the language of its context, arguing that "...it is human history which converts reality into speech, and it alone rules the life and the death of mythical language ... myth is...