Custom and Myth

"Custom and Myth" by Andrew Lang is a selection of writings that scrutinize old and new mythology and ancient stories. These writings scrutinize popular ways of analyzing tales, especially those that come from language study, and shows how these aren't good enough. Lang examines different mythologies, like those from Greece, India, and native populations, to suggest that many stories have the same beginnings and ideas, shaped by what it means to be human, instead of just arising from language. Lang wrote this because he did not like how scholars were comparing tales. He talks about how myths don't just come from messed-up language. Instead, he introduces an anthropological point of view, recommending that stories can be understood better by looking at how they remain constant throughout humanity, connecting to basic human nature and similar human experiences.