Heroic birth

From: David Cake <davidc_at_cs.uwa.edu.au>
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 1995 15:35:37 +0800

>To say that there are myths about childbirth is one thing; why should
>it be a Hero myth, in particular?

        Actually, there are several myth patterns specifically to do with the birth of heroes as well (such as the so called oedipal father wanting to kill or eat the child (Freud is mostly rubbish, but its a convenient term) and being cast adrift in rushes). But those are myths to do with the birth of heroes, not childbirth in general.

        I think that calling childbirth a heroquest is to generalise the term heroquest to much. Rather, childbirth is a an event of strong mythic potential and potent symbolism, and as such it may often be an event that occurs within a heroquest. IE not every significant life event is a heroquest - rather heroquests are made of such events.

        Cheers
                Dave




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