The Legend of Myth

The Legend of Myth is a valuable work by Najaf Daryabandari, consisting of 250 pages that encompass his studies on the topic of “legend and myth.” This book, published by Karnameh publishing house, provides invaluable information on the subject matter, meeting both the research needs and the curiosity of interested readers. One of the first things that might capture the reader’s attention is the title “The Legend of Myth,” which highlights the importance of the term “legend” and its use in the sense of “myth,” as opposed to “mythology.” Najaf Daryabandari clarifies at the beginning of the book that in Persian, “legend” has traditionally been used in this sense, but it seems that nowadays, the term “myth” has replaced it in many contexts. He explains that this shift occurred due to a historical misunderstanding, creating ambiguity in Persian culture and language.
The main focus of the book “The Legend of Myth” is to understand the true meaning of each term and to eliminate this confusion by defining legend, myth, and mythology. The author draws upon interpretations and theories of prominent figures such as Cassirer, Malinowski, Mircea Eliade, Georges Sorel, and Levi-Strauss, delving into political and social motivations, field anthropology, creative interpretation, Marxist myth, and structural analysis of myth. In addition to exploring the history of legends, the author examines the origin of myths, the conflict within legends, and the ultimate fate of mythology.