Laurence Coupe offers students a crucial overview of the evolution of 'myth', from the ancient Greek definitions to those of a range of contemporary thinkers. This introductory volume:

• provides an introduction to both the theory of myth and the making of myth
• explores the uses made of the term 'myth' within the fields of literary criticism, anthropology, cultural studies, feminism, Marxism and psychoanalysis
• discusses the association between modernism, postmodernism, myth and history
• familiarises the reader with themes such as the dying god, the quest for the grail, the relation between 'chaos' and 'cosmos', and the vision of the end of time
• illustrates the relation between myth, culture and literature with discussions of poetry, fiction, film and popular song.