About this book
Andrew Lang's groundbreaking *Myth, Ritual and Religion — Volume 1* offers a revolutionary approach to understanding how humanity creates and perpetuates mythological systems. This foundational work in comparative religion and anthropology examines the fundamental contradiction between religious belief and mythological narrative, proposing that myths emerge not from poetic invention, but from the actual mental condition of ancient peoples.
Lang traces the development of mythological thought through the lens of savage mentality—a state of human consciousness characterized by the confusion of animate and inanimate nature, belief in sorcery, and profound credulity. By studying totemism across diverse cultures from Australia to North America, from Africa to Asia, Lang demonstrates that mythology represents a survival of this primitive worldview, offering rational explanations for natural phenomena within the framework of ancient understanding.
This rigorous exploration challenges earlier mythological theories, particularly those of Max Müller, while incorporating the evolutionary perspective that shaped Victorian scholarship. Lang's comparative historical method reveals how the same mythological patterns surface across unrelated civilizations—not through diffusion alone, but through the universal human experience of grappling with an incomprehensible world.
Perfect for students of religious history, anthropology, and mythology, this classic audiobook remains essential for anyone seeking to understand the deep psychological and cultural roots of human belief systems and the timeless appeal of myth across all societies.
