National myth

Common card · No. 418359

A national myth is a narrative about a nation's past. Such myths often serve as important national symbols and affirm a set of national values. A myth is fictitious and often mixed with aspects of history to form a mythos, which itself has been described as "a pattern of beliefs expressing often symbolically the characteristic or prevalent attitudes in a group or culture". Myths thereby operate in a specific social and historical setting that help structure national imagination and identity. A national myth may take the form of a national epic, or it may be incorporated into a civil religion. A national myth is a narrative which has been elevated to a symbolic and esteemed level so as to be true to the nation. The national folklore of many nations includes a founding myth, which may involve a struggle against colonialism or a war of independence or unification. In many cases, the meaning of the national myth is disputed among different parts of the population. In some places, the national...

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