Belief Myths in the Purathinai Society

புறத்திணைச் சமூகத்தில் நம்பிக்கைத் தொன்மங்கள்

Abstract

In the twentieth century, literary studies have evolved into various research fields. Influenced by Western scholarship, literary criticism has expanded into multiple specialized domains, including hermeneutic criticism, comparative criticism, appreciative criticism, and myth criticism. Among these, folklore criticism has seen significant growth, leading to the development of mythological studies. As a result, oral literary traditions passed down through generations have gained prominence. Myths permeate every aspect of society, influencing its cultural and ideological structures. Hence, myths are explicitly reflected in Sangam literature. This study examines the myths present in Purananuru, one of the classical Tamil Sangam literary texts, focusing on belief myths as a research subject.