Myths in the foundation of historical narration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/KLIO.2015.026Keywords
historiographical myth, historical narration, educationAbstract
There are many definitions of historiographical (narrative) myth. For the purpose of this article we can assume that a myth is a construct which, in spite of the results of scientific research, reaches the status of factual or symbolic truth, which, for different reasons, is not a subject to verification. It is a ‘stable’, ‘sacred’ knowledge. Myths are usually created on a conceptual level of historical narration and have an influence on what historians publish on informative level and on the persuasions they make. Mythical thinking begins at the moment when historians lose control over their researches or deliberately ignore the requirements of scientific research. The most important function of myth in historiographical practice is the foundation of historiographical narration, that is, connecting all the elements of the stories about the past and giving them meaning and coherence. Historian’s narration must be holistic to some extent, have its own chronological and structural narrative line. Myths may, but do not have to, be guided by narrative strategies, may convince one to adopt a specific historical concept, may give symbolic meanings to historical events, create the heroes, fill in what is unknown, reveal the inadequancies of language conventions. A myth is not always false. We can fight with it, try to deconstruct it or just accept it as an element of culture which is neither true nor false.
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