Myth and Magic

I love ancient history, so it will come as no surprise that I have a slight obsession with mythology. In fact, anyone who knows me will tell you I can ramble off facts about Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt at the least provocation, but ask me about our own politics? Well, the best I can do for you is to tell you it has its roots in the philosophy of Ancient Greece and its form was birthed in the Senate of Ancient Rome. But what I love most about Ancient History is mythology, and that’s possibly why I’m so fascinated by paranormal and fantasy romance.

Mythology is the core of our beliefs. It underpins our values system and shapes our perception of the world. The mythology of our forefathers drove their actions and that is still reflected in the behaviour of their descendants today. Want proof? Our obsession with imbibing too much wine and partying has its origins in the Ancient Greek worship of Dionysus, God of Wine, Festivity and Fertility. Angels and demons are used by many cultures to metaphorically represent the battle in all of us between good and evil.

Humans across all cultures have personified natural elements to justify when they don’t behave the way we expect them to. Whole heap of thunder and lightning? Someone’s pissed off Thor. Wife got pregnant after having struggled for years in vain? Bastet helped her out. Only as time went on, these beliefs were absorbed into other religions (yes absorbed—look up whose birthday was originally Dec 25^th), leaving us with the with core religions that worshipped only one God, but still attributed an individual’s happiness and pain to a higher power.  

So, here’s how it affects romance, specifically paranormal, fantasy and science fiction. The roots of paranormal romance come from all ancient religions, in particular the monsters that go bump in the night. Vampires are the expression of our fear of perfection and sexuality; shifters (particularly werewolves) represent the battle each of us faces with our bestial nature. In fantasy, most mythology surrounding gods, dragons and fae urges individuals to be wary of staying from the herd, lest you become a victim of another’s desire. These beings also represent our fear of the unknown and what the future holds.

My point is, that modern paranormal and fantasy romance forces us to face all those things and embrace them. The things that scare us most are beautiful—or should I say loveable—in their own right. We accept our sexuality through idolising vampires and our bestial nature when we romance shifters. We acknowledge our propensity for rebellion when we are enthralled by gods and dragons, and finally, we embrace hope when we love outside of our limited boundaries.

Mythology shows readers how to be cautious. Add romance, and readers are asked to throw caution to the wind in favour of a love that could be beyond their wildest dreams.

And who doesn’t want to experience the magic of that?