RLG101H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Zoomorphism
Document Summary
Tricksters were developed by scholars to categorize a certain type of character that appears in stories of many cultures ex. They"re referred to as cultural heroes and are central figures of a community"s stories and serves to teach important lessons in history, ethics and relationships. They are zoomorphic meaning they take forms of animals ex. They can change genders and sometimes put women"s clothing on and mimic female like characteristics ex. They"re related to both spirit and material/human worlds, they"re more than human but less than gods. They can be selfless or greedy, kind or cruel, fools or serious. They"re behaviours are scandalous, violating social order that"s because social order needs to be violated. When to imitate the trickster"s example or do the opposite is by looking at the trickster"s motivation: whether an action is intended to help others or driven by self-interest. Our judgement depends on understanding what"s good for the community.
