Exploring the role of mythology in classical and modern English literature

This examination examines how mythology has changed across English literature, following its importance from classical to contemporary periods. For authors like Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, and William Shakespeare, mythology was an essential tool in classical English writing. They employed mythical references and depictions of gods and heroes to tackle difficult subjects like fate, morality, and divine intervention. Writers like T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and W.B. Yeats reframed mythology as literature advanced into the modern age to capture the social disillusionment and psychic disarray of the 19th and 20th centuries. This essay explores how mythology evolved from a literal framework for investigating universal truths to a symbolic and metaphorical instrument for addressing current challenges of identity, culture, and existential crises by looking at works from both the classical and modern eras. By using this perspective, the study shows how mythological allusions in English literature have changed and persisted, highlighting their ongoing significance in comprehending social issues and human nature.