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The Cry for Myth
Here are case studies in which myths have helped Dr. May's patients make sense out of an often senseless world. It happens almost daily in a therapist's office. A patient, recalling a person, an event, an emotion, quite unexpectedly supplies a link from a life in the present to one of the durable myths of our culture. In this moment, the myth becomes a mirror, revealing to the patient the source of disturbance and pain in a pattern of behavior that often stretches a year or longer. The healing process begins. The myth, "eternity breaking into time" in Rollo Mays's words, becomes the focal point of recovery. Through tracing myths – whether from classical Greece and Dante's Middle Ages, European legend (Faust and the prototype of Sleeping Beauty), or contemporary American life (Jay Gatsby) -- and relating them to the dreams and associations he encounters in his own practice, Dr. May provides meaning and structure for all who seek direction in a morally confusing world. In this, perhaps the finest achievement of a great therapist, Rollo May writes with "the grace, wit, and style: for which he recently received the Gold Medal of the American Psychological Society.
324 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1991
60 people are currently reading
1431 people want to read
About the author
Rollo May
86 books844 followersRollo May (April 21, 1909 – October 22, 1994) was an American existential psychologist. He authored the influential book Love and Will during 1969.
Although he is often associated with humanistic psychology, his philosophy was influenced strongly by existentialist philosophy. May was a close friend of the theologian Paul Tillich. His works include Love and Will and The Courage to Create, the latter title honoring Tillich's The Courage to Be.
Biography
May was born in Ada, Ohio in 1909. He experienced a difficult childhood, with his parents divorcing and his sister becoming schizophrenic. His educational career took him to Michigan State College majoring in English and Oberlin College for a bachelor's degree, teaching for a time in Greece, to Union Theological Seminary for a BD during 1938, and finally to Teachers College, Columbia University for a PhD in clinical psychology during 1949. May was a founder and faculty member of Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in San Francisco.[1]
He spent the final years of his life in Tiburon on San Francisco Bay, where he died in October 1994.
Accomplishments
May was influenced by American humanism, and interested in reconciling existential psychology with other philosophies, especially Freud's.
May considered Otto Rank (1884-1939) to be the most important precursor of existential therapy. Shortly before his death, May wrote the foreword to Robert Kramer's edited collection of Rank’s American lectures. “I have long considered Otto Rank to be the great unacknowledged genius in Freud’s circle,” wrote May (Rank, 1996, p. xi).
May used some traditional existential terms in a slightly different fashion than others, and he invented new words for traditional existentialist concepts. Destiny, for example, could be "thrownness" combined with "fallenness" — the part of our lives that is determined for us, for the purpose of creating our lives. He also used the word "courage" to signify resisting anxiety.
He defined certain "stages" of development:
Innocence – the pre-egoic, pre-self-conscious stage of the infant.
An innocent is only doing what he or she must do. However, an innocent does have a degree of will in the sense of a drive to fulfill needs.
Rebellion – the rebellious person wants freedom, but does not yet have a good understanding of the responsibility that goes with it.
Decision – The person is in a transition stage in their life such that they need to be more independent from their parents and settle into the "ordinary stage". In this stage they must decide what to do with their life, and fulfilling rebellious needs from the rebellious stage.
Ordinary – the normal adult ego learned responsibility, but finds it too demanding, and so seeks refuge in conformity and traditional values.
Creative – the authentic adult, the existential stage, self-actualizing and transcending simple egocentrism.
These are not "stages" in the traditional sense. A child may certainly be innocent, ordinary or creative at times; an adult may be rebellious. The only association with certain ages is in terms of importance: rebelliousness is more important for a two year old or a teenager.
May perceived the sexual mores of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as commercialization of sex and pornography, as having influenced society such that people believed that love and sex are no longer associated directly. According to May, emotion has become separated from reason, making it acceptable socially to seek sexual relationships and avoid the natural drive to relate to another person and create new life. May believed that sexual freedom can cause modern society to neglect more important psychological developments. May suggests that the only way to remedy the cynical ideas that characterize our times is to rediscover the importance of caring for another, which May describes as the opposite of apathy.
His first book, The Meaning of Anxiety, was based on his d
Although he is often associated with humanistic psychology, his philosophy was influenced strongly by existentialist philosophy. May was a close friend of the theologian Paul Tillich. His works include Love and Will and The Courage to Create, the latter title honoring Tillich's The Courage to Be.
Biography
May was born in Ada, Ohio in 1909. He experienced a difficult childhood, with his parents divorcing and his sister becoming schizophrenic. His educational career took him to Michigan State College majoring in English and Oberlin College for a bachelor's degree, teaching for a time in Greece, to Union Theological Seminary for a BD during 1938, and finally to Teachers College, Columbia University for a PhD in clinical psychology during 1949. May was a founder and faculty member of Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center in San Francisco.[1]
He spent the final years of his life in Tiburon on San Francisco Bay, where he died in October 1994.
Accomplishments
May was influenced by American humanism, and interested in reconciling existential psychology with other philosophies, especially Freud's.
May considered Otto Rank (1884-1939) to be the most important precursor of existential therapy. Shortly before his death, May wrote the foreword to Robert Kramer's edited collection of Rank’s American lectures. “I have long considered Otto Rank to be the great unacknowledged genius in Freud’s circle,” wrote May (Rank, 1996, p. xi).
May used some traditional existential terms in a slightly different fashion than others, and he invented new words for traditional existentialist concepts. Destiny, for example, could be "thrownness" combined with "fallenness" — the part of our lives that is determined for us, for the purpose of creating our lives. He also used the word "courage" to signify resisting anxiety.
He defined certain "stages" of development:
Innocence – the pre-egoic, pre-self-conscious stage of the infant.
An innocent is only doing what he or she must do. However, an innocent does have a degree of will in the sense of a drive to fulfill needs.
Rebellion – the rebellious person wants freedom, but does not yet have a good understanding of the responsibility that goes with it.
Decision – The person is in a transition stage in their life such that they need to be more independent from their parents and settle into the "ordinary stage". In this stage they must decide what to do with their life, and fulfilling rebellious needs from the rebellious stage.
Ordinary – the normal adult ego learned responsibility, but finds it too demanding, and so seeks refuge in conformity and traditional values.
Creative – the authentic adult, the existential stage, self-actualizing and transcending simple egocentrism.
These are not "stages" in the traditional sense. A child may certainly be innocent, ordinary or creative at times; an adult may be rebellious. The only association with certain ages is in terms of importance: rebelliousness is more important for a two year old or a teenager.
May perceived the sexual mores of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as commercialization of sex and pornography, as having influenced society such that people believed that love and sex are no longer associated directly. According to May, emotion has become separated from reason, making it acceptable socially to seek sexual relationships and avoid the natural drive to relate to another person and create new life. May believed that sexual freedom can cause modern society to neglect more important psychological developments. May suggests that the only way to remedy the cynical ideas that characterize our times is to rediscover the importance of caring for another, which May describes as the opposite of apathy.
His first book, The Meaning of Anxiety, was based on his d
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 22, 2025
İlk izlenimimi yazayım. Henüz ilk 30 sayfasını okudum ve şu ana kadar keşke daha önce okusaymışım diyorum. Sadece psikoloji değil aynı zamanda bir antropoloji ve sosyoloji kitabı da olduğunu görüyorum. Hatta dinler tarihini de kapsayan bir yaklaşımı olacak sanırım.
Sayfa 15-17
“Bir mit, anlamsız bir dünyada anlam yaratma yoludur. Mitler, varoluşumuza anlam katan anlatı kalıplarıdır. Varoluşun anlamı yalnızca bireysel direncimizle hayata kattığımız şey midir — Sartre’ın düşündüğü gibi — yoksa keşfetmemiz gereken bir anlam mı vardır — Kierkegaard’ın söylediği gibi? Sonuç değişmez: mitler, bu anlamı ve önemi bulma yolumuzdur. Mitler, bir evin kirişleri gibidir: dışarıdan görünmezler ama evi ayakta tutan yapıdır, insanların içinde yaşayabilmesini sağlarlar.
Mit yaratımı, ruh sağlığını kazanmanın vazgeçilmez bir parçasıdır ve şefkatli bir terapist bunu engellemez. Aslında, çağımızda psikoterapinin doğuşu ve yayılışı, mitlerimizin dağılmasının bir sonucudur.
Sağlıklı bir toplum, mitleri aracılığıyla üyelerine nevrotik suçluluk ve aşırı kaygıdan kurtulma imkânı verir.
....
Biz de yirminci yüzyılda benzer bir durumda, ‘sancılı kalpler’ ve ‘yakınmalar’ içindeyiz. Mitlerimiz artık varoluşu anlamlandırma işlevini görmüyor; günümüz insanı yaşamda yönsüz, amaçsız kalıyor; kaygılarını ve aşırı suçluluk duygularını kontrol edemiyor." ...
Bu kısmı okuduğumda hissettiğim ilk olarak toplum olarak mit anlayışımızın ne olduğunu incelemek gerekiyor. Ben uzun süredir sağlıksız bir toplum olduğumuzu düşünüyorum hatta büyük ihtimalle biz toplum değiliz ama kendimizi bir toplummuşuz gibi algılıyoruz. Her iki türlü de yani ister sağlıksız bir toplum olalım, ister kendimizi bir toplum zannedelim ortada bir sorun var.
Toplum olarak hangi mitlere inanıyoruz. Bu mitler ortak mı? Bu mitlere ne derece sahip çıkıyoruz? Yukarıdaki kısmı okuyunca aklıma bir sürü soru geldi.
*****
Okumaya devam ediyorum. 55. sayfaya geldim ve bir not paylaşmak istedim. Tabi ki her zaman olduğu gibi notlar tutarak ve alıntılar yapıp onlar hakkındaki izlenimlerimi yazarak ilerliyorum ama bir yeri buraya aktarmak istedim.
Sayfa 53:
blockquote:
paragraph:
Sayfa 55:
Sayfa 15-17
“Bir mit, anlamsız bir dünyada anlam yaratma yoludur. Mitler, varoluşumuza anlam katan anlatı kalıplarıdır. Varoluşun anlamı yalnızca bireysel direncimizle hayata kattığımız şey midir — Sartre’ın düşündüğü gibi — yoksa keşfetmemiz gereken bir anlam mı vardır — Kierkegaard’ın söylediği gibi? Sonuç değişmez: mitler, bu anlamı ve önemi bulma yolumuzdur. Mitler, bir evin kirişleri gibidir: dışarıdan görünmezler ama evi ayakta tutan yapıdır, insanların içinde yaşayabilmesini sağlarlar.
Mit yaratımı, ruh sağlığını kazanmanın vazgeçilmez bir parçasıdır ve şefkatli bir terapist bunu engellemez. Aslında, çağımızda psikoterapinin doğuşu ve yayılışı, mitlerimizin dağılmasının bir sonucudur.
Sağlıklı bir toplum, mitleri aracılığıyla üyelerine nevrotik suçluluk ve aşırı kaygıdan kurtulma imkânı verir.
....
Biz de yirminci yüzyılda benzer bir durumda, ‘sancılı kalpler’ ve ‘yakınmalar’ içindeyiz. Mitlerimiz artık varoluşu anlamlandırma işlevini görmüyor; günümüz insanı yaşamda yönsüz, amaçsız kalıyor; kaygılarını ve aşırı suçluluk duygularını kontrol edemiyor." ...
Bu kısmı okuduğumda hissettiğim ilk olarak toplum olarak mit anlayışımızın ne olduğunu incelemek gerekiyor. Ben uzun süredir sağlıksız bir toplum olduğumuzu düşünüyorum hatta büyük ihtimalle biz toplum değiliz ama kendimizi bir toplummuşuz gibi algılıyoruz. Her iki türlü de yani ister sağlıksız bir toplum olalım, ister kendimizi bir toplum zannedelim ortada bir sorun var.
Toplum olarak hangi mitlere inanıyoruz. Bu mitler ortak mı? Bu mitlere ne derece sahip çıkıyoruz? Yukarıdaki kısmı okuyunca aklıma bir sürü soru geldi.
*****
Okumaya devam ediyorum. 55. sayfaya geldim ve bir not paylaşmak istedim. Tabi ki her zaman olduğu gibi notlar tutarak ve alıntılar yapıp onlar hakkındaki izlenimlerimi yazarak ilerliyorum ama bir yeri buraya aktarmak istedim.
Sayfa 53:
blockquote:
"Nietzsche’nin haklı olduğuna şüphe yok: Mit için duyduğumuz güçlü açlık aslında bir topluluk açlığıdır. Bir miti olmayan kişi, bir evi olmayan kişidir ve gerçekten de bir “mitik rahim” bulabilmek için başka kültürlere sarılacaktır. Bir topluluğun üyesi olmak, onun mitlerine ortak olmak, Plymouth Kayası’na çıkan hacıları hatırlarken ya da Washington’un Delaware’i geçişini, Daniel Boone ve Kit Carson’un Batı’ya at sürmelerini anarken içimizde yanan aynı gururu hissetmektir. Yabancı, dışarıdan gelen, toplumun dışında kalan kişi ise bizim mitlerimizi paylaşmayan, başka yıldızlara göre yönünü belirleyen, başka tanrılara tapan kişidir." ...
paragraph:
Yukarıdaki tespitleri üzülerek okudum. Sosyoloji eğitimim boyunca toplum, topluluk, grup, sosyallik vb konularla ilgili çok şey okudum. Ve o zamanlar çözmeye çalıştığım ve hala da derdim olan bir konuyu çok düşündüm. Ben kendimi bir gruba, topluluğa, topluma, şehre, ülkeye ait hissetmiyorum. Milliyetçi değilim, dindar değilim. Hatta milliyetçiliğin ve dinin insanları bir arada tutmak için icat edilmiş insan ürünü şeyler olduğuna inanıyorum. Neden gerekli olduklarını anlıyorum ama ben böyle bir inanca sahip değilim. Dolayısı ile çok ciddi bir sorunum var. Hem milliyetçi değilim yani bir milletin üyesi olma fikri bana sempatik gelmiyor hem de ben de zorunlu olarak bir ülkenin parçasıyım. Ben kendimi vatandaş olarak görüyorum ama içinde olduğum vatandan da memnun değilim. Bu vatan dediğim yerin geleneklerini, alışkanlıklarını, ahlak standartlarını sevmiyorum. Bu durumda hissettiğim şey yalnızlık, yabancılaşma ve sonuç olarak çaresizlik. Şimdi bu kitapta benim bu durumumun adını “mitik rahim” eksikliği olarak görüyorum. Kendimi evsiz gibi hissetmemin sebebi buymuş demek ki.
Bu sorunu çözmek için daha küçük grupların içinde yer almaya çalışıyorum ama böyle grupları bulmanın da hiç kolay olmadığını görüyorum. ...
Sayfa 55:
Gerçekten de, William Alanson White Enstitüsü’nde gelişen etkili bir psikanaliz okulunda, Harry Stack Sullivan, Erich Fromm ve Frieda Fromm-Reichmann gibi ünlü psikanalistler, psikolojik sorunların kaynağının, insanların kültürlerindeki psikolojik açıdan anlamlı kişilerle olan ilişkilerinde yattığını ileri sürdüler. Bu nedenle terapide ortaya çıkan mitler, ev ve kültürle çok yakından bağlantılıdır. ...
Psikolojik açıdan anlamlı kişilerle olan ilişkilerimde sorunum var. İki konu ortaya çıkıyor: birincisi benim mitlerim neler; ikincisi benim mitlerimi paylaşabileceğim kişiler kimler ve bu kişileri nasıl bulabilirim?
Kendi mitlerim hakkında bazı önsezilerim var. Okumak, öğrenmek, kendini gerçekleştirmek, anlamlı bir hayat yaşamak, arkamda bir eser bırakmak, dalgalanmak (Irvin Yalom anlamında). Bu konuları önemsiyorum ama bunlar herhangi bir mit çerçevesinde nasıl değerlendirilir bilmiyorum. Beni duyarlılıklarıma sahip insanları nereden ve nasıl bulabilirim bilmiyorum. ...
November 30, 2019
An important read
This book changed the way I see everything! In life, literature, movies, friends, family, and myself. Rollo May has given new meaning for everything. It has even helped me better understand academic concepts while I do research. This is one of the most important reading materials for me, so I will be reading this book time and again as I need to.
This book changed the way I see everything! In life, literature, movies, friends, family, and myself. Rollo May has given new meaning for everything. It has even helped me better understand academic concepts while I do research. This is one of the most important reading materials for me, so I will be reading this book time and again as I need to.
May 11, 2021
Kitabın orjinalini okumadığım için çevirisi için yorum yapamayacağım ama gayet anlaşılır buldum. Fakat 'Cry for Myth' gibi bir başlığı böyle çevirip, kapağa yatakta yatıp bize anlamlı bakan genç kız fotoğrafı koyan şahsın nu iş için liyakatı sorgulanmalı.
İçeriğe gelirsek Rollo May'ın kapsayıcı ve basitleştirici anlatışı o kadar etkili ki. Açıkçası kitabı okuyunca evet ya tüm bireysel psikolojik sorunların kaynağı bu diyor insan. Neyse tabii ki değil ama ben ikna oldum. En azından efsanelere ve anlatılara bakış açımızı çok güzel sorguluyor.
İçeriğe gelirsek Rollo May'ın kapsayıcı ve basitleştirici anlatışı o kadar etkili ki. Açıkçası kitabı okuyunca evet ya tüm bireysel psikolojik sorunların kaynağı bu diyor insan. Neyse tabii ki değil ama ben ikna oldum. En azından efsanelere ve anlatılara bakış açımızı çok güzel sorguluyor.
June 30, 2019
This book took me a long time to get through, but in a good way. There are little gems sprinkled throughout that cause a reader to stop and think, and to realize truths in their own life or in life in general.
I didn't award the fifth star because I thought this would would include a prescription for creating myth for ourselves to combat the negative aspects of the mythology of our culture. May did not do this, but I suppose his purpose is to help us see more clearly the world we live in and in so doing we will be able to break out of the grip of the narratives that don't fit our true selves. I found the vast majority of his thoughts to be relevant to our culture still, even though the book is about 30 years old.
The aspect of his book that will stick with me the most is how he talks about the founding of America. He states that although some people had arrived on this continent previously, it was not until the proper mythology was in place that a New World could even be conceived of. He argues, persuasively, that the Renaissance and the Enlightenment needed to occur before a New World could be founded.
This book has a different approach to psychology than any other I have read. I highly recommend it and eagerly look forward to his other work.
I didn't award the fifth star because I thought this would would include a prescription for creating myth for ourselves to combat the negative aspects of the mythology of our culture. May did not do this, but I suppose his purpose is to help us see more clearly the world we live in and in so doing we will be able to break out of the grip of the narratives that don't fit our true selves. I found the vast majority of his thoughts to be relevant to our culture still, even though the book is about 30 years old.
The aspect of his book that will stick with me the most is how he talks about the founding of America. He states that although some people had arrived on this continent previously, it was not until the proper mythology was in place that a New World could even be conceived of. He argues, persuasively, that the Renaissance and the Enlightenment needed to occur before a New World could be founded.
This book has a different approach to psychology than any other I have read. I highly recommend it and eagerly look forward to his other work.
January 4, 2026
as usual Rollo May through his approachable style engenders a deep need in me for introspection, and I rarely like, the albeit important, revelations it conjures in my self understanding
Realizing that the myths I live by are often maladaptive, even if short term offering me ways of understanding the world and my experiences, Mays work calls me to a re-evaluation, but how do you break away from these narratives?
maybe back to therapy for this chump
Realizing that the myths I live by are often maladaptive, even if short term offering me ways of understanding the world and my experiences, Mays work calls me to a re-evaluation, but how do you break away from these narratives?
maybe back to therapy for this chump
October 15, 2018
While I found this book to be worth the read, I definitely had a few issues with the author. The biggest one was the unnecessarily alarming tone of the first few chapters. May starts the book by arguing that Myths, which the reader quickly surmises are stories with some human value, are falling from favor and the ills that is causing, i.e., a high suicide rates in the young. However, he then spends the next chapters very ably explaining how myths surround us at all times. From plays, to movies and even the national anthem, May is able to highlight the power that a shared narrative, be it the American Dream or patriotism in general, can have on the people that are united by that myth. The rest of the book is a case-by-case study of the different myths that can help us understand the myriad difficulties of the human condition, from Sisyphus and Oedipus to Dante’s Inferno and all versions of the Faust story (Marlowe, Goethe and Mann in particular). So while I found these later chapters much more engaging in applied-mythology, for lack of a better term, I was very annoyed by the alarmist introduction and the pervasive moaning by an author who simultaneously claims that myths are disappearing and readily acknowledges the new shapes (films and plays) they are taking.
January 2, 2018
La lectura de este libro me pareció reveladora. Siempre fui aficionada a la mitología, pero no esa idea de que los mitos son mentiras como muchos piensan, sino como arquetipos que ayudan a la psique humana a entenderse y resolverse a través de las historias épicas de las mitologías de todas las culturas. Un interesante texto, especialmente para la gente dedicada al estudio del comportamiento y la psicología humana.
October 24, 2018
Easily added to my list of favorite works. May's perspectives are particularly useful because of his ability to weave philosophy, psychology, history, and literature together to draw holistic perspectives on some of the most curious aspects of the human condition, and particularly on the Western limitations of identity and cultural development. Enlightening, accessible (not too dense), and truly creative. What a fantastic account of a unique mind.
Currently reading
October 1, 2007Still reading this one and pondering ...myths I knew as a child and heros of my youth ...way back when...heros of today in our culture....what a difference in 40 + years. Who are your heros?
November 14, 2019
OK, so this was amazing. I totally enjoyed reading this. It both opened my eyes to *myths* or stories of our times (or shall we say more modern than what I associate as myths say of Greece and Rome) and helped put into perspective why myths and stories are so fascinating and important to me.
It also echos a thought of mine from a few years ago that one reason things aren't so great these days is that Star Trek has died, or really the underlying thought there is the dream of really getting out there and moving humanity into the stars has if not died, fallen into obscurity. We don't have any unifying vision or dream, a wish pushing us forward. Star Trek wasn't the only representation of that dream, but I'd say it was one of the most mythical and optimistic ones.
Unlike his earlier book Love and Will, this was not so academic and unrelatable. While I wasn't initially familiar with all the stories or myths that he discusses, he explains them well enough that you don't need to be. After finishing this up, I have a renewed interest in following up on reading some *classics* and other stories of our time. It also had me look at some of the *classics* I had read when I was younger in a different light. When I read some of these in HS and college freshman english class, I just wasn't wise enough to appreciate the deeper cultural and moral/guiding ideas below the surface plot of the story.
One thing that I do find a little disappointing is that the stories are very white, euro-centric, and male. He does bring in Briar Rose as a more feminine myth, but it's one example, specifically focused around coming of age and woman-hood. On some level I get the reasons for this, but obviously that really leaves a lot of the population out. Given that the book is more about showing that myths are important to us as a culture, rather than being a catalog of myths, I find this forgivable.
It also echos a thought of mine from a few years ago that one reason things aren't so great these days is that Star Trek has died, or really the underlying thought there is the dream of really getting out there and moving humanity into the stars has if not died, fallen into obscurity. We don't have any unifying vision or dream, a wish pushing us forward. Star Trek wasn't the only representation of that dream, but I'd say it was one of the most mythical and optimistic ones.
Unlike his earlier book Love and Will, this was not so academic and unrelatable. While I wasn't initially familiar with all the stories or myths that he discusses, he explains them well enough that you don't need to be. After finishing this up, I have a renewed interest in following up on reading some *classics* and other stories of our time. It also had me look at some of the *classics* I had read when I was younger in a different light. When I read some of these in HS and college freshman english class, I just wasn't wise enough to appreciate the deeper cultural and moral/guiding ideas below the surface plot of the story.
One thing that I do find a little disappointing is that the stories are very white, euro-centric, and male. He does bring in Briar Rose as a more feminine myth, but it's one example, specifically focused around coming of age and woman-hood. On some level I get the reasons for this, but obviously that really leaves a lot of the population out. Given that the book is more about showing that myths are important to us as a culture, rather than being a catalog of myths, I find this forgivable.
January 11, 2025
The Cry for Myth was the third book I read in the realm of mythological psychology, and the one I have enjoyed the most so far. The others were Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces and Hollis' Tracking the Gods.
The Hero With a Thousand Faces explored the universal hero's journey and its relevance to psychological development. Tracking the Gods focused on how mythology (and mythological figures), or its/their absence, shapes the modern psyche. In The Cry for Myth, May argues - as Hollis did - that the decline of myth in the modern world leads to a sense of disorientation, disconnection, and emptiness. May was an existential psychologist, and uses case studies to explore how myth can be a useful psychological tool for guidance with personal struggles and finding meaning in life. He also acknowledges the need for new myths in the modern world. And notably, May draws upon much more recent and contemporary myths, poems, plays, and other works to make his arguments: frequent references and studies of Dante, Faust, Peer Gynt, Briar Rose, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman, etc... compared to Hollis' focus on ancient Greek/Roman mythology or Campbell's attention to ancient mythology from around the world. All together it makes for a gripping read full of thoughtful insights and new ways to make sense of a confusing world.
"All through history it is true that only by going through hell does one have any chance of reaching heaven" (p. 165)
"Each myth in human history is interpreted according to the needs of the society which it reflects." (p.254)
The Hero With a Thousand Faces explored the universal hero's journey and its relevance to psychological development. Tracking the Gods focused on how mythology (and mythological figures), or its/their absence, shapes the modern psyche. In The Cry for Myth, May argues - as Hollis did - that the decline of myth in the modern world leads to a sense of disorientation, disconnection, and emptiness. May was an existential psychologist, and uses case studies to explore how myth can be a useful psychological tool for guidance with personal struggles and finding meaning in life. He also acknowledges the need for new myths in the modern world. And notably, May draws upon much more recent and contemporary myths, poems, plays, and other works to make his arguments: frequent references and studies of Dante, Faust, Peer Gynt, Briar Rose, The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman, etc... compared to Hollis' focus on ancient Greek/Roman mythology or Campbell's attention to ancient mythology from around the world. All together it makes for a gripping read full of thoughtful insights and new ways to make sense of a confusing world.
"All through history it is true that only by going through hell does one have any chance of reaching heaven" (p. 165)
"Each myth in human history is interpreted according to the needs of the society which it reflects." (p.254)
June 26, 2025
Apie mito reikšmę mūsų laikais. Mitai suteikia beprasmiam gyvenimui prasmę, nuspalvina jį vienomis ar kitomis spalvomis, suteikia gyvenimui judėjimo kryptį, lemia išskyrimą iš fono ir pasaulio vaizdo vientisumą. Anot Rollo May, mitas panašus į namo atramines sijas. Jų nesimato, tačiau ant jų laikosi visas namas. Kaip sakoma, koks mitas, toks ir miražas. Mitas kaip klijus, sulipdantis begalę paskirų pasaulio detalių į tai, ką turime dabar priešais savo akis – tą vieną vienintelį, tik mums būdingą, unikalų pasaulio vaizdą, kuriame kaip burbule mes diena iš dienos ir gyvename.
Yra ir tie, kurie sako, kad mitai – iracionalios atgyvenos, kurios, geriausiu atveju, dabar galėtų būti tik kaip grožinės literatūros kūriniai, pvz., graikų mitai. Tačiau net nesusimąstome, kad dabar gyvename pozityvistiniame mokslo mite.
Beja, šioje knygoje gerai išnagrinėtas JAV mitas, iš kurio matosi, kad Trumpas yra nuoseklus šio mito produktas.
Labai rekomenduoju šią knygą išleist lietuviškai. Labai gražiai papildytų Campbello knygų seriją.
Yra ir tie, kurie sako, kad mitai – iracionalios atgyvenos, kurios, geriausiu atveju, dabar galėtų būti tik kaip grožinės literatūros kūriniai, pvz., graikų mitai. Tačiau net nesusimąstome, kad dabar gyvename pozityvistiniame mokslo mite.
Beja, šioje knygoje gerai išnagrinėtas JAV mitas, iš kurio matosi, kad Trumpas yra nuoseklus šio mito produktas.
Labai rekomenduoju šią knygą išleist lietuviškai. Labai gražiai papildytų Campbello knygų seriją.
November 12, 2023
Конечно, всё зависит от того, для чего вы читаете ту или иную книгу. Это несомненно влияет на опыт чтения. Для меня лично крайне ценной в книге Ролло Мэя «Взывая к мифу» оказалась часть 1 — «Для чего нужны мифы?». Также понравились рассуждения автора о нарциссизме и индивидуализме в свете американского мифа (часть 2). А вот далее книга прогрессивно становилась всё менее интересной, к концу завершилась наивными рассуждениями (хотя, конечно, их наивность становится понятна задним числом сегодня, в 2023 году, через более чем три десятилетия после написания книги). Думаю, как и многие авторы, Ролло Мэй не справился с задачей довести первоначальный истинный порыв до конца, и в действительности, как и многие книги, эту книгу стоило бы уместить в просто эссе. Всё-таки эта книга была написана им уже в конце жизни. Перевод нормальный, но оформление ссылок на источники цитируемых переводов неаккуратное; некоторые комментарии переводчика оказались полезны.
May 23, 2021
Om jag läst den när den var nyutgiven 1991 kanske jag gett den högre betyg, den måste ha varit viktig för den nyuppväckta intresset för 'myten', men jag har läst många fler böcker i ämnet som blev populärt på 1990-talet och senare. Och många var större upplevelser än denna. Men också att ju mer man läser, desto mer vill man ha ut av varje ny bok.
Min främsta behållningen av boken är utredningen av 'Peer Gynt'-myten, vilken gav mig nya insikter att fördjupa min syn på Ibsens läsdrama. Det lustiga är informationen att Ibsen menade att berättelsen byggde på en nordisk saga, och att han därför trodde att Peer Gynt bara skulle vara begriplig för oss i Norden, Men att det sedan visade sig att man på andra håll i världen förstod Peer Gynt bättre än just här i Norden.
Boken har 30 år på nacken och därför har mycket annat blivit vardagsmat. Det finns också sånt jag inte håller med om, världen har hunnit utvecklas en hel del, en generation har förflutit.
Min främsta behållningen av boken är utredningen av 'Peer Gynt'-myten, vilken gav mig nya insikter att fördjupa min syn på Ibsens läsdrama. Det lustiga är informationen att Ibsen menade att berättelsen byggde på en nordisk saga, och att han därför trodde att Peer Gynt bara skulle vara begriplig för oss i Norden, Men att det sedan visade sig att man på andra håll i världen förstod Peer Gynt bättre än just här i Norden.
Boken har 30 år på nacken och därför har mycket annat blivit vardagsmat. Det finns också sånt jag inte håller med om, världen har hunnit utvecklas en hel del, en generation har förflutit.
July 11, 2025
“Every individual seeks — indeed must seek if he or she is to remain sane — to bring some order and coherence into the stream of sensations, emotions, and ideas entering his or her cone from within or without. Each one of us is forced to do delivered for oneself what in previous ages was done by family, custom, church, and state, namely, from myths in terms of which we can make some sense of experience” (page 29)
February 19, 2021
Before that book, I was thinking that myths are just simple and old stories. In this book, the writer connecting every part of our characters with myths and explain them in a very good way. By this book, I discovered myself by learning how we all construct our psychology and character the base of myths. Myths are getting more understood by modern psychology. Rollo may is prior to this mission.
June 23, 2021
Nejako prichádzam na chuť non-fiction literatúre. Opäť veľmi inšpiratívny a informatívny kúsok. O tom, ako ľudia potrebujú mýty, ktoré slúžia ako vedenie v našom živote. Ako nás moderná doba oberá o mýty, my sa strácame a potrebujeme viac psychoanalýz, koučingu, či instantných drog. Vynikajúce príklady z klasických literárnych diel - mňa najviac zaujala Šípková Ruženka, v živote by ma nenapadlo sa pozrieť na ten príbeh z biologického hľadiska (dospievanie ženy, príchod menštruácie) či psychologického (s dospievaním prichádza aj vnútorný prerod a nejakým nútením sa to nezrýchli, iba to naštartuje obranné mechanizmy). Odkedy som knihu začala čítať, tak vidím mýty všade okolo, v knihách, v úvahách o šťastí, či v mojej mysli. Zarezonovala vo mne. Tak ako to len výborná kniha vie.
Edit: Zabudla som spomenúť ešte ženský princíp, ktorý bol spomenutý v knihe - ženy majú predpoklady na intuíciu a telepatiu a kým bol ženský princíp prevažujúci (napr. v kresťanstve v podobe Panny Márie), tak bola väčšia rovnováha. Poznámka pre mňa - zamerať sa na knihy s touto tématikou.
Edit: Zabudla som spomenúť ešte ženský princíp, ktorý bol spomenutý v knihe - ženy majú predpoklady na intuíciu a telepatiu a kým bol ženský princíp prevažujúci (napr. v kresťanstve v podobe Panny Márie), tak bola väčšia rovnováha. Poznámka pre mňa - zamerať sa na knihy s touto tématikou.
July 23, 2025
very interesting the idea of the myth as a way to bring orientation to navigate this hard times. I understand the idea of the final chapter but doesnt seem to integrate well, never the less its just a minor aspect compared with what the book gives.
June 13, 2021
good.
October 11, 2021
Psychology meets mythology meets spirituality. Excellent presentation of the human need of myths we need to live by, but possibly a bit repetitive once the key point is made.
December 19, 2022
Repetitive.
August 9, 2023
While I would agree with the premise and its many messages, it’s now a bit dated and very little which I didn't already know. It was a wonderful synthesis of the Western and American mindset, however. I'm curious what more contemporary examples would be, seeing as it's been 30 years since its publishing.
January 25, 2018
Love it!
November 20, 2022
Subject matter covered better by Campbell and Hollis. The chapter on Gatsby as myth almost makes it worth the trouble. Had I known, I would have read just that chapter.
I found the references to Thomas Mann annoying for some reason. I don’t think I have never met anyone who has read Mann.
I found the references to Thomas Mann annoying for some reason. I don’t think I have never met anyone who has read Mann.
November 19, 2024
Unimpressive, and frankly, rancid.
November 15, 2015
"Il Richiamo del Mito" è un affascinante saggio scritto da Rollo May negli anni '90, un periodo piuttosto complesso per gli Stati Uniti che, trovando il nuovo millennio alle porte, non sembrava in grado di fare i conti con la propria identità, con la propria gioventù e con il proprio passato. May si rivolge dunque ai suoi lettori Americani, ma per moltissimi versi a tutto il mondo occidentale, affermando con gentile fermezza l'unica vera causa dei problemi della società: l'inevitabile morte del mito nel nostro mondo "civilizzato".
Scopo generale del libro è quello di sottolineare l'importanza del mito in tutti gli aspetti della nostra vita, dalla cultura alla psicanalisi, dalla Storia all'economia e alla politica. Spesso classificato come qualcosa di semplicemente "fittizio", il mito in realtà è sempre stato uno dei principali punti di riferimento per l'uomo fino all'Illuminismo, quando la razionalizzazione ha schiacciato lo spirito e l'umanità per innalzare sul trono la sola logica insieme con la ragione. Se questi due concetti non hanno bisogno di favole e miti per esistere, l'animo fragile dell'uomo invece morirebbe se esso venisse a mancare completamente. Resterebbe la mente, ma perirebbe l'individuo. L'immaginazione, la creatività, l'espressione e lo studio di noi stessi dipendono strettamente dal mito, che può essere anche semplicemente un romanzo o una favola, un racconto o un prodotto statico dell'immaginazione. Uccidendo questi elementi en non riconoscendone l'importanza, verranno a mancare inevitabilmente anche il significato dell'esistenza e la forza per continuare a vivere. Subentreranno depressione e schizofrenia. Per questo è importante trovare "il proprio mito interiore", oppure proporre miti alternativi a quelli che oggi sono solo la violenza e l'insicurezza. Per questo motivo l'Arte e la Letteratura non sono da sottovalutare. Un libro davvero bello e importante, pieno di splendidi pensieri e riflessioni utili per capire noi stessi e l'umanità intera.
Scopo generale del libro è quello di sottolineare l'importanza del mito in tutti gli aspetti della nostra vita, dalla cultura alla psicanalisi, dalla Storia all'economia e alla politica. Spesso classificato come qualcosa di semplicemente "fittizio", il mito in realtà è sempre stato uno dei principali punti di riferimento per l'uomo fino all'Illuminismo, quando la razionalizzazione ha schiacciato lo spirito e l'umanità per innalzare sul trono la sola logica insieme con la ragione. Se questi due concetti non hanno bisogno di favole e miti per esistere, l'animo fragile dell'uomo invece morirebbe se esso venisse a mancare completamente. Resterebbe la mente, ma perirebbe l'individuo. L'immaginazione, la creatività, l'espressione e lo studio di noi stessi dipendono strettamente dal mito, che può essere anche semplicemente un romanzo o una favola, un racconto o un prodotto statico dell'immaginazione. Uccidendo questi elementi en non riconoscendone l'importanza, verranno a mancare inevitabilmente anche il significato dell'esistenza e la forza per continuare a vivere. Subentreranno depressione e schizofrenia. Per questo è importante trovare "il proprio mito interiore", oppure proporre miti alternativi a quelli che oggi sono solo la violenza e l'insicurezza. Per questo motivo l'Arte e la Letteratura non sono da sottovalutare. Un libro davvero bello e importante, pieno di splendidi pensieri e riflessioni utili per capire noi stessi e l'umanità intera.
July 13, 2017
Podmanivá práca existencialistického psychológa pojednávajúca o nutnosti zachovávať si záujem o mýty a predobrazy. V diele reflektuje dôležitosť literatúry a jej hrdinov, ktorí reprezentujú obrazy tej danej doby. Rollo May píše o osamelosti nastávajúcej v momente, kedy človek zanevrie na svoj intelektuálny a duševný rozvoj. Súkromnou reformou v takejto situácii má byť práve záujem o mýtus definovaný v diele Rolla Maya ako zmysel pre nezmyselný svet. Kniha reaguje na významné kultúrne obdobia dejín Západného sveta. Každé z nich má svojho literárneho martýra. Jeho skutky a rozhodnutia nám smú slúžiť ako kompas k osobnému rozvoju a pomáhajú dešifrovať minulosť. Autor poukazuje napríklad na súvislosti medzi Veľkým Gatsbym a dejinami USA v dvadsiatom storočí. Estetika jazzu ovplyvnila tohto hrdinu viac ako sa na prvý pohľad môže zdať. Okrem iného vnáša spektakulárnu sondu do zmýšľania Homéra, Johna Steinbecka, bratov Grimmovcov, Goetheho, Henrika Ibsena a mnohých iných.
April 22, 2024
like so many books written by (very smart) straight white cis male sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, etc, its brilliant and moving ideas about *some* aspects of humanity were bogged down by unfortunate assumptions about *other* aspects of humanity. the last chapter was GORGEOUS and should be required reading for high schoolers, but slogging through the middle of the book to get there was a chore at times.
[edit from later sammy] i just remembered i posted this and wanted to die but i feel it should be archived as evidence of a time of intellectual darkness.
[edit from later sammy] i just remembered i posted this and wanted to die but i feel it should be archived as evidence of a time of intellectual darkness.
March 1, 2014
Enjoyed reading this book. Focus on stories of Peer Gynt, Faust, Briar Rose illustrated use of myth in recent time. Occasional comparison with more traditional societies wherein the use of myth or story is more openly interwoven into daily lives only emphasized that our myths in contemporary society are also being played out deeply but in a less transparent way.
November 28, 2015
Fascinating discussion on the importance of mythology in our lives and its connection to psychology. I enjoyed this book very much and found it very applicable not only to my life but my study of psychology. This is a must-read for any student of psych or literature. Easy to follow and understand, very enlightening.
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