Mythology is constantly reincarnated in new mediums. It began centuries ago when oral stories were passed down from generation to generation and has stood the test of time to this day. Mythology influences current literature, films, and even video games. A video game that is heavily inspired by mythological themes is The Legend of Zelda created by Japanese video game designer and producer Shingeru Miyamoto. Through Zelda, players are exposed to and can relive a hero's journey full of mythological motifs such as the idea of creation and destruction, the struggle between light and darkness, the subconscious in relation to reality and the idea and distortion of time . .Creation and destruction are two very central ideas in mythology. Every culture has its own creation story, and so does Zelda. The land of Hyrule was formed from chaos. Three sisters, Din the goddess of power, Nayru the goddess of wisdom, and Farore the goddess of courage, descended upon the world. Each Goddess had a role in creation. Din created the land, Nayru gave it the basic law, and Farore filled it with inhabitants. Once their work was finished, the three sisters returned to heaven. The idea of the world arising out of chaos, in the form of nothingness, can be seen in many creation myths such as that of Greece. Furthermore, each goddess plays a special role in creation, which can be compared to that of the Greek or Roman gods. For example, Zeus is the king of the gods and Athena is the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology. Likewise, there is a correlation between many creation myths and Zelda where once the earth is created, the Gods return to the heavens and there is a clear separation between the two. There, the Gods are able to move...from the medium of paper...from those historical oral histories to the computer-generated ones of today. Starting from a mythological base, Zelda won the hearts of many and quickly rose to the top of the gaming charts. Whether it's captivating players with the backstory and creation of Hyrule, the danger of uncertain destruction, or the never-ending struggle against light and darkness, Zelda has a little myth to offer everyone. The idea of reality as opposed to the unconscious and the concept of time go beyond the boundaries of the game. People play video games to escape reality for a while and explore a world that isn't quite theirs. They suddenly lose track of time and discover that they have been lost in another world for much longer than expected. Zelda fulfills this function. It is the unconscious, timeless, mythological story that serves as a passage from long ago to the future.
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