What is myth retelling?

• A. It is the replacement of myths with new myths with no core motifs.
• B. It is the strict transcription of a myth as-is.
• C. It is the creation of new myths entirely unrelated.
• D. It is reinterpretation or updating of a traditional myth in a new setting; preserves core motifs while reframing for contemporary concerns.

Answer: (D)

Myth retelling involves reimagining a traditional myth in a new setting while preserving its recognizable motifs and themes, reframing the story to speak to contemporary concerns. It keeps core ideas like the quest, the hero, the trickster, or the moral questions, but places them in a different time, culture, or perspective to shed new light on the old tale. For example, a modern novel might retell a classical myth by setting it in today’s city and exploring how present-day issues change the meaning of the characters’ choices. This contrasts with simply transcribing the myth as it was, or creating an entirely new myth unrelated to the original, or replacing myths with new myths that drop those familiar motifs.