Reflections on Man and Nature in Greek Mythology: From the Name of Natural Creatures

Abstract

It is well known that Greek mythology has been very influential to western cultures and languages. As for the English language, it enriches its vocabulary to a large extent. And it is having an impact in a lot of different areas, like biology, psychology, geography, etc. Among this, one particular branch is the name of natural creatures. Many English names of natural creatures have their origin in Greek mythology. If these stories are analyzed carefully, they all contain a common theme—the relationship between man and nature. Based on the idea that myth as a reflection of people's ideology at that time, also reveals the condition of economic and social development in one society, this article mainly tells the story behind those words in detail and tries to find a reason for the theme from a societal perspective.