Legend - Examples and Definition

Definition of Legend
Originated from Latin legendus, legend means “something which need to be read.” According to J. A. Cuddon, a legend is “a story or narrative that lies somewhere among fantasy and ancient truth and which, as a rule, is approximately a selected figure or person.” Traditionally, a legend is a narrative that specializes in a traditionally or geographically specific determine, and describes his exploits. Similar to a fantasy, a legend can provide an etymological narrative, often filling in ancient gaps.

Difference Between a Legend and a Myth
There are marked differences among a legend and a fable. While legends are made up stories, myths are tales that answer questions on the working of natural phenomenon. Myths are set in olden times, even in pre-historic times. However, legends are stories about human beings and their movements, or deeds they carry out to shop their humans or nations.

The people noted in legends might have lived in recent times, or someday in regarded history. Legends are advised to serve a selected purpose, and may be based totally on facts – however they may be not absolutely true. People referred to in a legend won't have honestly accomplished what the story of the legend relates. In a few cases, legends change the historical events.

King Arthur, Beowulf, and Queen Boadicea are a few popular English legends. However, it is also important to recognize that some of the memories about the Knights of the Round Table, and Merlin the Magician might not be true. The commonplace point between a myth and a legend is they both had been exceeded down from era to technology in oral form.

Examples of Legend from Literature
Example #1: Faust
Faust is the major man or woman in the classical German legend. According to the legend, Faust become a disillusioned scholar. On account of his dissatisfaction, he makes a cope with the devil in exchange for his soul. The deal promises him a terrific deal of knowledge, and countless pleasures of the world. However, he meets his tragic end, as the satan takes his soul after his death.

In reality, the legend of Faust offers an over-ambitious man, who surrenders his ethical integrity for the success of worldly powers and fulfillment for a restrained length of time. This kind of man or woman teaches us the lessons of moral integrity, and the fee of moral uprightness.

Example #2: The Flying Dutchman
The Flying Dutchman is the legend of a ghost deliver. According to the legend, the Flying Dutchman is cursed to never dock at a port, being doomed to sail inside the oceans forever. It is probably that the legend has originated from the nautical folklore of the seventeenth century. The oldest surviving version of this legend dates back to the overdue 18th century. During the 19th and twentieth centuries, there were reports of sighting the deliver as a hull glowing with ghostly light. When another ship attempted to make contact, the crew from the Flying Dutchman attempted to send messages to land, or to humans useless lengthy ago. According to the lore, seeing the Flying Dutchman is an omen of doom.

Example #3: King Arthur
According to medieval histories, King Arthur become the British chief who led the British navy towards the invaders within the 5th and 6th centuries. It is especially folklore that led to the composition of the mythical King Arthur tale. Some literary inventions had been made inside the tale, however ancient lifestyles of King Arthur has always been questioned. There exist a few historic assets, consisting of the Annales Cambrige, the Historia Brittonum, and the writings of Gildas, which can be attributed as assets of the legend of King Arthur.

Function of Legend
In literature, the feature of a legend is to give the story of human movements in such a manner that they are perceived via the audience to be true. Actions are presented as if they've taken vicinity within human history. For its audiences, a legend has to encompass happenings that are not outside the area of possibility, however it could consist of miracles. Change has certainly passed off in legends over time, giving them a freshness, vitality, and a realistic taste. On the contrary, a massive range of legends feature within the realm of uncertainty; neither believed, nor doubted by means of the audiences.