UNSUR MITOS BERDASARKAN TEKS SASTERA MELAYU TRADISIONAL

Abstract

Myth is a very dominant element in traditional Malay literature. The myths are not set forth in an unorganized manner or randomly, but instead are based on the belief patterns that are already in existence, and this reflects the connection of the society’s thinking with elements of animism that serve as the background of their lives before the arrival of other beliefs. Examples of the development of myth stories can be observed in hikayat (literary works) in traditional Malay literature like Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa and Sejarah Melayu. Meanwhile, examples of oral stories are those found in Cerita Rakyat Malaysia (2008). The aim of this article is to identify the functions of myths found in traditional Malay literature. This article will use the Sociology of Literature approach by Plummer, Ken (1997). The approach of this paper draws on to the questions of how myths became the belief of the society and what is the function of myths in traditional Malay literature texts. The functions of myths can be seen based on these questions. Elements of myths in historical works are narrations that are believed by the locals as actual occurrences that have happened in their locality in the past. Hence, the myth stories became the basis and answers to the inquisitiveness of the people of the past time. The other purpose is to uphold the royal dignity. In traditional literature, literature is viewed as the mirror of society and their documents. The role of myth stories is not only to explain their functions in the society but also to reveal the creativity of the writer or orator and the storyteller. But here, the presence of mythical elements explains to us the relationship of the work from the aspect of thoughts and the world view of that society in the past.