The role of mythology in Neil Gaiman's American gods

This thesis examines the role of mythology in Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. Mythology is explored from a cultural, anthropological, historical and psychological aspect to determine its use in describing the modern world (in this case America). Observing myth from a cultural and anthropological aspect not only shows its development but also its origin which lies in the psyche. The psychological aspect of myth is primarily explored through Jung’s concept of the ‘collective unconscious’ and Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces. The analysis shows that mythology functions as a type of ‘false history’ which provides a mirror for the observation of the world.Ovaj rad istražuje ulogu mitologije u romanu American Gods Neila Gaimana. Mitologija primijenjena na moderni svijet, u ovom slučaju Ameriku, se istražuje kroz kulturološku, antropološku, povijesnu i psihološku prizmu. Istraživanje mitologije kroz kulturološku i antropološku prizmu ne samo pokazuje njen razvoj nego i njen izvor koji leži u psihologiji. Psihološki aspekt mita se istražuje kroz Jungov koncept ‘kolektivne podsvijesti’ i kroz „Junaka s tisuću lica” Josepha Campbella. Analiza pokazuje da mitologija ima ulogu ‘lažne povijesti’ koja pruža perspektivu za promatranje svijeta