Journey to the Sea

an online magazine devoted to the study of myth

Randy Hoyt

Randy Hoyt

Randy works as a freelance web developer in Dallas, Texas. He spends his free time reading and writing about myth. Find out more about Randy at his personal site randyhoyt.com.


Myth Beyond Words

Dec 1st, 2008 • Issue 6

Randy shows how a wide variety of works, from ancient pottery and stained-glass windows to comic books and movie soundtracks, use more than just words to communicate myths or to recall them to mind. Article »

Tolkien, Myth, and Fantasy: Verlyn Flieger Interview

Nov 1st, 2008 • Issue 5

Verlyn Flieger is an author, editor, and English professor at the University of Maryland. Randy spoke with her about J.R.R. Tolkien's impact on mythological studies and fantasy literature. Article »

Zeus and the Turtle: An Aesopic Fable

Oct 1st, 2008 • Issue 4

Randy concludes his series on two Western themes concerning man's relationship to the divine by looking at the delightful fable of how the turtle got her shell. Article »

Taking Harry Potter Seriously: Travis Prinzi Interview

Sep 1st, 2008 • Issue 3

Randy spoke with Travis Prinzi about the Harry Potter series. At his popular web site and in his forthcoming book, Travis claims that the series should be taken seriously as literature. Article »

The Disobedience of Iblis in Sufism

Sep 1st, 2008 • Issue 3

Randy looks at the story of the disobedience of Iblis in the Qur'an for which some Islamic theologians provide interpretations that surprisingly reflect aspects of the humanistic theme. Article »

Journey to the Sea: The Name

Aug 1st, 2008 • Issue 2

Randy explains the origins and the meaning of the name of this site. It first occurred to him while reflecting on Tolkien's "Silmarillion" mythology, and his affinity for it grew as he reflected on the rich mythic meanings of the nouns journey and sea. Article »

The Rebellion of Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost

Aug 1st, 2008 • Issue 2

Randy provides a historical survey of the literary criticism to Paradise Lost, showing how interpretations of the poem have fluctuated between the two contrary themes he introduced in a previous article. Article »

God and Man: Two Western Themes

Jul 1st, 2008 • Issue 1

Many Western traditions teach that mankind is separate from the divine. They typically reflect one of two contrary themes concerning man's proper response to the divine. Randy begins this series by looking at these two themes in a variety of Western myths. Article »

Myth: A Defintion

Jul 1st, 2008 • Issue 1

Journey to the Sea is a new online magazine devoted to the study of myth. The English word myth has many connotations, and Randy describes what we mean by myth throughout this site. Article »