Popol Vuh
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five
Themes
All Themes Origins, Customs, and the Mayan Culture Heroism vs. Villainy Names, Power, and Memory What It Means to be Human
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Hunahpu Xbalanque One Hunahpu Seven Hunahpu Xmucane One Death Seven Death One Monkey and One Artisan Seven Macaw Zipacna Earthquake Blood Moon Sovereign Plumed Serpent The Owl Messengers Jaguar Quitze Jaguar Night Not Right Now Dark Jaguar The Tribes Blood Gatherer The Four Hundred Boys Xpiyacoc The rat Tohil Lust Woman and Wailing Woman
Symbols
All Symbols Corn
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Popol Vuh

by Dennis Tedlock
Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Part One
  • Part Two
  • Part Three
  • Part Four
  • Part Five
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Origins, Customs, and the Mayan Culture Theme Icon
    Origins, Customs, and the Mayan Culture
  • Heroism vs. Villainy Theme Icon
    Heroism vs. Villainy
  • Names, Power, and Memory Theme Icon
    Names, Power, and Memory
  • What It Means to be Human Theme Icon
    What It Means to be Human
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Hunahpu
  • Xbalanque
  • One Hunahpu
  • Seven Hunahpu
  • Xmucane
  • One Death
  • Seven Death
  • One Monkey and One Artisan
  • Seven Macaw
  • Zipacna
  • Earthquake
  • Blood Moon
  • Sovereign Plumed Serpent
  • The Owl Messengers
  • Jaguar Quitze
  • Jaguar Night
  • Not Right Now
  • Dark Jaguar
  • The Tribes
  • Blood Gatherer
  • The Four Hundred Boys
  • Xpiyacoc
  • The rat
  • Tohil
  • Lust Woman and Wailing Woman
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • Corn Symbol Icon
    Corn
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)

Popol Vuh Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.


MLA

Brock, Zoë. "Popol Vuh." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 11 May 2018. Web. 21 Jan 2026.


Chicago

Brock, Zoë. "Popol Vuh." LitCharts LLC, May 11, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2026. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/popol-vuh.

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