Classics: Mythology

Greek myth in literature, art, and music from antiquity to modern times.

Open to degree and PACE students

A survey of ancient mythological narratives beginning with the Mesopotamian poems Enuma Elish and the Epic of Gilgamesh and then Egyptian sources such as the Book of the Dead. The course then largely focuses on Greek and Roman myth from ancient sources to contemporary reception. Major authors include Homer, Hesiod, Euripides, Sophocles, Vergil, and Ovid. Goals include: (1) Gain a solid overview of selected ancient mythological traditions and their most significant and influential narratives and characters. (2) Consider the variety and versatility of mythological narratives, their often manifold sources and versions, and their depictions in different media such as literature, music, and visual arts (painting and sculpture in particular). (3) Approach and contextualize classical mythology in literature, art, history, archaeology, and ancient religion. Note: This course takes a primarily literary, art-historical, and cultural-historical approach to mythology. (4) Read, appreciate, and enjoy some of classical antiquity’s most influential literary works by some of its most renowned names. (5) Encounter and engage a cross-section of ancient literary forms, including hymns, epic, lyric, and theatre. Consider these forms in their historical and cultural context and note their influence both in their own time and afterwards, both in the ancient Mediterranean and now in a global context. (6) Explore some of myth’s cultural roles both in antiquity and the period after the end of antiquity. Investigate this robust “afterlife” through different eras, locations, and media.

Class attendance is expected, as well as full completion of assigned readings and supplementary materials. Students can expect to spend around 2-3 hours outside class reading, reviewing, and preparing for every 1 hour spent in the lecture hall.

3 exams, short quizzes every other week, and a final project.