Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction

by Helen Morales

Overview

From Zeus and Europa, to Diana, Pan, and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome seem to exert a timeless power over us. But what do those myths represent, and why are they so enduringly fascinating? Why do they seem to be such a potent way of talking about our selves, our origins, and our desires? This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical mythology. It is a wide-ranging account, examining how classical myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, taking the reader from the temples of Crete to skyscrapers in New York, and finding classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from Arabic poetry and Hollywood films, to psychoanalysis, the Bible, and New Age spiritualism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192804761
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/09/2007
Series:	Very Short Introductions
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	410,719
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 4.44(h) x 0.37(d)

About the Author

Helen Morales is University Lecturer and Director of Studies in Classics at Newnham College, Cambridge.

Table of Contents

Foreword1. What's at stake in a myth? 2. Contexts, then and now3. Gods and heroes4. Metamorphoses of mythology5. On the psychoanalyst's couch6. The sexual politics of myth7. Mythology, spirituality, and the New AgeConclusionReferences and further readingTimeline