Difference between revisions of "Study Greek Mythology"
(importing article from wikihow) |
m (Text replacement - "[[Category:S" to "[[Category: S") |
||
| (6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The stories of Gods and mortals created by the Greeks thousands of years ago are all around us still today, from terms like “Oedipal complex” and “Pandora’s box” to Hollywood movies like ''Clash of the Titans'', ''Hercules'', and ''Troy''. Knowing Greek mythology will make you more culturally literate. And it’s fun! There is a reason Hollywood keeps looking back to Greek myths for inspiration; they are great stories. To study Greek mythology, you’ll need to first know what you need to know. Then, you can enroll in an in-person or online class, or explore mythology yourself by reading. | The stories of Gods and mortals created by the Greeks thousands of years ago are all around us still today, from terms like “Oedipal complex” and “Pandora’s box” to Hollywood movies like ''Clash of the Titans'', ''Hercules'', and ''Troy''. Knowing Greek mythology will make you more culturally literate. And it’s fun! There is a reason Hollywood keeps looking back to Greek myths for inspiration; they are great stories. To study Greek mythology, you’ll need to first know what you need to know. Then, you can enroll in an in-person or online class, or explore mythology yourself by reading. | ||
| − | [[Category:Studying Literature]] | + | [[Category: Studying Literature]] |
== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
===Knowing the Basics=== | ===Knowing the Basics=== | ||
| − | #Learn the gods. Greek mythology has a dizzying cast of characters. You don’t need to know them all, but learning the major Olympian gods is an important first step in understanding Greek mythology.< | + | #Learn the gods. Greek mythology has a dizzying cast of characters. You don’t need to know them all, but learning the major Olympian gods is an important first step in understanding Greek mythology.<ref name="rf1">http://www.greek-gods.info/greek-gods/demeter/</ref> |
#*'''Zeus''' – King of the Gods and of the heavens. Controls lightning. | #*'''Zeus''' – King of the Gods and of the heavens. Controls lightning. | ||
#*'''Hera''' – Goddess of the family and Zeus’s wife. Also his sister. The Greek gods were an incestuous bunch. | #*'''Hera''' – Goddess of the family and Zeus’s wife. Also his sister. The Greek gods were an incestuous bunch. | ||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
#*'''Aphrodite''' – Depending on which myth you read, either the daughter of Zeus and the Titan Dione, or she emerged from sea foam after the Titan Ouranos was castrated and his testicles thrown into the sea. The goddess of love. | #*'''Aphrodite''' – Depending on which myth you read, either the daughter of Zeus and the Titan Dione, or she emerged from sea foam after the Titan Ouranos was castrated and his testicles thrown into the sea. The goddess of love. | ||
#*'''Dionysus''' – Son of Zeus and the mortal princess Semele. The god of wine. | #*'''Dionysus''' – Son of Zeus and the mortal princess Semele. The god of wine. | ||
| − | #Get to know the great heroes of Greek mythology. While the same gods appear in myth after myth, they are rarely the protagonists the leading characters of Greek myths, who are typically human or half-human (quite a few have one divine parent). These heroes are famous for a variety of reasons, from fighting monsters to winning glory on the battlefield to suffering family tragedies. The most famous include:<ref>http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/heroes.html</ref><ref>http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/heroes-in-greek-mythology/</ref> | + | #Get to know the great heroes of Greek mythology. While the same gods appear in myth after myth, they are rarely the protagonists the leading characters of Greek myths, who are typically human or half-human (quite a few have one divine parent). These heroes are famous for a variety of reasons, from fighting monsters to winning glory on the battlefield to suffering family tragedies. The most famous include:<ref>http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/heroes.html</ref><ref name="rf2">http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/heroes-in-greek-mythology/</ref> |
#*'''Heracles''' (Hercules) – Stronger than even the gods, he also had a horrible temper. Completed 12 labors to absolve the guilt of killing his own family in a fit of madness. | #*'''Heracles''' (Hercules) – Stronger than even the gods, he also had a horrible temper. Completed 12 labors to absolve the guilt of killing his own family in a fit of madness. | ||
#*'''Perseus''' – If you have seen ''Clash of the Titans'', then you know the basic outline of his story: cast into the sea in a chest as a child; defeated the gorgon Medusa; and married Andromeda. | #*'''Perseus''' – If you have seen ''Clash of the Titans'', then you know the basic outline of his story: cast into the sea in a chest as a child; defeated the gorgon Medusa; and married Andromeda. | ||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
#*'''Odysseus''' – The hero of Homer’s ''Odyssey''. He had the idea for the Trojan horse – a giant hollow horse with Greek warriors hidden inside – which as used to defeat Troy. After the war, he spent 10 years returning home, battling monsters, gods, and witches along the way. | #*'''Odysseus''' – The hero of Homer’s ''Odyssey''. He had the idea for the Trojan horse – a giant hollow horse with Greek warriors hidden inside – which as used to defeat Troy. After the war, he spent 10 years returning home, battling monsters, gods, and witches along the way. | ||
#*'''Jason''' – Set sail with the Argonauts and, after fighting off monsters and sirens, found the golden fleece with the help of the which Medea, who fell in love with him. | #*'''Jason''' – Set sail with the Argonauts and, after fighting off monsters and sirens, found the golden fleece with the help of the which Medea, who fell in love with him. | ||
| − | #Study the major myths. While the heroes each have their own stories, there are a number of other myths featuring less prominent protagonists that have become famous, such as the story of Narcissus, who was so vain that he became transfixed upon seeing his reflection in a pond, and stayed staring at it until he died. Other important myths include:<ref>http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/c/greek-myths/</ref> | + | #Study the major myths. While the heroes each have their own stories, there are a number of other myths featuring less prominent protagonists that have become famous, such as the story of Narcissus, who was so vain that he became transfixed upon seeing his reflection in a pond, and stayed staring at it until he died. Other important myths include:<ref name="rf3">http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/c/greek-myths/</ref> |
#*'''Sisyphus''' – A trickster who cheated the gods more than once, he is famous for his punishment after death: in the underworld of Hades, he is condemned to forever roll a boulder to the top of a steep hill; and as soon as the boulder reaches the top, it rolls down the far side and he must start again. | #*'''Sisyphus''' – A trickster who cheated the gods more than once, he is famous for his punishment after death: in the underworld of Hades, he is condemned to forever roll a boulder to the top of a steep hill; and as soon as the boulder reaches the top, it rolls down the far side and he must start again. | ||
#*'''Tantalus''' – Tantalus was a favorite of the gods, and invited them to a feast at his home, where he had his own son cooked up and served to them. This was not a good idea. He, too, became famous for his punishment: forever standing in a pool of clean water, with delicious fruits hanging from trees overhead. Yet when he reached for the fruit, the wind tossed the branches out of reach, and when he bent down to drink, the water drained away. | #*'''Tantalus''' – Tantalus was a favorite of the gods, and invited them to a feast at his home, where he had his own son cooked up and served to them. This was not a good idea. He, too, became famous for his punishment: forever standing in a pool of clean water, with delicious fruits hanging from trees overhead. Yet when he reached for the fruit, the wind tossed the branches out of reach, and when he bent down to drink, the water drained away. | ||
| Line 59: | Line 59: | ||
#*'''Richard Buxton's ''The Complete World of Greek Mythology'' (2004)''' – Buxton offers an overview of mythology, placing the myths in their social and cultural context. His book is also packed with extras such as genealogical tables and beautiful illustrations. | #*'''Richard Buxton's ''The Complete World of Greek Mythology'' (2004)''' – Buxton offers an overview of mythology, placing the myths in their social and cultural context. His book is also packed with extras such as genealogical tables and beautiful illustrations. | ||
#*'''Edith Hamilton’s ''Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes'' (1942)''' – Hamilton draws on all the great Greek writers, and some Roman ones, too, in compiling her introductory text that covers all the key gods and myths. | #*'''Edith Hamilton’s ''Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes'' (1942)''' – Hamilton draws on all the great Greek writers, and some Roman ones, too, in compiling her introductory text that covers all the key gods and myths. | ||
| − | #*'''Timothy Gantz’s ''Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources'' (1993)''' – Gant’s book is the most scholarly, and also the densest introduction to Greek mythology. He draws on both early Greek writers and art in order to recreate the myths as they were in the days of Homer and Aeschylus.< | + | #*'''Timothy Gantz’s ''Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources'' (1993)''' – Gant’s book is the most scholarly, and also the densest introduction to Greek mythology. He draws on both early Greek writers and art in order to recreate the myths as they were in the days of Homer and Aeschylus.<ref>http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/1994/94.04.14.html</ref> |
#*'''Robert Graves’s ''The Greek Myths'' (1956)''' – Graves is a sort of anti-Gantz. He is a wonderful writer, and his myths make for an easy and enjoyable introduction to Greek mythology. His scholarship, on the other hand, is decidedly sub-par, and his theories of the origins of Greek mythology and the relations between its cast of characters have been more or less all disproven. | #*'''Robert Graves’s ''The Greek Myths'' (1956)''' – Graves is a sort of anti-Gantz. He is a wonderful writer, and his myths make for an easy and enjoyable introduction to Greek mythology. His scholarship, on the other hand, is decidedly sub-par, and his theories of the origins of Greek mythology and the relations between its cast of characters have been more or less all disproven. | ||
| − | #Read ''The Library of Apollodorus''. If you are truly interested in Greek mythology, you should go beyond modern re-tellings to the original sources. Though still called Apollodorus’s library, it has more recently been concluded that this 2nd century AD compilation of myths was not in fact written by Apollodorus of Athens. Regardless of its authorship, this compendium brings together most of the major Greek myths and orders them in a way that is still used by the writers of compendiums today.< | + | #Read ''The Library of Apollodorus''. If you are truly interested in Greek mythology, you should go beyond modern re-tellings to the original sources. Though still called Apollodorus’s library, it has more recently been concluded that this 2nd century AD compilation of myths was not in fact written by Apollodorus of Athens. Regardless of its authorship, this compendium brings together most of the major Greek myths and orders them in a way that is still used by the writers of compendiums today.<ref>http://www.thehellenictimes.com/sources.html</ref> You can find an indexed translation online at http://www.theoi.com/Text/Apollodorus1.html. |
#Consult the work of the poet Hesiod for more on the origins of the gods. A Greek poet from the 8th century BC, his ''Theogony'' details the origins and genealogy of the gods, while his poem ''Works and Days'' give insight into daily life in ancient Greece. For an award-winning recent translation, check out poet Daryl Hine's ''Works of Hesiod and the Homeric Myths''. Hesiod's works can also be found online at http://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodTheogony.html. | #Consult the work of the poet Hesiod for more on the origins of the gods. A Greek poet from the 8th century BC, his ''Theogony'' details the origins and genealogy of the gods, while his poem ''Works and Days'' give insight into daily life in ancient Greece. For an award-winning recent translation, check out poet Daryl Hine's ''Works of Hesiod and the Homeric Myths''. Hesiod's works can also be found online at http://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodTheogony.html. | ||
#Check out the epic poems of Homer. The two greatest epics of Greek mythology – ''The Iliad'' and ''The Odyssey'' – were written in the 8th or 7th century BC and are both ascribed to the poet Homer. While they focus on the Trojan War and the journeys of Odysseus, respectively, they also include asides that touch on many other classical myths. | #Check out the epic poems of Homer. The two greatest epics of Greek mythology – ''The Iliad'' and ''The Odyssey'' – were written in the 8th or 7th century BC and are both ascribed to the poet Homer. While they focus on the Trojan War and the journeys of Odysseus, respectively, they also include asides that touch on many other classical myths. | ||
| Line 67: | Line 67: | ||
#*You can find online translations of ''The Iliad'' at http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerIliad1.html and of ''The Odyssey'' at http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerOdyssey1.html. | #*You can find online translations of ''The Iliad'' at http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerIliad1.html and of ''The Odyssey'' at http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerOdyssey1.html. | ||
#*You can also find the original Greek, along with translations, at http://homer.library.northwestern.edu/. | #*You can also find the original Greek, along with translations, at http://homer.library.northwestern.edu/. | ||
| − | #Learn more about Jason and the Argonauts by reading Apollonius Rhodius. An Alexandrian born in 295BC, Apollonius’s ''Argonautica'' is the best-known version of Jason’s adventures.<ref | + | #Learn more about Jason and the Argonauts by reading Apollonius Rhodius. An Alexandrian born in 295BC, Apollonius’s ''Argonautica'' is the best-known version of Jason’s adventures.<ref name="rf3" /> It is available online at http://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius1.html. |
| − | #Read the three great tragic playwrights. Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles were contemporaries who produced tragic plays of profound psychological insight that have influenced writers to this day and which continue to be performed.< | + | #Read the three great tragic playwrights. Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles were contemporaries who produced tragic plays of profound psychological insight that have influenced writers to this day and which continue to be performed.<ref name="rf3" /> |
#*'''Aeschylus''' – Born around 525BC, the most famous of his seven surviving plays are ''Prometheus Bound'' and the ''Oresteia Trilogy: Agamemnon'', ''The Libation Bearers'', and ''The Eumenides''. Find his works at http://www.theoi.com/Text/AeschylusPrometheus.html. | #*'''Aeschylus''' – Born around 525BC, the most famous of his seven surviving plays are ''Prometheus Bound'' and the ''Oresteia Trilogy: Agamemnon'', ''The Libation Bearers'', and ''The Eumenides''. Find his works at http://www.theoi.com/Text/AeschylusPrometheus.html. | ||
| − | #*'''Euripides''' – Born around 486BC and of humble origins, his plays are unique in that his characters often question the gods and fight against their fates.< | + | #*'''Euripides''' – Born around 486BC and of humble origins, his plays are unique in that his characters often question the gods and fight against their fates.<ref name="rf3" /> Nineteen of his plays survive. Some of the most famous include ''The Bacchae'', ''The Trojan Women'', ''Medea'', ''Electra'', and ''Orestes''. Find his works online at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/collection?collection=Perseus%3Acollection%3AGreco-Roman. |
#*'''Sophocles''' – Also born around 486BC, he was a priest of Asclepius who has seven extant plays, including ''Oedipus'', ''Electra'', and ''Oedipus at Colonus''. His works are online at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/collection?collection=Perseus%3Acollection%3AGreco-Roman. | #*'''Sophocles''' – Also born around 486BC, he was a priest of Asclepius who has seven extant plays, including ''Oedipus'', ''Electra'', and ''Oedipus at Colonus''. His works are online at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/collection?collection=Perseus%3Acollection%3AGreco-Roman. | ||
| − | #Lighten up with the comic playwright Aristophanes. The Greek theater was not exclusively about grim topics like men marrying their mothers or serving their children to the gods. Aristophanes, born about 450BC, is the sole surviving comic playwright of the age.<ref | + | #Lighten up with the comic playwright Aristophanes. The Greek theater was not exclusively about grim topics like men marrying their mothers or serving their children to the gods. Aristophanes, born about 450BC, is the sole surviving comic playwright of the age.<ref name="rf3" /> Eleven of his plays survive intact, including ''The Clouds'', ''The Birds'', and ''The Wasps''. You can find his work online at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/collection?collection=Perseus%3Acollection%3AGreco-Roman. |
== Related Articles == | == Related Articles == | ||
