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Classical Mythology cover art

Classical Mythology

By: Elizabeth Vandiver,The Great Courses
Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
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Summary

These 24 lectures are a vibrant introduction to the primary characters and most important stories of classical Greek and Roman mythology. Among those you'll investigate are the accounts of the creation of the world in Hesiod's Theogony and Ovid's Metamorphoses; the gods Zeus, Apollo, Demeter, Persephone, Hermes, Dionysos, and Aphrodite; the Greek heroes, Theseus and Heracles (Hercules in the Roman version); and the most famous of all classical myths, the Trojan War.

Professor Vandiver anchors her presentation in some basics. What is a myth? Which societies use myths? What are some of the problems inherent in studying classical mythology? She also discusses the most influential 19th- and 20th-century thinking about myth's nature and function, including the psychological theories of Freud and Jung and the metaphysical approach of Joseph Campbell. You'll also consider the relationship between mythology and culture (such as the implications of the myth of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades for the Greek view of life, death, and marriage), the origins of classical mythology (including the similarities between the Theogony and Mesopotamian creation myths), and the dangers of probing for distant origins (for example, there's little evidence that a prehistoric "mother goddess" lies at the heart of mythology).

Taking you from the surprising "truths" about the Minotaur to Ovid's impact on the works of William Shakespeare, these lectures make classical mythology fresh, absorbing, and often surprising.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2000 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2000 The Great Courses

What listeners say about Classical Mythology

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really interesting listen

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I found it entertaining and interesting.
it is NOT a read through of myth. it's an analysis of how culture and myth were intertwined

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11 people found this helpful

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Educational

Any additional comments?

This book gives an over view of classical mythology, particularly the Greeks. I bought it as I can never answer the mythology clues in crosswords. I still can't, and would need to listen again (and again) and take notes to get anywhere but that is my inadequacies not the book.I enjoyed listening and liked the style of delivery and will relisten. The Greek Gods were definitely not nice and true mysogonists.

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9 people found this helpful

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excellent

very easy to listen to.
I thought I knew Greek mythology, but proved I still have a lot to learn

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5 people found this helpful

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chapter headings are out of sync

chapter headings in the chapter tab on the android app are out of sync with the chapters of the book. This is not a comment on the book itself but I am unsure how else to bring it to the attention of audible for resolution!

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4 people found this helpful

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loved it

informative, entertaining and well worth getting for anyone who is interested in the topic. I'm definitely going to be trying more in the series

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4 people found this helpful

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Brilliant

What a wonderful course. I have loved every minute of it. Left me hungry for more

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3 people found this helpful

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Strongly recommended

Fascinating stories told with spellbinding commentary. I look forward to listening to these lectures again and again. You will not be disappointed.

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wonferful

Really enjoyed this and learnt a lot . A great introduction to Greek mythology which gives s lot of perspective . Feel inspired to learn more !

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2 people found this helpful

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Stories told at frantic pace

This is not an audio-BOOK but a series of lectures marketed by Audible as if it were a book. Possibly from an online university course. On closer inspection i think imported from "a series of college-level audio and video courses produced and distributed by The Teaching Company, an American company based in Chantilly, Virginia" At one level none of that may matter - except it renders irritating the grandiose trumpet voluntary before each 'chapter' and the identical canned applause at the start and end of every performance (the phantom audience manages to avoid coughing, stirring or laughing during the talks themselves). Yes, OK, the professor seems to know her stuff - but she tells these myths with the relentless force of an express train ... sadly with little concern for capturing meaning through rhythm or intonation. It does make you think about how 'good lectures' depend on a lot more than coherent content. For me it was less a matter of not keeping up, more feeling i really didn't want to.

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1 person found this helpful

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Great listen

Wonderful to listen to and very informative, however the listings of the chapters needs to be altered - the chapter titles don’t match to what is actually being played

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