Zeus

Zeus, Hercules, Athena, Hades, Aphrodite, Apollo, Poseidon...      The list of ancient gods and heroes goes on and on, their names still resonant with meaning at the beginning of the 21st century.  But how did their stories give shape to Greek and Roman civilization, as well as Western tradition at large?  This is the question to be answered in CC 220.

     In this course we will survey the most the important myths in Greek and Roman culture, with attention to their religious, psychological, and historical origins.  Comparative mythology, structural analysis, modern psychological interpretations and the development of classical myths in Western literature and art will receive due attention.

The specific goals for this course are as follows:

• to study the major aspects of Greek and Roman myth;
• to view the various genres of myth in contrast to one another;
• to analyze myth from several different perspectives;  and
• to assess the value of myth to modern audiences.

     Furthermore, students will draw upon universal skills of critical reading and thinking, and will communicate these skills both in class and in written exercises.