Intro to Greek Mythology

1. Intro to Greek Mythology The Elements and Purposes of Myth

2. Myth Defined • Greek Mythos=“discourse” or “speech” • Dictionary: A traditional story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that informs or shapes the world view of a people, by explaining aspects of the natural world or the customs and ideals of that society.

3. Myth vs. Legend vs. Folktale Legend = has a validated historical basis unlike a myth or folktale Folktale = a tale told for entertainment; does NOT try to explain/describe human behavior

4. Elements of Greek Myth • Interaction between gods and humans • Gods as large and beautiful humans • Gods as flawed beings • Supernatural beings and monsters • Larger than life, godly “superheroes”

5. Best-known writers of Greek and Roman mythology. Homer – One of the oldest known Greek literary sources, Homer's epic poemsIliad and Odyssey, focus on events surrounding the aftermath of the Trojan War. He is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. Hesiod- Was a poor farmer and a near contemporary of Homer. His two poems, the Theogonyand the Works and Days, contain accounts of the genesis of the world, the succession of divine rulers, the succession of human ages, the origin of human woes, and the origin of sacrificial practices. Ovid - His poetry influenced European art and literature and remains as one of the most important sources of classical poetry. One of his most famous epic poems is Metamorphoses. He is a Roman poet that did not really believe in the Gods, but used the myths as subjects for his writing.

6. Continued. Pindar- Greatest lyric poet, many versions of his poems still exists today. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides- All tragic poets, Aeschylus was the oldest and Euripides was the youngest. The famous play, Oedipus Rex, came from Sophocles. Aristophanes- Great writer of comedy. Plato- Famous philosopher . Virgil- Found human nature in the myths, and he brought mythological personages to life as no one had since the tragedians.

7. Purposes of Myth Hercules

8. Myths Explain Natural Occurrences • Examples? • Gaea and Ouranos • Thunder and lightning (Zeus) • Earthquakes (Poseidon) • Seasons (Persephone & Demeter) • The sun rises (Greece: Helios’ chariot, Egypt: Ra and Semektet)

9. Myths Explain Fundamental Philosophical Questions • Early Greeks as proto philosophers • Attempting to answer fundamental questions • Where did we come from? • Who created the universe? • Is there life after death? • To explain is to control • Comfort in knowing

10. Myths Explain Culture and Institutions • Why women couldn’t vote • To explain is to control • Athena and Poseidon both want to rule and protect Athens • Gift contest • Poseidon=saltwater well (useless) • Athena=olive tree (olive, wood, oil) • Men vote for Poseidon, women for Athena • Athena wins • Poseidon floods the Attic plain (region in Greece) • Athenians blame the women, take away vote

11. Myths as Means to Instruct • Myths often relay a message or moral • Teach cultural traditions, values • Icarus—life has limits • Narcissus and the dangers of pride and self love

12. Myths to Explain History • A biased version of history • Reinforce Greek culture and power • Trojan War • Crete and King Minos • Founding of Rome • Founded by sons of Mars • Gave tellers sense of identity, sense of place

13. Myths to Entertain • People were illiterate in early Greece • Couldn’t read or write • Entertainment in an oral culture • Blood, shock, sex, exciting tales • The Heroes • Herakles, Odysseus, Theseus, Jason, Perseus • Stronger, smarter, more handsome than mere mortals • Nobility in humanity • Humans are better than gods

14. Cultural Supremacy and Civil Order • Persuasion • Greek superiority over non-Greeks • Other as “barbarians” • Religion: Cult & Ritual • Maintained order • Gave people reason to be loyal to a city • Temples and sacrifices • Feared retribution of the gods Apollo’s Temple at Delphi

15. Why Study Myth?

17. To Understand Literature and Art • Mythical allusions and references • Keats and the Romantics • Shakespeare and many others • “Well, in that hit you miss. She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow” (Romeo and Juliet)

18. Archetypes and Mythic Patterns • Greek characters, places, themes have influenced (consciously or not) Western literature and art • Femme fatale, the trickster, the great mother and father, mentor, the monster • Great floods, virgin births, creation, paradise, the underworld • Finding connecting patterns

19. Myth and Language • Word origins • Think of some words that come from Greek mythology

20. Myth and Language • Word origins • Volcano • Herculean • aphrodisiac • music • atlas • tantalize • Erotic • Narcissism

21. Myth and Cultural Literacy • E.D. Hirsch • Knowledge of myths makes us literate • Enriches our understanding of the Western world • Empowering • Shared culture

22. This is not a “G” rated class So please be mature!!! Mythology is … - violence - death - war - hideous injuries - love - sex - power - deceit - ambrosia - and much more - pride - hate - jealousy - impossible feats

23. Journal #1—Intro to Myth Summary • What is mythology? • Why should we study Greek mythology in High School? • What are some of the purposes of myth? • ½ page minimum

24. Phaeton

25. Brueghel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (1555)

26. How do the stories of Phaeton and Icarus help shape the worldview of the Greeks?