Classical mythology : images and insights /
Stephen L. Harris, Gloria Platzner.
- 4th edition
- Boston, Mass. : McGraw-Hill, 2003.
- xxi, 1105 p. : ill., (some col.), maps ; 24 cm.
Table of Content
PART ONE THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF MYTH
Chapter 1 Introduction to Greek myth. Greek religion and the nature of the divine Social and political functions of myth. The Literary quality of Greek myth and its association with communal observances Myth, legend, folklore, and saga Distinctive qualities of Greek literary myth.
Chapter 2 Ways of Interpreting myth Ancient ways of viewing myth Some modern Interpretations of myth Myth theory and the birth of Athene The autonomy of myth Questions for discussion and review Works cited Etc.
PART TWO EPIC MYTHS AND THE HEROIC QUEST Chapter 3 In the beginning: Hesiod's creation story Egyptian myths of creation Mythical attempts to scale the heavens The nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne Two different accounts of creation in genesis Etc.
Chapter 4 Alienation of the human and divine: Prometheus fire, and Pandora Humanity's' alienation from the God's: Prometheus and fire. The trickster Humanity's decline: Pandora and eve Biblical parallels to the Pandora myth: Adam, Eve, and the loss of paradise Humanity's Alienation from nature as the price of civilization Etc.
Chapter 5 The great Goddess and the Goddesses: The divine woman in Greek mythology The great Goddess Gaea Author unknown,
Chapter 6 The Olympian family of Zeus: Sharing rule of the Universe The Older Olympians The major classical Gods and Goddesses The younger Olympians The Gods at home: Adultery on Olympian
Chapter 7 In touch with the Gods: Apollos' Oracle at Delphi The Shrine at Delphi: communicating with the Gods prehistoric Delphic Apollo's prehistory Apollo and Dragon: the transition from earth Goddess to sky God. Apollos' birth Festivals and ceremonies of Delphi Etc.
Chapter 8 Dionysus: Rooted earth in earth Ecstasy Dionysian and Apollo: contracts and connections The Dionysian myth Parallels between Dionysus of Thebes and Jesus of Nazareth. Author unknown,
Chapter 9 Land of No return: The gloomy kingdom of Hades The Homeric view of the afterlife The location and geography of Hades' realm Persephone: queen of the underworld Descents into the underworld The transmigration of afterlife Etc.
Chapter 10 Heroes of myth: man divided against himself The heroic pattern The heroic pattern: archetypal events Gilgamesh: the first hero of the world myth The early hero Perseus The archetypal hero Etc.
Chapter 11 Heroines of myth: women in many roles The heroine: women's mysteries in man's world women's rituals. Patterns of the heroine myths The Heroine as mother or wife The heroine as a helper-maiden The heroine as hero-impersonator Etc.
Chapter 12 Heroes at war: the Troy saga The decision of Paris The historicity of troy The implications of the story Conflict in society and the cosmos The Trojan cycle continues: events proceedings the Iliad Etc.
Chapter 13 A different kind of Hero: the quest of Odysseus Differences between the Iliad an the Odyssey The sequence of events in the homeward voyage of Odysseus Post-Homeric traditions about Odysseus and his family
PART THREE TRAGIC HEROES AND HEROINES Chapter 14 The theater of Dionysus: myth and the tragic vision The city Dionysian and the birth of drama The tragic vision Myth into drama
15 The house of Atreus: Aeschylus's Oreteia Aeschylus's Drama of crime and Redemption An overview, etc
chapter 16 the tragic house of Laius: Sophocles' Oedipus cycle The world of Sophocles Sophocles: The citizen and writer Oedipus Rex, etc
chapter 17 A Different perspective on Tragedy: Euripides' Medea and the bacchanal
chapter 18 The roman vision: Greek myths and roman realities
chapter 19 Virgil's roman epic: The Aeneid
chapter 20 The retelling of Greek myths: ovid's metamorphoses
PART FIVE THE WESTERN WORLD'S TRANSFORMATIONS OF MYTH chapter 21 The persistence of myth
Includes bibliographical references (p. 1069-1078) and index.