Introduction to European Mythology

This course will serve as an introduction to three major branches of European mythology, and to the study of myth in general. Whatever a student’s level of previous background knowledge, this course should enrich and expand their understanding. This course will be challenging and intellectually engaging, but it should also be fun. We will use adaptations and anthologies which are already classics in their own right, and while they may be challenging, they are more accessible and familiar than ancient epics. This class is intended to serve as a stepping stone, preparing students to tackle the original texts with confidence. We will also be using texts that are appropriate for young teens and that minimize the adult elements present in many of the myths we will study. The class will cover Greco-Roman, Norse, and Celtic/British mythology.

Each semester, students will be assigned a creative writing assignment, an academic essay of about 1000 words, and a public speaking assignment. There will be a final exam each semester, and quizzes and short writing assignments may be given as needed.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will:

1. Have a broad familiarity with European mythology.
2. Be able to understand myths in their historical and cultural contexts.
3. Be able to recognize and interpret mythical allusions in literature and art.
4. Be prepared to read original, primary source texts with greater comprehension and appreciation.
5. Be familiar with the fundamentals of story structure and literary analysis.
6. Have gained experience with academic and creative writing, and with public speaking.

Texts:

• Mythology by Edith Hamilton
• Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green (Puffin Classics)
• The Children’s Homer by Padraic Colum (Aladdin) *
• The Aeneid for Boys and Girls by Alfred Church, listed on Project Gutenberg as Stories From Virgil *
• The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum (Aladdin) *
• Beowulf by Kevin Crossley-Holland and Charles Keeping (Oxford Children’s Classics)
• Stories from Ireland by Ita Daly (Oxford Children’s Myths and Legends)
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Michael Morpugo (Candlewick Press)
• King Arthur: Tales from the Round Table by Andrew Lang (Dover) *
• The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
• Any additional readings will be public domain PDFs, otherwise available online, or provided by the instructor.

*These readings are in the public domain and are available for free from Project Gutenberg, or as audiobooks from Librivox.