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This course focuses on one of the great mainstays of Western culture that has endured for over 3,000 years: myths told by the Greeks in their literature and art to explain everything from the origins of the cosmos to the end of the heroic age. Themes include: the rise of Zeus and the Olympians to power; Demeter and Dionysos; Prometheus and the origins of human technology; heroes such as Heracles, Oedipus, Achilles, Odysseus as well as figures such Medea and Helen of Troy. In addition to analysis of ancient material, there will also be discussion of the vast influence of Greek myth on subsequent western art, literature and film from Botticelli and Byron to Brad Pitt and more.
The great myths that came out of ancient Greece have never stopped being told and have immeasurably influenced European and Western culture over the course of three millennia.We see how myths explain the natural world; how myths inform ancient political ideas, religion and cultural identity; how myths explore what it means to be a hero, as well as relations between the sexes in the Greek world. We analyse the great epic poems Iliad and Odyssey and also the brilliant dramas of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides; we explore the role of myth in Greek art as well as in art and culture from the Renaissance onwards. For their passion, profundity, wit and earthy humour these stories have enriched the way people have looked at the world from antiquity to the present day - from Shakespeare to Freud, Michelangelo to Picasso, JK Rowling and more.This course can be done online by Distance and by school students enrolled in the STARprogramme.
- understanding of how Greek myths can be both expressions and critiques of ancient cultural values- introduction to some of the key sources of Greek myth, such as Homeric epic, Greek tragedy and ancient artworks- understanding of Greek myth as a global phenomenon, influential in cultures from antiquity to 21st century New Zealand- development of students' oral and written communication skills in analysing and discussing Greek myths in various contexts
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
Globally aware
Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.
CLAS102, CLAS103, CLAS107
Patrick O'Sullivan
B. Powell; Classical Myth ; 8th; Pearson Education, Essex, 2015.
Domestic fee $761.00
International fee $3,188.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Humanities .