Classical Mythology

By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

These 24 lectures are a vibrant introduction to the primary characters and most important stories of classical Greek and Roman mythology. Among those you'll investigate are the accounts of the creation of the world in Hesiod's Theogony and Ovid's Metamorphoses; the gods Zeus, Apollo, Demeter, Persephone, Hermes, Dionysos, and Aphrodite; the Greek heroes, Theseus and Heracles (Hercules in the Roman version); and the most famous of all classical myths, the Trojan War.

Professor Vandiver anchors her presentation in some basics. What is a myth? Which societies use myths? What are some of the problems inherent in studying classical mythology? She also discusses the most influential 19th- and 20th-century thinking about myth's nature and function, including the psychological theories of Freud and Jung and the metaphysical approach of Joseph Campbell. You'll also consider the relationship between mythology and culture (such as the implications of the myth of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades for the Greek view of life, death, and marriage), the origins of classical mythology (including the similarities between the Theogony and Mesopotamian creation myths), and the dangers of probing for distant origins (for example, there's little evidence that a prehistoric "mother goddess" lies at the heart of mythology).

Taking you from the surprising "truths" about the Minotaur to Ovid's impact on the works of William Shakespeare, these lectures make classical mythology fresh, absorbing, and often surprising.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2000 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2000 The Great Courses

Very Informative and Entertaining

Before I make any criticism, I want to say that for me, this was a "Couldn't put it down" audio book. To me this is an example of audio books at their best. I strongly recommended it. I found it entertaining, easy listening, informative and well presented.

The speaker's delivery was at just the right pace for me and with plenty of colour. I like to listen while doing other things such as exercising and cooking and driving. That means the delivery needs to be good to hold my attention and she hit the spot for me.

I knew a bit about classical mythology before I started, but I knew a lot more by the time I finished. Great perspective and overview.

My only criticism is that I would have liked the stories and characters she covered to have been presented as such, rather than descriptions and discussions of the stories. Obviously these are academic style lectures, but I think a few complete stories mixed in would have added to the work. I would love to hear an expanded version where these lectures serve as a companion to properly narrated stories themselves. That would be awesome.

One very important thing to add - she stimulated an appetite in me to learn more. I bought several other works in the same series after this. (Not all were as good as this). In retrospect, I think this is one of the most valuable things about it.

Always Enjoy Vandiver

This was exactly as expected and it helped me with my continual quest to sort out all the mythological stories. Her lecture on Shakespeare and Ovid was my favorite.

Bravissima! Dr. Vandiver is fantastic!

Most people are aware of Homer and Odysseus. The Aeneid is familiar to those who graduated from college. But there is so much more from the classical world that any educated person should know about.

Professor Vandiver is absolutely fantastic! Her energy and clear explanations make this a very enjoyable and educational course. Highly recommended!

Perfect blend of theory and story

The first couple of lectures contain a great deal of theory. But don't let that deter you. As the lecture series progresses, the early theoretical foundation turned out to be invaluable tools for interpreting the mythological tales.

Over the years, I have listened to a lot of "The Great Courses" lectures. Professor Vandiver's series of Classical Mythology is perhaps the most memorable of them all. Her lectures are engaging yet not at all gimmicky. In my view, her blend of theory and story strikes the perfect balance for both learning and retention of knowledge.

Fabulous

This was engrossing, informative, and wholly enjoyable. Anyone with an interest in human psychology, history, classicism, storytelling, European art, and literature can benefit from the thoughtful insights presented in these lectures. My only gripe is that there weren't twice as many lectures to go into more depth and detail.

Better than I even hoped

This lecture series never got boring...I actually can't believe it's over! I will certainly look for by this professor. She is brilliant!

It is very good.

The connection between the old mytys and your society it is wonderful. Great lstenning. The explication is very consistently and Worth the buy.

quite enjoyable

i have listened to this audiobook twice already and I enjoy it so much. The professor is very knowledgeable of mythology and narrates stories in a very interesting manner. for people who are thinking on learning about these stories but have no previous readings, this is an excellent way to introduce themselves to greek teachings, because it gives you several views. I loved it!

Excellent content, albeit with some annoyance

Fascinating topic, excellent and robust examination. I found the Professor's pronunciation of certain words really irritating (is it an American mid-west thing to say 'impordant' and 'wridden,' or 'liderature?) Anyway, probably a petty complaint at best, and certainly didn't prevent me from being greatly disappointed once I finished. I wanted more!

Highlights for me: the overview of the psychological 'why' theories of Myth, the importance and relevance of Classic Myth in Western culture today, and a better understanding of Ovid's Metamorphoses in its cultural context. I do wish there was a more thorough examination of the different uses of Myth specific to the Romans, as opposed to the Greeks, however.

Will definitely listen to again

Fantastic listen

Some much information it’s like drinking from a fire hose. Elizabeth Vandiver has set the bar to a new height.