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

Really good lecture series

the series was a very good intro into classical mythology. if you are just now getting into it I suggest listening to this series

A hit, and a myth!

Professor Vandiver is one of the best Great Courses instructors, and I've heard quite a few. She has a knack for presenting a great deal of information in a tightly organized fashion, while keeping things interesting with a mix of narrative and analysis. The subject of mythology has long intrigued me, and I've even taken a class or two, but I learned a lot from her (including her marvelous Herodotus series) and many dots are now connected for me. She might be a bit gentler with Joseph Campbell though, a towering figure who for all his faults brought so many into the study of myth.

Enlightening and Engaging

A great description of not just the stories of classical
mythology, but why those stories were created and how those stories functioned in classical society.

Awesome introduction to classic mythology

What I like most about this book is the perspective shift the author constantly gives to the topic, it makes this series of conferences extremly valuable.

Also they are really easy to listen, despite the fact that I found myself regularly listening to many chapters twice to grab all the details. It's really entertaining.

The narration is awesome, Professor Vandiver excels as conferencist. This has to be sexiest series of lectures on classics ever.

If you like the topic, or you are looking for a solid introduction to it, this is it.

Excellent

The content and presentation were both amazing. I have immensely enjoyed all of courses Prof Vandiver's courses but this one might just be the best.

Wonderful and insightful

Wonderful lectures on the meaning of the myths in relation to the Greek people and Hellenic cultures. Most of the myths regarding the gods are briefly retold but many involving heroes and mortals are merely alluded to and previous knowledge or further reading is required. The speaker is passionate about her subject but her bias towards the gods shows in its enthusiastic telling while her relating of mortal deeds is sometimes dry and uninspiring. Briefly touches upon the Roman appropriation of Greek culture and myths in the last few chapters.

Professor Vandiver is the best

I have listened multiple times to Professor Vandiver’s lecture series on mythology, the Greek tragedies, ancient literature, the Homeric epics and the Aeneid. She carefully examines the subjects she treats, considering multiple scholarly analyses of ancient literature. Consistently with the yawning gaps in surviving works of literature and the limits of archeological/historical evidence, Prof. Vandiver avoids sweeping generalizations. She approaches her subjects with reason and objectivity, while demonstrating a prodigious knowledge and understanding of ancient literature itself and important individual scholars and schools of interpretation of such literature.

Great synopsis

Professor was very entertaining and knowledgeable and shared some nuggets that I was unaware of from earlier understandings. I had hoped a little more in depth on some topics, myths, stories etc but she was trying to get everything packed together as best possible in 24 episodes. Great beginner and intermediate course but lacking if you’re looking for a deeper dive, especially beyond Greek/Roman mythology.

Really well done! Very informative and interesting!

The lecturer was so knowledgeable and her material was very well presented. I find classical mythology fascinating. I recently finished Stephen Frye’s books, so it was great to hear an scholarly assessment.

captivating lectures from one of GC's best

Prof. Vandiver is one of Great Courses' best lecturers and this one is a wonderful place to start with her catalog.

This is a college level discussion of the origins and meanings of the Greek myths, but would be accessible to a home school high school student. or anyone looking for further education. It is not primarily a retelling of the myths, and I would go elsewhere for that, perhaps d'Aulaire's (though the audio is for children, it is quite good), or one of the Naxos re-tellings.

This is one of my favorite of the Great Courses' offerings and it improves upon re-listening, so a good investment.