Life Lessons from the Great Myths

De: J. Rufus Fears, The Great Courses

Narrado por: J. Rufus Fears

Change the way you think about some of the greatest stories ever told with this examination of the most important myths from more than 3,000 years of history. The ways in which the human imagination can transform historical events, people, and themes into powerful myths that endure through the ages is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

To examine the core of the world's greatest myths and tales is to confront some of history's most basic human truths. These 36 captivating lectures comprise a powerful work of storytelling prowess and historical insight, exploring events and individuals that so gripped civilizations, they transcended to the level of myth and played an important role in shaping culture, politics, religion, and more.

Looking at myths from ancient Greece and Rome, from the Near East and the Middle East, from early and modern Europe, and from the United States, Professor Fears shows how myths convey higher truths too profound to be described in ordinary language. Decoding them, Professor Fears reveals how they serve as enduring sources of wisdom. For example, the rich tapestry of supernatural events in the Epic of Gilgamesh provided support for Mesopotamian politics, including the need for a divinely appointed kingship. The furious battles in Beowulf played an important role in cementing Germanic ideas of courage, heroism, glory, and honor. And the dramatic last stand at the Battle of the Alamo emphasized for Americans that liberty is worth any price.

The search for wisdom is one of life's great purposes, and there is much wisdom to be gleaned from the world's great myths. By the final powerful and stirring lecture of this course, you're sure to find yourself wiser than you were before you started.

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

©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great Courses

Best one yet

I'd give it 10 stars if I could. great speaker. I wish he did more because I would get those as well.

Best of The Great Courses?

This is my favorite so far of the 20 plus Great Courses I have listened to. Professor Fears leads you on Great travel through History and many of the great myths in history.

I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I am going to seek out more of his courses on Audible.

Timeless

If you could sum up Life Lessons from the Great Myths in three words, what would they be?

Provocative and relevant in the world today!

Have you listened to any of Professor J. Rufus Fears’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

They are all entertaining, informative and pertinent.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

so many situations were moving!

Any additional comments?

no

Don’t miss any of J. Rufus Fears’ lectures.

Fears consistently presents history, not just as a collection of dates and events, but as a moral guide guide calling out to us not to fall into these same snares. He, as the ancients did, saw history as a tool for developing individuals. As I understand he has passed on, I’m grateful to sit under his teaching, (thumbs up great courses) and look forward to any archived material released in the future.

Lots of lecturing, not much teaching

I listened to this as a part of the Crash Courses Mythology thing. At first I thought it would be a nice summarization of the things I learned from the other courses. However, it derails so completely from Classic Myth and World Myths that I am uncertain where Professor Fears gets his information from.

At first Professor Fears speaks at length about the Iliad and its status as a Great Book and the higher knowledge we receive from reading it. For instance, he claims that one of its major lessons is how terrible hubris is - thinking you know better than you actually do, and acting accordingly. He also says that the Iliad contains a "historical kernal of truth" - this will be an ongoing pattern.

Later he goes in some detail about a few other myths like Gilgamesh, but about halfway through the series he stops talking about ancient myths and begins talking about actual historical figures like Alexander the Great and Napoleon. The link between mythological truths and historical facts weakens until the professor is simply lecturing about the history of the United States without mentioning any mythology or stories at all.

One thing in particular that bothered me was that he makes a point of putting his personal views into the lectures which have very little bearing on the overall lesson. For instance, he claims that American culture will never die (in the form of rock and roll and McDonalds), and refers to any mention of Christianity as "right" and any mention of previous religions as "what they believed". I felt this glorification of his personal beliefs got in the way of the actual lessons, and made it more difficult to see what he was actually trying to teach.

Overall, I do not recommend this series if you are looking for a good introduction into mythology.