An introduction to classical myths in their ancient contexts and in their application to wider human concerns (such as the origin of the universe, the place of men and women in it, and the challenges posed by living together in families and larger, political communities). This course will focus on some of the greatest works of ancient literature and art in order to investigate the inherent flexibility and continued relevance of classical myth. It will also consider how the category of ‘myth’ was defined in antiquity and how it relates to later celebrations of the human imagination.
