Greek Mythology

Mythology refers to a collection of myths or the study of mythology. The Cambridge Dictionary defines myth as "an ancient story or set of stories..." Myths are simply stories - fantastic tales of powerful gods and goddesses, frightening creatures and brave heroes set in ancient places. Were these amazing stories true? That's for you to decide! It is hard to know how and where most of these myths came from, and in fact, it is quite common to hear or read many different versions of the same myth. That is part of the charm and appeal of mythology.

We do know that every ancient civilization had its own unique set of myths - its own mythology. Interestingly, no matter where the myths originated - Greece, India or Egypt, for example - many of these myths had similar themes and served similar purposes. For example, nearly every culture has a version of a creation myth, a story or stories that explain the beginning of the universe. In addition, many myths are much the same across different places and cultures. For example, many Roman myths are nearly identical to the Greek versions and, in some cases, only the names of the characters and places are different. In this course, we will study the myths of the ancient Greeks.

Module Outcomes

1.0 Describe mythological stories as a form of artistic expression and discuss the purpose and role of these stories

1.1 Define myth and mythology

1.2 List the common elements and characteristics of a myth

1.3 Describe the purpose and role of myths in classical Greek society

1.4 List sources of mythological stories