Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes: The Stories of Greek Mythology
This ten-week course takes an in-depth examination of the Ancient Greek myths about creation, their most famous heroes, their ancestry, and the Twelve Olympians.
Brigid Johnson, MA Tufts University
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(178)
What's included
10 live meetings
10 in-class hoursClass Experience
The myths of Ancient Greece have fascinated readers for millennia. We will explore these stories in depth, beginning with the creation stories and then move on to Zeus, his family, and most important offspring. Next, the class will examine the rest of the Twelve Olympians, the contest for the city of Athens, and the ancient Mediterranean reason for seasons. The course will end with the tragedy of the House of Atreus and a few of Greece's most famous heroes. We will discuss the values of ancient Greek culture that can be drawn from these stories, any lessons they serve to provide, and their influences that remain in our world today. Excerpts from the primary works of Greek and Roman authors such as Hesiod, Homer, and Ovid will be implemented into the presentation and discussion, as well as archaeological evidence and arguments from modern historians. I will deliver brief lectures and pause for questions and overall group conversations, that are geared to be student-led. Each class will end with a quiz bowl, and there will be a formal, multiple-choice assessment at the end of the course. I am active teacher who keeps students engaged and thinking critically and aim to have students lead the discussions. Students will interact with me and their peers frequently throughout the class. No previous knowledge of mythology is needed. This is a beginning course meant to enhance, inform, and entertain but goes beyond other mythology courses by discussing the culture, art history/archeology, and religion of Ancient Greece. Over the ten weeks, we will specifically cover the stories that pertain to the following deities/heroes: - Weeks I and II: Creation - Gaea, Uranus, the Titans, Prometheus, Pandora, and Deucalion and Pyrrha - Weeks III and IV: The Rise of Zeus - Zeus, Hera, and Zeus' Affairs; Hermes, Dionysus, Cadmus and Europa, and Apollo and Artemis - Weeks V and VI: Other Olympians - Hephaestus, Aphrodite and Ares; Myths of Athens - Athena and Poseidon - Weeks VII and VIII: The Underworld - Hades, Demeter, Persephone and the Eleusinian Mysteries; The Curse of the House of Atreus - Tantalus and Pelops - Weeks IX and X: The Heroes - Hercules, Theseus, and Perseus and the final assessment
Learning Goals
Students will learn the major myths of Ancient Greece, what these stories reflect about their culture, and the influences they had on later writers and societies. For students who are already familiar with these stories, the course will enhance their foundational knowledge and advance their thinking about the purpose of these myths, overall.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Ancient Greek mythology has elements of violence and sexuality; however, these topics have been modified so they are age-appropriate and not at all graphic in nature.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
I will provide links to short, scholarly articles that cover the stories we discuss each week.
Joined December, 2020
5.0
178reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree from Tufts University
I have an MA in Classical Studies from Tufts University. While earning my degree there, I was a teaching assistant for a classical mythology course. I tutored mythology during undergraduate studies and taught world mythology at Pikes Peak Community College to concurrently enrolled high school students. I have spent time in Greece and plan to study there again in the future.Reviews
Live Group Class
$175
for 10 classes1x per week, 10 weeks
60 min
Completed by 7 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-16
2-7 learners per class
