As a mythological figure, Circe has a long and storied history. The daughter of Helios, the ancient Greek god of the sun, this immortal sorceress plays a role in the tales of some of ancient Greece's most famous monsters, gods, and heroes. Her story, and the stories of those associated with her, have inspired countless works of art and literature. It is scarcely a wonder, then, that her story also inspired a modern-day classicist to write a novel that bears her name. Madeline Miller, who was educated in the classics and taught them, as well, chose Circe as her main character for a novel that weaves its own spell of myth, magic, and language. 

Circe is a novel that enchants, which seems only appropriate, given its subject. In the novel, the mythological tales of Circe are woven together by the power of the author's imagination. In this class, we'll examine which parts of the novel have their roots in the mythological tradition, and which parts have been invented by the author. The novel uses as much of its source material ancient Greek and Roman mythological stories; in the class, we'll use the novel as a jumping off point to explore some of these ancient myths. We'll reference the original ancient sources for Circe's story, and we'll explore many ancient myths that involve Circe either directly or indirectly:  the stories of Scylla, Glaucus, Medea, Odysseus, the Minotaur, and more. The author also has Circe cross paths with a number of other famous names in Greek mythology (Prometheus, Daedalus, and Ariadne, to name a few); though there is no mythological support for some of these interactions, we'll learn more about the ancient stories of those figures, as well. We'll reference ancient poets from Homer to Ovid as original sources, and we'll see what modern changes the author has made to this source material. We'll also examine the literary merits of the novel, discussing language and style. 

This class is designed to be a combination of discussion and casual lecture. It is a book club, and this may be thought of as more of a seminar circle style of class (or, if we're feeling sophisticated, perhaps we'd refer to it as a literary salon!). Learner participation is very much encouraged; learners should come to each class expecting not only to learn more about the myths that are presented in the novel, but to share their thoughts on what they've read and to ask questions. Learners are expected to read a set amount of chapters before each class. Learners will need to purchase the novel or to check it out from the library. I will present information about the myths referenced in Circe, and I may use slides to present art or other literary references. The class will vary from week to week depending on where discussion takes us, but as a loose guideline, we'll discuss approximately four to five chapters a week. Though each week will feature discussions of numerous mythological stories, figures, and topics, some of the primary stories are outlined below:

Week One: Circe's parentage and family; her relationship with Glaucus (chapters 1-5)
Week Two: Circe and Scylla; Daedalus, Pasiphae, and the Minotaur (chapters 6-10)
Week Three: Icarus; Medea and Jason (chapters 11-14)
Week Four: Odysseus and his men; Telegonus (chapters 15-19)
Week Five: Telemachus and Penelope (chapters 20-24)
Week Six: Gods, mortals, and immortality (chapters 25-27)

It is not necessary for learners to have a knowledge of classical mythology to take this course; it is recommended, however, that learners have a basic idea of what mythology is, and who the ancient Greeks were. I do offer a symposium-style mythology class on Circe (Mythology Symposium:  The Story of Circe), and if learners would like to know more about Circe before enrolling in or beginning this class, that is encouraged (please contact me if you're interested in this class but there are no sections currently open or open sections do not fit with your schedule). The novel itself is written more for an adult audience, though in terms of subject matter, it is suitable for younger learners (there are some rare instances of bad language and some mild sexual innuendo; in keeping with the tradition of the myths, there are also some disturbing and violent events, though nothing graphic or gratuitous). The language of the novel is for more advanced readers, as there may be more challenging vocabulary and sentence structure depending on your learner's level. I STRONGLY recommend previewing the book before enrolling in this course to see if your learner is at the level of reading necessary for the novel.

I want learners to feel comfortable in my classes. To read is an absolute joy and often a comfort (such is my experience, anyway). As such, learners should feel free to dress casually, lounge comfortably, and snack politely.