Students should come to this class with at least a basic understanding of ancient Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses, heroes, monsters, etc. All individual lessons are freestanding, but as a general prerequisite for this course, students should have a foundational understanding of some iconic Greek myths and their characters. 

We will discuss various themes of mythology that run throughout several story arcs and their significance. We will discuss characters on a more literary level - for example, what defines a hero from the ancient Greek perspective? And, most importantly, we will use these stories not just for our own education and entertainment, but as a window into the lives and minds of the ancient Greek people. These people lived thousands of years ago, but despite geographical and temporal distance, they were people just like you and I are today. Perhaps we are more alike than we often think.

My teaching style is flexible, fluid, and fun. As long as we stay on track with our content, I'm delighted to encourage student engagement and allow their questions and observations to steer the direction of the course discussion. Mythology is a wonderful place to explore the complexities of human emotion and behavior, and with our discussions this class will certainly provide some intense and thought-provoking conversations. This course works best with interactive student engagement; though I am always able to spend the whole lesson telling stories and myths if needed! I post content and announcements in the Classroom regularly, so check there for any announcements or handouts.

2023 Summer Scheduling 


June 13: An Assortment of Mythical Monsters and the Heroes Who Killed Them
June 20: Hades and Persephone, and Other Tales of Divine Abductions 
June 27: The Trojan War in 45 Minutes
July 4: no class! USA Independence Day 
July 11: Don't Get On Apollo's Bad Side (aka stories of Cassandra, Niobe, and Agamemnon)
July 18: Ancient Mystery Cults and Other Ancient Greek Festivals
July 25: Transformations into Trees (Daphne, Syrinx, Baucis and Philemon)