Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction - Book Report/Review Example

Download file to see previous pages... According to the paper the book is an animated and comprehensive examination, focusing on interpreting the myths instead of merely narrating them, and explores how Greek myths have been applied over time across the globe to discuss and understand issues of conflict, sexuality, politics, and historical origins.
This study highlights that the author explores the literary history and tradition of Greek mythology by means of wide-ranging interpretations of original sources of Greek myths. Such far-reaching and easily understandable introduction to classical mythology integrates a lively mixture of informative explanation and poetic accounts to make Greek myths more interesting. The author’s perceptive interpretations of Greek myths within their cultural and historical contexts, and their continued presence in film, music, art, and literature, are still unmatched. Greek mythology is the most difficult, complicated, and influential narratives ever made and retold. The author merges a retelling of Greek myths with a wide-ranging discussion of the period and context wherein they emerged—their themes, their connection to the setting, and their importance to Greek society and religion. As shown in the book, language is possibly the feature of Western culture that has been greatly influenced by Greek mythology. The author presents various examples of the adoptions of terms used for gods, goddesses, and myths. For instance, the expression ‘herculean task’ originated from the achievements attained by the popular demigod; when a person encounters something especially complicated or elaborate, the word ‘labyrinthine’ could be used to refer to the scene. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More