Modern novelists have drawn deeply on the wellspring of Classical mythology, including the myths of Odysseus, Prometheus, Hercules, and Theseus, Ariadne, and the Minotaur, to name a few. While this course acts as an introduction to Greek and Roman mythology through in-depth examinations of several of the most well-known and seminal Greek myths, the majority of the course will be devoted to studying how and why Western authors throughout the ages have used and transformed
them. Sometimes, the myth has been employed as a structuring device; at other times, as artistic embellishment. Often, a mythological parallel is suggested as an analogy or contrast to the world in which the author lived. Students will read excerpts from Greek and Roman myth as well as modernist versions of the same stories.

Texts include: Homer’s Odyssey, Atwood’s Penelopiad, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Boffa’s You’re An Animal, Viskovitz!, Aeschylus’s Prometheus Bound, Moore’s Promethea, and Shelley’s Frankenstein, amongst others. Moreover, in order to satisfy writing credit, students will be asked to complete several short writing assignments and one longer essay, which will be outlined, edited and revised. Additionally, students may be asked to complete in-class
quizzes or free writes as well as to engage in peer-editing and writing workshops.