Approaches to Greek Myth

Book Overview

Now thoroughly revised and updated, this volume offers a variety of historical, comparative, and theoretical perspectives on Greek myth.

Since the first edition of Approaches to Greek Myth was published in 1990, interest in Greek mythology has surged. There was no simple agreement on the subject of "myth" in classical antiquity, and there remains none today. Is myth a narrative or a performance? Can myth be separated from its context? What did myths mean to ancient Greeks and what do they mean today?

Here, Lowell Edmunds brings together practitioners of eight of the most important contemporary approaches to the subject. Whether exploring myth from a historical, comparative, or theoretical perspective, each contributor lucidly describes a particular approach, applies it to one or more myths, and reflects on what the approach yields that others do not. Edmunds's new general and chapter-level introductions recontextualize these essays and also touch on recent developments in scholarship in the interpretation of Greek myth.

Contributors are Jordi P mias, on the reception of Greek myth through history; H. S. Versnel, on the intersections of myth and ritual; Carolina L pez-Ruiz, on the near Eastern contexts; Joseph Falaky Nagy, on Indo-European structure in Greek myth; William Hansen, on myth and folklore; Claude Calame, on the application of semiotic theory of narrative; Christiane Sourvinou-Inwood, on reading visual sources such as vase paintings; and Robert A. Segal, on psychoanalytic interpretations.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1421414198
• ISBN13: 9781421414195
• Release Date: October 2014
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.9" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Quite good book

Thanks to my ancient greek teacher Carine, I have found a great interest in this book. It's a shame there isn't more philosophy in it.

Great advanced undergraduate material.

I wouldn't recommend this be the first book anyone studying classical mythology reads -- the analysis may be a bit over the newbie's head and the issues require more knowledge about ancient Greek and Roman culture. However as an advanced undergraduate, graduate or professional resource, Edmund's analysis provides good food for thought which you agree or disagree. Good interweaving of poem, play, philosophical, and visual accounts of the myths with details about Greek society itself. Could use some stronger citations at points.