Classical Mythology: Images and Insights: Images and Insights

This is a great book. Easy to read and the questions at the end of the chapters make it a sure fire way to make sure you understood the material.

I was introduced to this text in grad school as a teaching assistant for an introductory class in classical mythology. This was the only text we needed- it contains generous excerpts from numerous primary sources couched in readable, enlightened commentary free from bias and slant. A preliminary section on interpreting myths glosses the full range of approaches, from externalist theories (myth as a product of environment) through religious ritual, etiology (myths as explanations of origin), to Freud, Jung and Structuralism (Levi-Strauss's notion of myth as reconciliation of the mind's discomforting dichotomies). It's a whirlwind tour but an admirable attempt to provide context. The book provides next a large chunk of Hesiod's "Theogony," then "Works and Days" and runs down the "Olympian Family of Zeus," followed by a wonderful chapter on "The Great Goddess and Goddesses: The Divine Woman in Greek Mythology." What a refreshing dose of open-mindedness. From Demeter we pass to a chapter on Apollo then one on Dionysus (Nietzsche's insight into the Greek character implied) then to the myths of the Underworld and then "The Hero: Man Divided Against Himself." And we're only a third of the way through this book- excerpts from Homer and the great tragic dramas follow. That said, it's an expensive book for students, especially at a small rural college. I'm teaching my own introduction to mythology class now, and although I'm not presently requiring my students to buy it, I am using it as the basis for my lectures, and I may well decide to make it the (only) required text in the future. This is the best book on the subject that I am aware of.

I managed to make it all the way to the 21st century before I actually made my students buy a single textbook that cost this much, but after my first semester of using the Fourth Edition of "Classical Mythology: Images & Insights" by Stephen L. Harris and Gloria Platzner I do not have any major regrets. In the past I have liked to rely mainly on primary texts, such as Homer's "Iliad" and a collection of Greek tragedies, supplemented by handouts, because I prefer that my students come up with their own interpretations. However, teaching a Classical Mythology course on line changes the dynamics of the teacher-student interaction, which made the switch to this textbook a viable option."Classical Mythology" is divided into five sections: (1) The Nature and Function of Myth, which introduces students to the Greek myths and ways of interpreting them; (2) Epic Myths and the Heroic Quest, which covers creation stories, the gods and goddesses, and the epic heroes from Perseus and Hercules to the Trojan War and the quest for Odysseus; (3) Tragic Heroes and Heroines looks at the tragic vision and the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; (4) The World of Roman Myth explores the differences between Greek myths and Roman realities with an emphasis on Virgil's "Aeneid" and Ovid's "Metamorphoses"; and (5) The Western World's Transformations of Myth" is a single chapter section that explores the persistence of myth in terms of modern transmissions of classical myths. I found it necessary to break up Part II of the textbook so that the deities and the heroes were dealt with separately. This is a natural division that is certainly reflected in the organization of the chapters in that part.In terms of primary sources "Classical Mythology" gives me more works that I have ever used in class before, including excerpts from Hesiod's "Theogony" and "Works and Days," along with some Homeric Hymns. I had used the "Orestia" of Aeschylus before, but the version I had included only a synopsis of "The Libation-Bearers" whereas Harris and Platzner include an abbreviated version of the middle play that includes what I think is the most powerful secene in the trilogy, where Clytemnestra begs her son for her life. I would have chosen a few different chapters from the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey," but that is offset by the fact that now I can have students read substantial parts of both works. Likewise, I would have liked to have had "Iphigenia at Aulis" and/or "The Trojan Women" in the volume because I really like the way the Euripides plays off the beginning and the end of the "Iliad," but again, this is a question of editorial discretion as you still have the "Orestia" and the Theban plays of "Sophocles," along with "Medea" and "Bacchae" by Euripides. I like my students to have a better idea of the dramatic structure and key concepts of Greek tragedy, but I already have that all worked out for my students.As for the analysis of the classical myths provided by Har

Harris and Platzner's Classical Mythology is thorough and eloquently written. I particularly like the use of original sources (Hesiod, Homer, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Virgil and Ovid)along with indepth analyses of the works themselves. Sometimes I think the authors' interpretations are a bit of a stretch, but nonetheless they are thoughtful and beautifully written. However, I've decided NOT to use this as a textbbook for my introductory college level course, for a couple of reasons: 1) The organization: not infrequently myths are mentioned briefly in relation to something else before they are fully covered in their own right--a problem, I would think, for beginners. The book is arranged thematically--gods, male and female heroes, the view of after life, world in decline--rather than in a more straightforward myth-telling scheme (as in Barry Powell's book). All of this is quite interesting to someone who has a mid-level understanding of mythology, but I think it makes it a little harder for initiates to grasp the basic myths and their variants.2) Practical usage: in some senses maddening. For example, simple chapter numerals at the top of each page would be incredibly helpful so that when the text refers to another chapter (which it does continually--because of the way the material is organized) you could find that particular chapter instead of having to rifle through the pages. Then there is the seemingly arbitrary way in which some names and terms are included in the glossary and some are not. Why? Even more arbitrary--and irritating!--is the decision to give helpful pronunciation guides to some terms but not others. Why Minos, for instance, but not moirae; or Aurora (really) but not Anaxagoras (where does the accent go?). Also, a more useful map would help. But ultimtely, this book is beautiful and richly written--I enjoyed it immensely; furthermore, it offers solid insights into the ways myths might have developed (though Ken Dowden's book is more convincing) and the ways we interpret them today. The authors make quite clear the existence of variants for many if not most myths--which reflects the true complexity of classical mythology. And finally, the visuals are gorgeous, both the 4-color plates and the black & white photos.

I am disappointed that some reviewer brought down the rating of this magnificent book with a review that is unbelievably off-target. As a mythology insructor and writer of books utilizing myth, and a psychotherapist who relates myth to the process of human transformation, I find this the most in-depth and meaningful guide to Greek mythology available - out of over 100 I have read. The questions and commentaries are particularly in-depth but above the level of junior high school and high school students. For those who wish to understand not only mythology but also its deeper implications and relevance.