Classical Mythology

What do the Greek and Roman myths represent and why are they so enduringly fascinating? This book goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical mythology. It also examines how myths are used and understood in art and popular culture.

Morales provides a wide-ranging account, examining how classical myths are used and understood in both high art and popular culture, taking the reader from the temples of Crete to skyscrapers in New York, and finding classical myths in a variety of unexpected places: from Arabic poetry and Hollywood films, to psychoanalysis, the Bible, and New Age spiritualism.

More than mere retellings, this insightful look at the myths of ancient Greece and Rome explores the robust history and diverse interpretations of these timeless stories. In fields ranging from cinema to psychoanalysis, classical mythology has shaped the world in which we live. While recounting the myths themselves, Helen Morales offers examples that illustrate how extensively mythology has permeated both high and popular culture.

HELEN MORALES is Associate Professor of Classics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has published widely on literature and culture and is co-editor of the classics journal Ramus.