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This module explores early Greek culture through the lens of its mythology and literature. The first part of the module will look briefly at the major Greek gods and heroes (e.g. Heracles, Theseus, Jason) before turning to examine Homer’s Odyssey (in English translation), with its enigmatic and many-sided protagonist, the “cunning Odysseus.” The second part of the module explores the enduring influence of Homer, on his immediate successors in the literature of the Archaic period. Here the lyric poetry of Archilochus, Sappho and others opens up a world of city-states, colonization, warfare, religious festivals, choral dances, symposia, and more. Important themes for the module as a whole are theories of myth, the evolving social functions of Greek poetry, and the lasting influence of this formative period on European thought.
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