Gods and Goddesses, the Muses, the Furies, Spirits, and Fates. Such were the beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Their stories are unbelievable (and far-fetched)—but they were believed! They include adventure, romance, family ties, jealousy, revenge, even monsters—you name it! We will get a taste of Homer’s The Iliad, and study more closely Homer’s The Odyssey.
During our seven weeks, we will journey through:
- Who were the Titans, Gods and Goddesses, Muses, Furies, and Fates?
- What are their stories and “familial” connections?
- The oral tradition of storytelling—who is Homer?
- What is the background story to The Illiad—about the Trojan War? Who really caused the Trojan War?
- Introduction to The Odyssey the ten-year trip home. Visit the stories of “The Cyclops”, Scylla and Charybdis, the bag of winds, Circe, Calypso, and more.
- How do we see the infusion of these mythic characters, throughout history in art, other literature, poetry, movies, advertising, etc.
Lisa Helmick, Omaha, Nebraska
Lisa loves learning—and teaching. A native Nebraskan, she knew she wanted to be a teacher from of the age of five and taught for 35 years in the public-school system. After retiring, she became an adjunct professor at Metropolitan Community College, in Omaha, NE, and is loving every minute of it. She is certificated in English, Language Arts and Writing, English as a Second Language, and has master’s degrees in Educational Curriculum and Educational Administration. Lisa’s philosophy is that everyone is a teacher and everyone is also a learner. She has learned as much from her students as she hopes they have learned from her.
