Emily James (Notre Dame Sixth Form) reviews Helen Morales' 'Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction'
Classical Mythology – A Very Short Introduction is about the basics of Greek and Roman mythology, and the influence it has had historically and in society today. It covered a wide range of myths, some well known and some more obscure.
I really enjoyed learning about myths that I had not known in great detail previously. I learned a lot about the background of some myths, and learnt a more in-depth version of others. I especially enjoyed learning the impact of classical mythology on how we function today, for example how some sexism and misogyny experienced today has filtered through from ancient times. Another interesting thing I learned from this book was how Freud's ‘Oedipus Complex’ came about and how it stemmed from the Greek myth surrounding Oedipus, rather than actual psychological research, and the number of studies that have branched off of it.
There was nothing about this book that I disliked – I think it’s a great book for anyone trying to get into Greek Mythology, and is easily understandable for someone with very basic knowledge on the topic.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend reading Classical Mythology – A Very Short Introduction to anyone who wanted to learn about or gain more of an understanding of Classical Mythology. The writing was humorous and charming, and it was a very good and informative book.
Something I agreed with in this book was...
The impact that some classical myths have had on society today.
Something I disagreed with in this book was...
Some of the mentions of God's in relation to horoscopes.
Something I learnt from reading this book that I didn't know about this subject before was...
How Freud based his 'Oedipus complex' on a myth surrounding Oedipus, and not on any psychological research.