English 12 Demo

What you do in this unit is important because in many of the units that follow you will see references to these materials.

The references to Greek myth are likely encountered on an almost daily basis. From the names of celestial bodies to the products we buy. It is deeper than that though. The philosophies developed in the times this culture evolved still influence us today. Right or wrong, knowing the origins of something often help you to better understand how we got to the place we are now.

You may also be wondering by now, “Why, in a course that is supposed to center on British Literature, are we spending so much time on ancient myths?” Good question. Context is important. While there is no time to provide all of the context (either literary or historical) necessary to fully understand the works presented in this class, it is a good idea to have at least a surface understanding of the references and related stories that the authors were using. So many writers from British Literature were educated in the stories of ancient Greece that it would have been natural for them to be influenced by those works and include references to them in their own writing.

So, why would a student from some town in Minnesota in the 21st century even need to understand the connections made here? Regardless of time, place or culture, the stories here connect us and provide for us themes and character traits that help us give meaning to our own circumstances. Seeing ourselves reflected in these stories helps us relate to the world around us and the people in it.

It may be that you are neither Greek, nor British (if you are then it may be even more motivating to learn about your heritage!) What kinds of topics do you think people struggle with regardless of their culture? What are some universal similarities that we all share just because we are human? We may all have more in common with these writers from long ago then we might realize!

School of Athens by Raphael via Wikimedia Commons / CC0