Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

According to Hamilton, Greek mythology should not be treated as “a kind of Greek Bible” because “a real myth has nothing to do with religion” (11). Research the relationship between myth and ritual in any of the time periods from which Hamilton’s sources come. Consider the extent to which her statement can be considered accurate.

What are Hamilton’s underlying assumptions about “Western culture,” and how do they influence her retelling of Greek and Roman myths?

How does Hamilton define heroism? To what extent does it reflect the characterization of heroes and heroism in the Greek and Roman worlds?

Discuss the extent to which it is appropriate to treat both Homer and Virgil as “literature.”

How does Hamilton define “Western civilization,” and what role do Greek and Roman mythologies play in this definition?

What does Hercules signify to Hamilton? In your discussion, consider why she uses only his Roman name across her text.

Hamilton notes that “No god of Greece could be heroic” (435). What does she mean by that, and to what extent does it reflect the way the ancient Greeks characterized gods and heroes?

To what extent does Hamilton fulfill her intention to avoid creating a unified narrative of ancient mythology?