CLAS 2230 Classical Mythology
This course explores the mythology of ancient Greece, Rome, and the Near East within its cultural, political, historical, and religious contexts. You will meet (or renew your acquaintance with) mythical figures like Zeus, Gilgamesh, Medusa, and Helen as they appear in multiple literary genres and other artistic media. In order to analyze and interrogate these myths we will use ancient and modern frameworks for thinking about what mythology is and what it does. What can a myth tell us about the civilization that created, adopted, or adapted it? What do our uses of Classical mythology--and our creations of our own myths--tell us about ourselves?
Course overview
- Department
- Classical Studies
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Both
- Offered
- Every Fall
Requirements fulfilled
- Classics: Electives (five courses, 15 credits minimum): any Classical Studies course, or approved electives from other departments (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Classics: Foundational courses (two courses, 6 credits minimum): Classical Mythology, Greek Civilization, Greek History, Roman History, or City of Rome (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Ancient Greek: III. One elective: either Greek (intermediate or above) or a course on Greek civilization (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Latin: III. One elective: either Latin (intermediate or above) or a course on Roman civilization (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.31 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.54 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 5
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Hanne Eisenfeld | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 38 of 52 |
| Fall 2024 | Hanne Eisenfeld | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 45 of 51 |
| Fall 2023 | Hanne Eisenfeld | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 33 of 45 |
| Fall 2022 | Hanne Eisenfeld | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 | — | 35 of 44 |
| Fall 2021 | Hanne Eisenfeld | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | — | 24 of 43 |