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Title: Mythology by Edith Hamilton ISBN: 0-316-34151-7 Publisher: Back Bay Books Pub. Date: 14 September, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.23 (52 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Timeless Tales of the Gods and Heroes of Classical Mythology
Comment: Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" tell the "Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" of classical mythology and this volume, first written in 1942, is now a timeless classic itself. This was the first book of mythology that I ever read and it is still the best. When Hamilton retells the love story of Cupid and Psyche or the tragedy of Agamemnon and his children, she does so with a full sense of what it meant when first told by Apuleius or Aeschylus. These are not children's tales, but the heroic legends and religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Furthermore, the illustrations by Steele Savage have the elegance of wood block prints, which, for all I know, is exactly what they are. I appreciate Hamilton's choice to avoid relying on Ovid, for while the "Metamorphoses" is the most comprehensive ancient text dealing with the classical myths, Ovid is an unbeliever. For Hamilton the writings of Homer, Hesiod and Pindar are more abbreviated in terms of providing details for the myths, but at least they take the tales seriously.
Another strength of the book is how she organizes the myths in her seven parts: (1) Covers the complete pantheon of deities, including the lesser gods of Olympus and Earth and the later Roman additions, as well as the earliest heroes. (2) Retells the various tales of love, between mortals and the gods or each other, along with the Quest for the Golden Fleece and other early heroic adventures. (3) Focuses specifically on the greatest heroes, Perseus, Theseus and Hercules, with Atalanta thrown in the mix in a curious but understandable editorial decision by Hamilton. (4) Puts together Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid into a giant epic stretching from the Judgment of Paris to the founding of Roman, with the Odyssey and the tragedies of Euripides. (5) Tells about the great mythological families, namely the House of Atreus (Agamemnon), the Royal House of Thebes (Oedipus and Antigone), and the Royal House of Athens. (6) Covers all of the lesser myths, most notably Midas. (7) Goes off in a new direction, providing a very brief introduction to Norse mythology that seems woefully inadequate given the comprehensive compilation of classical mythology that precedes it.
I looked over other possibilities as a basic textbook for an introductory mythology course, but I keep coming back to this one. If you want analysis of these myths, then you certainly want to look elsewhere. But if you want a solid retelling of virtually every tale of classical mythology, then Edith Hamilton's volume is still at the top of the list.
Rating: 5
Summary: A fine introduction to Greek and Roman myth.
Comment: I came to love this book as a child, and I continue to enjoy it and benefit from it as a twentysomething adult. Understanding the root Greek and Roman stories can lead to a much fuller and richer understanding of Western culture, including literature, movies, art - even comic books and cartoons.
This a great collection of stories (with wonderful illustrations) for students and others interested in getting a sense of various myths and stories - large one like the search for the Golden Fleece, the Trojan War, the wanderings of Ulysses, the labors of Hercules, and smaller ones like King Midas, Orpheus, etc. This book recounts the stories, but it doesn't seek to interpret them. You'll have to dig deeper for that, and Hamilton helps you on your way by providing her sources.
If you enjoy this book, you may want to read the originals, such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, the Argonautika; the works of the Greek playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; and other works like Ovid's Metamorphoses and some the Norse and northern European epics and sagas - Beowulf, the Prose Edda, etc.
This isn't a definitive reference or mythological encyclopedia; it's a starting place for a really wonderful trip. I encourage you to give it a try - and to give it as a gift to young people in your life.
Rating: 5
Summary: Good storytelling.
Comment: Hamilton tells the stories, that may span several sources, in essentialized form in single stories for each character or topic. This overview technique creates stories that are often times more interesting than the drier read of some original texts. She provides references to all materials used enabling the reader to investigate further when they find a story of particular interest. This is a great introductory text to Greek Mythology or a great text for more advanced readers working to essentialize their knowledge.
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Title: Mythology : Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton ISBN: 0446607258 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 August, 1999 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: The Dictionary of Classical Mythology by John Edward Zimmerman ISBN: 0553257765 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 June, 1983 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Parallel Myths by J.F. Bierlein ISBN: 0345381467 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 11 October, 1994 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Odyssey by Homer, Robert Fitzgerald, D. S. Carne-Ross ISBN: 0374525749 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: 05 November, 1998 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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Title: American Cities and Technology : Wilderness to Wired City (Cities and Technology) by Gerrylynn K. Roberts, Philip Steadman, Open University ISBN: 0415200849 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: January, 2000 List Price(USD): $30.95 |
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