The earliest Greek myths to survive come to us from the poetry of Homer and Hesiod nearly 3,000 years ago, but they are still spellbinding today. For the Greeks and Romans they were everywhere – part of the way they explained the origin of the world, key to religious beliefs and ritual, the material of thrilling plays and poems and a vivid visual culture.
But where does mythology come from? Did the Greeks believe their myths? If myth hovers at the boundary of truth and untruth, what can it tell us about ourselves?
The Guardian’s chief culture writer, classicist Charlotte Higgins, leads this fascinating tour through the Greek myths, from the stories of Homer’s epic poems and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, to representations in theatre, pottery, mosaics and more. You will discover how these ancient stories of bravery, tragedy, love and treachery continue to influence contemporary society. Resources for further exploration will be suggested.
Gain a foundational understanding of the meaning of myth, in this interactive masterclass with one of the leading modern voices in culture.
This course is for …
Anyone with an interest in Greek and classical mythology
Course content
What is Greek mythology?
Where do myths come from?
Homer’s epics, Greek tragedy, Roman poetry
What is the purpose of mythology?
Exploring the contemporary
Q&A
Tutor profile
Charlotte Higgins is the Guardian’s chief culture writer. As an author, most of her books explore aspects of the classical world: Under Another Sky was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson (now Baillie Gifford) prize among other awards, and has been adapted into a play by David Greig; Red Thread won the Arnold Bennett prize; and her latest, Greek Myths, with illustrations by Chris Ofili, was shortlisted for Waterstones book of the year 2021 and the 2022 V&A illustration awards. A further book, This New Noise, was adapted from a series of Guardian essays about the BBC. A former winner of the Classical Association prize, Charlotte is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a trustee of the British School at Rome.
Details
Date: Tuesday 2 August 2022
Time: 6.30pm-8.30pm (BST)
Price: £49 (plus £2.83 booking fee)
This masterclass is available globally. If you are joining us from outside the United Kingdom, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.
6.30pm BST | 7.30pm CEST | 10.30am PDT | 1.30pm EDT
You will be sent a link to the webinar 24 hours and 2 hours before the start time of 6.30pm (BST)
Sign up to our newsletter and you’ll be among the first to find out about our latest courses and special offers. You can also follow us on Twitter, and read our latest articles and interviews on our blog.
Information on Guardian Masterclasses
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
By enrolling on this masterclass, you’re helping to support the Guardian, and this allows us to keep our quality reporting open to all.
All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible - but please contact us if you have any queries or concerns.
Returns policy
Once a purchase is complete we will not be able to refund you where you do not attend or if you cancel your event booking. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
