Biblical and Classical Myths
The Mythological Framework of Western Culture
Published on 19. October 2004
Book
Hardback
500 pages
978-0-8020-3927-9 (ISBN)
Description
In the 1970s and 80s, Northrop Frye and Jay Macpherson co-taught a very influential course at the University of Toronto's Victoria College on the history of Western mythology - Frye focusing on the biblical myths; Macpherson on the classical. Biblical and Classical Myths recreates the thought behind that course, with Frye's lectures - unpublished until very recently - supplemented by Macpherson's popular 1962 textbook on classical mythology, Four Ages: The Classical Myths. Frye's lectures on the Bible make up the first half of the book. He expounds on an array of topics, including translations of the bible, sexual imagery, pastoral and agricultural imagery, and law and revolution in the bible. Four Ages makes up the second half. Macpherson narrates the major classical myths from stories of creation to the myths' survival in later European traditions. By complementing the biblical tradition with the classical, this volume imparts a comprehensive understanding of western mythology. With a preface by Alvin Lee, general editor of the Collected Works of Northrop Frye, Biblical and Classical Myths is an essential volume and represents a unique achievement in scholarship.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Toronto
Canada
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 41 mm
Weight
840 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8020-3927-9 (9780802039279)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Northrop Frye (1912-1991) was one of the twentieth century's most influential English scholars and literary critics. Northrop Frye was a professor in the Department of English at Victoria University in the University of Toronto from 1939 until his death. His works include Words with Power and Anatomy of Criticism. Jay Macpherson is a professor emeritus in the Department of English at Victoria College, University of Toronto.
Content
Preface to the Combined Edition by Alvin A. Lee Symbolism in the Bible Foreword by Robert D. Denham * An Approach to the Bible and Translations of the Bible* The Shape of the Bible* Images of Paradise: Trees and Water* Parody and Manifest Demonic: Trees and Water* Sexual Imagery: The Bride and the Bridegroom; The Great Whore and the Forgiven Harlot* Pastoral and Agricultural Imagery* The World of Angels; Leviathan, Dragons, and the Antichrist* Demonic Parodies and the Hero from across the Sea* The Double Mirror: Exodus and Gospel* The Metaphor of Kingship* King, Priest, and Prophet* The Question of Primogeniture* Genesis: In the Beginning* Genesis: Creating the Sexes; Exodus: A Revolutionary Heritage* Law: Ordering a Society* Law and Revolution; Wisdom: The Proverb* Wisdom: Playing before God; Ecclesiastes: Vanity of Vanities* Job: A Test* Job and the Question of Tragedy* Job and Restored Humanity * The Language of Proclamation: Style and Rhythm in the Bible; The Gospel: Rewriting the Commandments* Revelation: Removing the Veil* Revelation: After the Ego Disappears* The Language of Love * Maps* The Bible and Further Readings* Note on the Illustrations* Notes Four Ages: The Classical Myths Foreword Introduction *1. In The Beginning* The Creation / The Golden Age / War in Heaven / The Reign of Zeus / Prometheus / Pandora's Box / Deucalion's Flood / Phaethon*II. Spring and Winter* Demeter and Persephone / Adonis / Hyacinthus / Narcissus / Orpheus*III. Loves of the Gods and Metamorphoses* Loves of Zeus: Callisto, Io / Pan and Syrinx / Apollo and Daphne / Clytie / Endymion / Arachne / Procne and Philomela / Midas' Touch / Ceyx and Alcyone / Nisus and Scylla / Philemon and Baucis*IV. The Heroes* Perseus / The Labours of Heracles / Jason and the Golden Fleece / Bellerophon and Pegasus / Theseus*V. The Royal House of Thebes* The Children of Agenor / Zeus and Semele / Ino and Athamas / Pentheus / Actaeon / Oedipus*VI. The Tale of Troy* The Apple of Discord / The War / The Fall of the City / The Returns / The Return of Menelaus / The Return of Agamemnon / The Return of Aeneas / The Return of Odysseus*VII. Cupid and Psyche*VIII. Conclusion: The Passing and Afterlife of the Gods* Family Trees* Mythology-History Chart* Sources of Quotations* Maps* Suggestions for Further Reading* Note on the Illustrations* Note on Classical Names* Notes Pronouncing and Descriptive Index of Classical Names Index of Biblical Subjects and Names