Εισαγωγή στη μελέτη της ελληνικής μυθολογίας

by Fritz Graf

Οι ελληνικοί μύθοι δεν είναι απλώς αφηγήσεις· είναι ένα πολύπλοκο πολιτισμικό φαινόμενο που συνδέεται με τη θρησκεία, την κοινωνία, την πολιτική, τη λογοτεχνία, τη φιλοσοφία και την τέχνη. Συστατικό στοιχείο του ελληνικού και του δυτικού πολιτισμού, οι μύθοι ερμηνεύτηκαν αλληγορικά κατά τον χριστιανικό μεσαίωνα, ενέπνευσαν την αναγεννησιακή τέχνη, ενώ εξακολουθούν μέχρι σήμερα να εμπλουτίζουν τη θεματολογία της λογοτεχνίας, των εικαστικών τεχνών, αλλά και της pop culture. Το εγχειρίδιο του Fritz Graf, ενός από τους σημαντικότερους μελετητές της αρχαίας θρησκείας, ούτε αφηγείται ούτε ανασυνθέτει ελληνικούς μύθους· εξηγεί την ιστορία της μελέτης τους, τις βασικές ερμηνευτικές προσεγγίσεις, και τον ρόλο που διαδραμάτιζαν οι μύθοι στον θρησκευτικό, τον κοινωνικό και τον πολιτιστικό βίο των αρχαίων Ελλήνων. Αποτελεί έγκυρο βοήθημα τόσο για τη διδασκαλία της ελληνικής μυθολογίας στο πανεπιστήμιο όσο και για την ενημέρωση του καλλιεργημένου αναγνωστικού κοινού. Η ελληνική έκδοση, επαυξημένη και εμπλουτισμένη, συνοδεύεται από ένα πνευματώδες κείμενο του μεγάλου Πολωνού φιλοσόφου Leszek Kolakowski, το οποίο καταδεικνύει την προβληματική των διαφορετικών επιστημολογικών προσεγγίσεων στη μελέτη της μυθολογίας.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, History, School, Ancient History

277 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1993

Reviews

[Nora Røssland · Rating 2 out of 5]

*snore* This book is the definition of trying to reach the word count. Just get to the point already

[S. Alberto ⁻⁷ (semi-active, always yearning) · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it certainly delivers on its promise of laying out the major approaches to myth, it wasn’t always the most engaging read. Graf opens with a dense overview of post-classical theorists—many of them German—which is undoubtedly useful for framing how myth has been interpreted over time, but it made the initial chapters feel more like trudging through a theoretical landscape than immersing in the myths themselves. That said, once the focus shifts back to Ancient Greece proper, the pace smooths out and the material becomes more accessible, though still quite academic. I appreciated how Graf consistently ties theoretical concepts to mythic material and provides a solid foundational bibliography for further exploration. The book works well as an introduction to the different schools of thought—from rationalism and allegory to structuralism and beyond—and it’s especially useful for students who need a snapshot of how interpretations of Greek myth have evolved. All in all, a solid starting point for understanding the interpretive frameworks of Greek mythology, but best approached with a well-rested mind and a pencil in hand!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely helpful in laying out the approaches to myth. Graf does start out with post-classical approaches and a lot of the players in their development (think: many different Germans), but once he switches back to Ancient Greece proper it becomes a much smoother (though still dense) ride.

[Dio Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book if you're looking to explore Greek Mythology in depth. I found that it started off really well, but I had a hard time keeping momentum up with it. All very interesting, but possibly not the sum of its parts.

[Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drier than the Sahara desert!1
But I now know what Heumerism means, thanks bro!!

[Elo-Mall Toomet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bets overview I've read on the subject. Especially the history of scholarship section.

[The Hellene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Το βιβλίο εστιάζει στην ιστορία της μελέτης της ελληνικής μυθολογίας και στο νοηματολογικό πλαίσο της, από την αρχαιότητα έως τις μέρες μας.

[Leonardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leitura fácil para os que já possuem uma cultura bilíngue. O livro é ótimo em exemplificar as diferenciações entre poesia e História, buscando também exemplificar os usos da Genealogia.

[Enea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What impelled early man to utter his first words, Herder believed, was his need to express a religious feeling.

[Fred Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graf gives a good overview of approaches to understanding Greek myths, from the ancient Greeks themselves to modern theorists, with a solid introductory bibliography (much of it not in English). The title is a bit deceptive. If you are just looking for the myths themselves, you will be disappointed. This should not be your first book on the subject. It will help to have read one of the usual suspects (Hamilton, Bulfinch, etc.), if not Homer, Hesiod, and Ovid, first.

[Jake Maguire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really had to struggle through this one. It was written in a strange stilted cadence and it focused on information that, to me, was not very relevant to expressing the Greek world succinctly. Blah blah blah yakity yak.

[Lyn Odonnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent, like an episode of desperate housewives of Olympus!

[Manar]

nothing

[EGSC Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of our students gave this book 5 stars! If you'd like to borrow this book, the EGSC Library has it.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edited. My first review was full of shit. This was an informative look at the study and interpretation of mythology.