The stories of world mythologies have a timeless quality. The Greek myths in this unit explore questions and themes that help us understand the world around us and our role in it. Drawing on the routines and skills established in previous units, these lessons ask students to move from considering the state of a single person—themselves or a character—to contemplating broader questions concerning the role people play in the world and the various communities they inhabit within it.
"Prometheus" from Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin
"Daedalus" from Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin
"Demeter" from Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin
Excerpts from The Odyssey by Homer, translated by E.V. Rieu
"Arachne," from Selected Tales From Ovid by Ted Hughes
Excerpt from The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, “Second Voyage,” by Andrew Lang
EXTRA: Excerpt from Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus
EXTRA: Excerpt from "Circe's Palace" by Nathaniel Hawthorne
EXTRA: Excerpt from "The Picture Minerva Wove" by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
Topic & Theme: Man vs. gods in ancient Greece
Reading: Analyze what symbolic characters show about human nature
Writing: Write about the development of a shared theme in two texts
Activity Highlights: Myth World Quest, write original interpretations of ancient myths
Text Features: Modern prose retellings of myths and translation of ancient narrative poem
Mythology is often marked by violence. In particular, the poem “Arachne” contains some strong imagery of gods’ interactions with humans.