Percy Jackson might be the latest fictional hero to tackle the subject of gods, goddesses, monsters, and the wide world of the supernatural, but did you know that the creatures that Percy encounters are... real?
For thousands of years, human beings have believed in the existence of powers and forces beyond our ability to understand or control. We told stories to one another to explain how life came to be on our planet, why the stars shine, why there is lightning, and much more, as a way of feeling connected to life. Now, whether or not any actual beings walked the Earth is a matter of debate (or faith) but there are hundreds of texts and resources that examine who these beings are and what purpose they served here on Earth.
Here is one such resource:
Classical Myth by Barry B. Powell is an excellent resource for those looking to know more about the Greek gods and goddesses. This book has information on all of the creatures and events told about in the popular young adult series, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, making it the perfect companion piece for those looking to dive more into the myths themselves.
From the publisher:
"Classical Myth differs from other texts by putting the divine myths and principal legends of the Greeks and Romans in the contexts - anthropological, historical, religious, sociological, and economic - from which they emerged, including their debt to the ancient Near East. Barry B. Powell presents the classical muyths as told by authors from Homer to Vergil, then analyzes and interprets them. Interspersed are short essays on the later history of the myths and their importance to writers, artists, film-makers, and philosophers down to our own times. The many photographs of ancient works of art show how the myths were visualized. The book concludes with a history of later theories about classical myth, demonstrating their continued importane for us today."
Powell's text takes us from the nature of myth to the role it plays in our culture. He makes comparisons to modern day figures, such as Darth Vader from Star Wars, to give as broad an audience as possible something to connect and relate with. From there, Powell talks about the origins of the gods, the wars on Olympus, to individual stories dealing with death, sacrifice, hope, and courage.
The text presents a broad overview of myths and is merely a launching pad for further investigation. If you check your local library, you'll be sure to find many more texts and explorations of mythology and its impact on our culture.
Again, let's see what librarian Brian Wilkinson thinks about this resource:
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