PREFACE
This book aims to provide a short introduction to undergraduate students embarking on courses that will involve them in studying western culture, particularly western literature, art and history. Until very recently the study of Greek and Roman culture, and of the classical languages of Greek and Latin in particular, was a major feature of western education. Until very recently too most educated westerners had a fairly extensive knowledge of the Bible, as a result both of their education and of religious observance. So western writers assumed a quite detailed knowledge of both Greek Mythology and the Bible in everything they wrote. A working knowledge of these two very large areas is therefore a necessary key to understanding most western literature and art.
The book’s first object is therefore to select from what is very extensive and often very complex material only what is most essential for students to master first. However, we have been reluctant to restrict ourselves and our readers to a purely factual and narrative presentation of the subject. One of the most unfortunate aspects of any study of this material is the large amount of factual detail, especially names, that needs to be absorbed. We have tried to keep this to a minimum. Otherwise, the bad habit of only learning by heart will be reinforced and, although the stories are often quirky and entertaining, there is a danger that overload will kill off any interest.
There is no need for that. When studying Greek myths and the books of the Bible, we can place them in their historical context and ask what they tell us about the people who told or wrote these stories. We can detect their values and judge them against the values of other ancient civilizations and against our own values today. We can seek to explain these values in the light of the contexts from which they spring.
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