Many of us had our first experience of ancient myth watching Ray Harryhausen’s monsters in the 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts: the skeleton warriors still haunt our dreams. However, there’s much more to know about Jason’s story, from ancient Greek epic and drama to more recent retellings of his story. In this course, we will look at the mythological hero Jason in ancient literature and beyond, including Jason and the Argonauts and other cinematic Jasons.
Course aim
An introduction to the mythological figure of Jason, with and without the Argonauts, and his representation in ancient and modern culture.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Discover more about the ancient myths relating to Jason.
- Consider some of the ways Jason has been presented in modern culture.
- Understand processes that inform the use of antiquity in modern popular culture.
What else do I need to know?
No previous knowledge is assumed. Extracts from texts to be studied will be uploaded each week to Canvas, so there is no need to buy any texts unless you want to read further. You may find it helpful to have a pen and paper handy for notes.
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