Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Norse people, used mythology to define their cultures, enlighten themselves about the surrounding world, and teach important life lessons within their societies. This study guide collection showcases a variety of mythological texts, from epic poems (Homer’s The Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid) to modern interpretations of mythology (Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman and The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood), demonstrating our timeless connection to a rich mythological past. To learn more about this genre, please visit our Folklore and Mythology Resource Guide.
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, Mythology, Play: Tragedy, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
Publication year -416
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period
Publication year 1598
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Mythology, Renaissance, Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction
Hero and Leander is an epyllion (brief epic) by 16th-century English poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe. It can also be described as a mythological-erotic poem, one of a number of such poems that were published in England around this time, including Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis. The poem is based on the ancient Greek story of two tragic lovers. The exact date of composition is not known but the poem was published in 1598, five years... Read Hero and Leander Summary
Publication year 1966
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Mythology, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin was first published in hardcover in 1967. A collection of stories from ancient Greek and Roman mythology retold for a young adult audience, it is considered a modern classic in the genre of ancient myth retellings.Plot SummaryIn a short introduction, Evslin shares his personal experience hearing stories from Greek mythology as a child and explains how he understands them. He notes that ancient Greek... Read Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths Summary
Publication year 428
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period
Hippolytus is a tragedy by Euripides, originally produced in Athens at the City Dionysia of 428 BCE. The tetralogy to which Hippolytus belonged earned Euripides the first prize that year. According to ancient authorities, this was Euripides’s second attempt at a play on the myth of Hippolytus, his earlier play having apparently horrified contemporary Athenians with its allegedly sensational depiction of Phaedra. Euripides’s original Hippolytus no longer survives, but the revised play quickly came to... Read Hippolytus Summary
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Ancient Greece, Narrative / Epic Poem, Mythology
Publication year 1986
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Immigration / Refugee, Mythology
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mythology, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Relationships, American Literature, Latin American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Gender, Society: Nation
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
... Read Ion Summary
Publication year 410
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Society: War
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Military / War, Mythology, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1871
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Animals
Tags Mythology
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Tags Mythology, Narrative / Epic Poem, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Ancient Greece, Classical Period
Jason and the Golden Fleece is a Greek epic poem written by Apollonius of Rhodes during the third century BCE. A scholar of the Library of Alexandria, Apollonius draws on and adapts Homeric themes, motifs, and techniques and incorporates a vast knowledge of geography, religion, and ancient and modern cultures. The epic has also been published under the titles Jason and the Argonauts, The Voyage of the Argo, and the Argonautica. It is the only... Read Jason and the Golden Fleece Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology, LGBTQ, Indian Literature
Publication year 1953
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Asian Literature, Children's Literature, Asian Literature
Publication year 1960
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Mythology, Ekphrastic, Free verse, Modernism, Grief / Death, Science / Nature
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1924
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: War
Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence