Folklore & Mythology

Beowulf is the earliest extant poem in a modern European language. It was composed in England four centuries before the Norman Conquest. But no one knows exactly when it was composed, or by whom, or why. As a social document this great epic reflects a feudal, newly Christian world of heroes and monsters, blood and victory and death. more...

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The Book of the Dead is the title now commonly given to the great collection of funerary texts which the ancient Egyptian scribes composed for the benefit of the dead. These consist of spells and incantations, hymns and litanies, magical formulae and names, words of power and prayers, and they are found cut or painted on walls of pyramids and tombs, and painted on coffins and sarcophagi and rolls of papyri. This book is the treatise and analysis of The Book of the Dead ... more...

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The mythology of the ancient Celts is a rich and complex one. Celtic myths relate epic stories of heroic ancestors, when the divine and mortal realms were intimately intertwined and gods and goddesses inhabited the natural world. The exploits of Cúchulainn and Fionn mac Cumhaill, of Deirdre and Rhiannon, and of other heroes and heroines may have their roots in the distant past but they continue to thrill and enchant readers today. Celtic Myths is a fascinating survey of these myths and of the history behind them. Preserved in the monasteries of early Christian Ireland and in stories first written down in medieval Wales, their origins lie much deeper in the largely lost world of the Celts. Only on the Atlantic coast of Western Europe have aspects of the oral culture of the ancient Celts resisted the tide of history. The languages and traditions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany still resonate with the mythology of a pre-Christian world. For all those who want to understand the Celts and the way in which they perceived their world, and for all those who simply enjoy the narrative power of ancient myths, this Pocket Essential provides the ideal introduction. more...

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The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. In CliffsNotes on Mythology, you'll review the myths from seven different cultures and gain an overview of the stories that people have lived by from ancient times to the present. The gods and their stories depict life's lessons and personal relationships and present a moral code of human conduct. These stories are also a map to understanding history. This CliffsNotes guide covers Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies, as well as the Arthurian legends. Features that help you figure out these important works include: An introduction to mythology; The main gods of various cultures; Review questions; Recommended readings; Genealogical tables of major gods. Classic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides. more...

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You're no idiot, of course. You can find Greece on a map, know that Kevin Sorbo stars as Hercules on TV, and have heard of Freud's Oedipus theory. But when it comes to classical mythology, you feel like you've been foiled by the gods. Don't curse Zeus yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Mythology has all you need for a working knowledge of the timeless world of Greek and Roman myths. more...

Price: $16.95