The theme of CLAS230 Classical Mythology this semester is the portrayal of women in Greek and Roman mythology. The course begins with examinations of the goddess Athena and of Penelope the wife of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey in order to answer questions like what is a goddess (as opposed to a god) and what is a heroine (as opposed to a hero). Particular emphasis will be placed upon the treatment of women like Antigone, Alcestis, and Clytemnestra in Greek tragedy and Daphne, Europa, and other women in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The women of Greco-Roman mythology will also be compared to mythic women in other cultures, such as the Egyptian goddess Isis and Princess Leah in Star Wars.

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