19th century Danish author Hans Christian Andersen was one of the most prolific writers of fairy tales to ever have lived. His unique literary gift for storytelling was not immediately recognized as his first fairy tale collections sold poorly. The humor of Andersen’s writing was often lost in translation and his darker sensibility was not fully appreciated at first. However by the mid 1830s he would begin to gain the popularity that he so justl ...
Generally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer, “The Odyssey” is considered one of the most important works of classical antiquity, an epic poem about the events at the end of the Trojan War which is generally thought to have been written near the end of the 8th century BC. The story centers on Odysseus and his ten year journey to reach his home in Ithaca. Because of his long absence, Odysseus is presumed dead, leaving his wife Penelope an ...
Once upon a time, two brothers wished to preserve their German folklore in a collection of tales that they believed had been handed down for generations. When they began in 1812 they had just 86 stories that rather harshly reflected the difficult life of the European peasantry. Subsequent editions would grow to hold over 200 tales. As time passed, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, with all of its royalty, magical creatures, and brave advent ...
American author and banker Thomas Bulfinch is best known for his three separate works on mythology, “The Age of Fable, or Stories of Gods and Heroes”, “The Age of Chivalry, or Legends of King Arthur”, and “Legends of Charlemagne, or Romance of the Middle Ages” collectively entitled “Bulfinch’s Mythology,” which was first gathered together in one volume and published after his death in 1867. Carl J. Richard, Professor of History at the University ...
Perhaps one of the most influential works of mythology ever written, “The Metamorphoses” is an epic and narrative poem by Roman author Ovid. Finished in 8 A.D., this work, organized into fifteen books, combines a stunning arrangement of mythological tales that are masterfully connected by a theme of transformation, most often through love. Beginning with the world’s creation, the poet utilizes unparalleled wit to describe the history of the worl ...
Born and educated in Dublin, Ireland, William Butler Yeats discovered early in his literary career a fascination with Irish folklore and the occult. Later awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923, Yeats produced a vast collection of stories, songs, and poetry of Ireland’s historical and legendary past. These writings helped secure for Yeats recognition as a leading proponent of Irish nationalism and Irish cultural independence. Originally ...
