by Mary Pope Osborne
Osborne, the author of the Magic Tree House books, retells twelve stories of Greek myth in a very slim (75 not very dense at all pages) volume for children. As in Enid Blyton’s collection, these are tales mostly well-known to Western culture, also mostly from Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Orpheus and Eurydice, Echo and Narcissus, Midas’ greedy wish, Persephone and Hades, the ill-starred love of Cupid and Psyche. She also includes a few obscurities: Arcus, who shot his mother while hunting after she had been turned into a bear; the race of Atalanta and Hippomenes; and perhaps most obscure, the rather grim story of Ceyx and Alcyone, who turned into a kingfisher when her drowned husband washed ashore.
Osborne is a decent writer, and infuses the stories with fairy-tale timelessness while emphasizing their explanatory intent. She’s less captivating than Blyton, however, and her retellings lack detail and the rich color than the master raconteurs (Blyton, the D’Aulaires) do. She doesn’t for example, mention Midas turning his children to gold, which gives the tale its real pathos; nor in her story of Orpheus in the underworld is there any menace conveyed from Charon or Cerberus. These tales are pleasant but thin and plain – and why revisit the classics if you’re not going to make them shine just a little brighter?
three stars
Showing posts with label mythology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mythology. Show all posts
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Tales Of Ancient Greece
by Enid Blyton
A collection of sixteen stories from Greek myths (mostly taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses), retold for juveniles. Some, such as Icarus’ fall and King Midas’ wish, are extremely familiar, while a few have not permeated as deeply into out popular culture (Clytie who loved Apollo and watched his passage each day; Baucis and Philemon, who were kind to the gods in disguise and were thus the only ones to survive the mass drowning of their village – a story much more familiar in its Judeo-Christian frame).
This thin, 104-page book is a readable, fun introduction to some of the more colorful tales of Greek myth. Blyton is a fine writer, and adds color, mood, and motive to the tales. Most deal with the consequences of hubris (Arachne, Phaeton) or the simple misfortune of having caught the eye of a god (Io, Daphne, Midas, Persephone). The “morals” of these tales, if they could be said to have a lesson and not simply serve to explain the natural world, seem mostly to be that bad things come to those who don’t know their place. This is not a moral that American youth are brought up to find tasteful, but Blyton strives to put a happy face on even the most tragic of tales, concluding that Orpheus and Eurydice were reunited eternally in death, or casting the tale of Pygmalion and Galatea as a happily-ever-after story.
four stars
A collection of sixteen stories from Greek myths (mostly taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses), retold for juveniles. Some, such as Icarus’ fall and King Midas’ wish, are extremely familiar, while a few have not permeated as deeply into out popular culture (Clytie who loved Apollo and watched his passage each day; Baucis and Philemon, who were kind to the gods in disguise and were thus the only ones to survive the mass drowning of their village – a story much more familiar in its Judeo-Christian frame).
This thin, 104-page book is a readable, fun introduction to some of the more colorful tales of Greek myth. Blyton is a fine writer, and adds color, mood, and motive to the tales. Most deal with the consequences of hubris (Arachne, Phaeton) or the simple misfortune of having caught the eye of a god (Io, Daphne, Midas, Persephone). The “morals” of these tales, if they could be said to have a lesson and not simply serve to explain the natural world, seem mostly to be that bad things come to those who don’t know their place. This is not a moral that American youth are brought up to find tasteful, but Blyton strives to put a happy face on even the most tragic of tales, concluding that Orpheus and Eurydice were reunited eternally in death, or casting the tale of Pygmalion and Galatea as a happily-ever-after story.
four stars
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
The Myths Of Greece And Rome
by Hélène A. Guerber
1907
Revised by Dorothy Margaret Stuart.
A formidable tome, retelling a great
many of the myths, from creation and the twelve main gods to
Bellerophon to the Trojan War to the Aeneid. The language is rich and
literate, representative of the time the book was written. Guerber also adorns her retellings with excerpts
from Milton, Shakespeare, Keats and other poets whose work was drenched
in mythological allusion. She finishes the book with some interesting
comments on interpretation of myth.
Her style is on the whole
pleasingly arch, as for example when she mentions that Cronus must have
been “not of a very inquiring turn of mind” when he swallows a rock
instead of Zeus. On the negative side, Guerber often robs the tales of
their drama: she skims over such incredible feats as Bellerophon’s
destruction of the invincible Solymi, and fails to tell how exactly the
sons of Boreas destroyed the harpies, or where King Admetus managed to
find and ride a chariot drawn by boars. I also found the tales gutted in
places; I’m not speaking of obvious bowdlerization such as references
to homosexuality, but surprising omissions such as how Heracles ripped
Theseus’ hips when he rescued him from Hades, or why Echo was punished
by Hera (it wasn’t just for talking too much). Guerber doesn’t even make
it explicit that Achilles refuses to fight in the Iliad! These odd gaps
aren’t too distracting, however, as Guerber is usually thorough, and as
noted before, her style is entertaining.
three stars
Thursday, February 11, 1999
The Epic Of Gilgamesh
by anonymous
translated and edited by N.K. Sandars
The hero, Gilgamesh, befriends Enkidu, a man brought up by animals, and they seek immortality through great deeds. After Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh tries to acquire true immortality, but realizes the quest is futile. It’s a rather pessimistic tale, emphasizing the inevitability of death and the unpredictability of this world. The edition I read is not a translation, apparently, but a rendering from other translations. The intro, giving the literary and historical background, is longer than the epic itself, which is a mere 60 well-spaced pages. Since the intro was written in 1960, it may be out of date by now, and mentions some literary discoveries which were even then under way. In any case, I found the epic less than thrilling, more interesting as historical document than literary work. This is due to the fact that we don’t understand some of the symbolism the Mesopotamians used, and to the fragmentary or contradictory aspects of the epic, though Sandars does her best to present it as an unbroken narrative.
three stars
translated and edited by N.K. Sandars
The hero, Gilgamesh, befriends Enkidu, a man brought up by animals, and they seek immortality through great deeds. After Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh tries to acquire true immortality, but realizes the quest is futile. It’s a rather pessimistic tale, emphasizing the inevitability of death and the unpredictability of this world. The edition I read is not a translation, apparently, but a rendering from other translations. The intro, giving the literary and historical background, is longer than the epic itself, which is a mere 60 well-spaced pages. Since the intro was written in 1960, it may be out of date by now, and mentions some literary discoveries which were even then under way. In any case, I found the epic less than thrilling, more interesting as historical document than literary work. This is due to the fact that we don’t understand some of the symbolism the Mesopotamians used, and to the fragmentary or contradictory aspects of the epic, though Sandars does her best to present it as an unbroken narrative.
three stars
Monday, February 5, 1996
Myths and Legends of India: An Introduction to the Study of Hinduism
by J.M. Macfie
This book told many tales from the Puranas, the Ramayana and mostly the Mahabarata. I remembered quite a few from my readings of the two latter, but many were new to me. The trouble is that, although the author takes a lot of pride in his supposed impartiality and fairness in depicting Hinduism's strengths as well as weaknesses, he takes quite a racist or at least a haughty, pedantic view in his descriptions, calling - for example - the presence of Shiva lingams "revolting and obscene"; calling Indian thought "arrested"; claiming that India's caste system constitutes "the most rigorous and cruel" color bar in history (a dubious claim, perhaps); and just generally adopting a mocking tone when describing inconsistencies in the stories and so on. But they are told well and I enjoyed the book anyway for the information it contains.
three stars
This book told many tales from the Puranas, the Ramayana and mostly the Mahabarata. I remembered quite a few from my readings of the two latter, but many were new to me. The trouble is that, although the author takes a lot of pride in his supposed impartiality and fairness in depicting Hinduism's strengths as well as weaknesses, he takes quite a racist or at least a haughty, pedantic view in his descriptions, calling - for example - the presence of Shiva lingams "revolting and obscene"; calling Indian thought "arrested"; claiming that India's caste system constitutes "the most rigorous and cruel" color bar in history (a dubious claim, perhaps); and just generally adopting a mocking tone when describing inconsistencies in the stories and so on. But they are told well and I enjoyed the book anyway for the information it contains.
three stars
Friday, January 26, 1996
Hindu Gods And Goddesses
by A.G. Mitchell
Not aptly named, this was a very short work on Hindu iconography: 50 photographs of bronze statues of gods and heroes crafted in the south of India in the 19th century, accompanied by short captions to each. Nevertheless, it was well-written and informative.
three stars
Not aptly named, this was a very short work on Hindu iconography: 50 photographs of bronze statues of gods and heroes crafted in the south of India in the 19th century, accompanied by short captions to each. Nevertheless, it was well-written and informative.
three stars
Thursday, December 21, 1995
The Mahabharata
condensed and retold in prose form by William Buck
Apparently Buck worked from a translation of the original, being not much of a linguist himself, but it's supposed to be a good version, and he is a fairly good story-teller. Once the actual story of the Pandavas kicked in, I found myself engrossed, although the tragedy of the war didn't come out except explicitly in the telling, perhaps because the Pandavas and their actions were glorified too much.
three stars
Apparently Buck worked from a translation of the original, being not much of a linguist himself, but it's supposed to be a good version, and he is a fairly good story-teller. Once the actual story of the Pandavas kicked in, I found myself engrossed, although the tragedy of the war didn't come out except explicitly in the telling, perhaps because the Pandavas and their actions were glorified too much.
three stars
The Ramayana
condensed and retold in prose form by R.K. Narayan
1973
The story of Rama who battles the demon Ravana to rescue his abducted wife. This version is based on the popular 11th century Tamil version by Kamban and not the 4th century Sanskrit original by Valmiki. Although it of course lacks much, being hugely cut from the myth- and parable-rich epic style, I enjoyed it a lot. It is told in a readable, page-turning novelist's style.
four stars
Friday, May 26, 1995
Mexican And Central American Mythology
by Irene Nicholson
This is perhaps the most well written of the Hamlyn books I've read, and the author comes across as more of an expert than the others. Like the Egyptian one, this book had a thesis geared to dispelling popular misconceptions about the myth at hand: that Mexican theology was not centered around subjugation and the sacrifice of human hearts, but that such things came later with the Aztec conquest; before then, the Nahua and Mayan religions emphasized the self-sacrifice of the humble and the victory of the spiritual over the material or base urges. Unlike the Egyptian book, this one made a good case for the thesis, although Nicholson tends to over-explicate the various symbols in the myths to the point of stretching credibility. Other than its main thrust, the most interesting aspect of the book was its bewildering presentation of the amazingly accurate and complex Maya and Aztec calendar.
three stars
This is perhaps the most well written of the Hamlyn books I've read, and the author comes across as more of an expert than the others. Like the Egyptian one, this book had a thesis geared to dispelling popular misconceptions about the myth at hand: that Mexican theology was not centered around subjugation and the sacrifice of human hearts, but that such things came later with the Aztec conquest; before then, the Nahua and Mayan religions emphasized the self-sacrifice of the humble and the victory of the spiritual over the material or base urges. Unlike the Egyptian book, this one made a good case for the thesis, although Nicholson tends to over-explicate the various symbols in the myths to the point of stretching credibility. Other than its main thrust, the most interesting aspect of the book was its bewildering presentation of the amazingly accurate and complex Maya and Aztec calendar.
three stars
Monday, April 17, 1995
Japanese Mythology
by Juliet Piggott
A brief summary of Japanese mythology. As with all Paul Hamlyn myth books, really fine examples of the art of the culture were included, which made the book. Most of it wasn't about the gods themselves or their histories, but either folktales concerning talking animals or ghosts, or very loosely historical tales of heroes.
Of the indigenous mythological creatures, I liked the kappa, who lose their strength when the water is spilled from the dents in their heads. I also like the idea of the mischievous tengu. Like the others I've read in the series, the book could have used some cohesion, more detail where interesting-sounding stories are only glossed over, and a little better organization. But it's a good reference book as a starter, and again, great pictures (Japanese art is so detailed and stylized!).
[read twice]
A brief summary of Japanese mythology. As with all Paul Hamlyn myth books, really fine examples of the art of the culture were included, which made the book. Most of it wasn't about the gods themselves or their histories, but either folktales concerning talking animals or ghosts, or very loosely historical tales of heroes.
Of the indigenous mythological creatures, I liked the kappa, who lose their strength when the water is spilled from the dents in their heads. I also like the idea of the mischievous tengu. Like the others I've read in the series, the book could have used some cohesion, more detail where interesting-sounding stories are only glossed over, and a little better organization. But it's a good reference book as a starter, and again, great pictures (Japanese art is so detailed and stylized!).
[read twice]
Saturday, March 4, 1995
Egyptian Mythology
by Veronica Ions
Although messily written, with misplaced sentences, non-identified references and awkward redundancies, it was an intriguing beginner's book. What I learned from the book in a nutshell is that there were a lot of Egyptian gods, existing not in set story form like Greek & Roman mythology, but as changing concepts: a war god might evolve into a fertility god, a fertility god into a solar god, or a domestic god into a death god. Also, despite the book's rejection of the idea that ancient Egyptians were obsessed with death, what I got out of the deity descriptions (which made up 98% of the text) and the (many, fascinating) pictures was that basically they were concerned with two things: fertility and the afterworld. (I realize that this book is a narrow view of the entire picture.) All in all, my curiosity was definitely whetted about Egyptian myths.
four stars
Although messily written, with misplaced sentences, non-identified references and awkward redundancies, it was an intriguing beginner's book. What I learned from the book in a nutshell is that there were a lot of Egyptian gods, existing not in set story form like Greek & Roman mythology, but as changing concepts: a war god might evolve into a fertility god, a fertility god into a solar god, or a domestic god into a death god. Also, despite the book's rejection of the idea that ancient Egyptians were obsessed with death, what I got out of the deity descriptions (which made up 98% of the text) and the (many, fascinating) pictures was that basically they were concerned with two things: fertility and the afterworld. (I realize that this book is a narrow view of the entire picture.) All in all, my curiosity was definitely whetted about Egyptian myths.
four stars
Friday, February 17, 1995
Gods And Myths Of Northern Europe
by H.R. Ellis Davidson
Another academic work on the Norse gods (not a storybook retelling at all), this concentrates more on the Northern people than Dumézil's work, surveying the practical meaning and historical base for many of the stories and concepts. Intriguing passages included the similarities between Freyja and Frigg; the relation between the powers of the volva or Odin's acquisition of knowledge and shamanism; and the reasons for Christianity's power over the heathens of the late period. A great archeologically-based examination of myth.
four stars
Another academic work on the Norse gods (not a storybook retelling at all), this concentrates more on the Northern people than Dumézil's work, surveying the practical meaning and historical base for many of the stories and concepts. Intriguing passages included the similarities between Freyja and Frigg; the relation between the powers of the volva or Odin's acquisition of knowledge and shamanism; and the reasons for Christianity's power over the heathens of the late period. A great archeologically-based examination of myth.
four stars
Wednesday, February 1, 1995
Gods Of the Ancient Northmen
by Georges Dumézil
translated by John Lindow, Alan Toth, Francis Charat, and George Gopen
Not actually a retelling of Norse myths. There's a ten-page intro by G. Scott Littleton outlining Dumézil's thought on Indo-European myth structure and a 26-page intro by Udo Strutynski on the history of scholarship after Dumézil.
The book itself is a revised version of the French version with four additional articles appended to it, eight segments in all. Not aptly named, it was a highly academic work on the connection between Germanic and Vedic myth, with bits of Roman, Celtic, and other folklore thrown in. I have to say that a great deal went over my head, but the arguments and connections that I did understand were quite intriguing and compelling (for example, the Byggvir-Beyla Barley-Bee argument was great, as was the linking of Heimdall's oceanic birth with some extremely obscure Celtic and Welsh folklore). A fascinating work. I just wish the Latin passages had been translated.
three stars
translated by John Lindow, Alan Toth, Francis Charat, and George Gopen
Not actually a retelling of Norse myths. There's a ten-page intro by G. Scott Littleton outlining Dumézil's thought on Indo-European myth structure and a 26-page intro by Udo Strutynski on the history of scholarship after Dumézil.
The book itself is a revised version of the French version with four additional articles appended to it, eight segments in all. Not aptly named, it was a highly academic work on the connection between Germanic and Vedic myth, with bits of Roman, Celtic, and other folklore thrown in. I have to say that a great deal went over my head, but the arguments and connections that I did understand were quite intriguing and compelling (for example, the Byggvir-Beyla Barley-Bee argument was great, as was the linking of Heimdall's oceanic birth with some extremely obscure Celtic and Welsh folklore). A fascinating work. I just wish the Latin passages had been translated.
three stars
Sunday, May 30, 1993
African Mythology
by Geoffrey Parrinder
Great as a basic primer, and surprisingly fair in tone (except for one heading "How Others See Us" about African views of Europeans: only white people are "us," I guess). One problem: Rarely was the significance or historical meaning of a myth given. Great art illustrations though, beautiful & informative.
Great as a basic primer, and surprisingly fair in tone (except for one heading "How Others See Us" about African views of Europeans: only white people are "us," I guess). One problem: Rarely was the significance or historical meaning of a myth given. Great art illustrations though, beautiful & informative.
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