Robert Alan Segal Libros

What did Hercules do to deserve his twelve labors? How did Narcissus find the love of his life? And why did Odysseus take ten years to travel 500 miles? You might recall such epic events, but do you know them well enough to brighten up dinner party discussions with tales of gods and monsters? 30-Second Mythology sets out the most significant details and unravels the underlying meaning of the greatest classical myths. Revealing the origins of the gods, heroes, and monsters of ancient Greece and Rome, the book outlines the key aspects of their stories for the general reader in half a minute, using nothing more than two pages, 300 words, and one picture. Featuring detailed biographies of the seven greatest poets and playwrights of the ancient world, 30-Second Mythology explains the enduring influence of ancient myth in the blink of a Cyclops' eye.

"This book is a concatenation of sparks of religious light.... Gnosticism is to be understood as the ongoing formulation of freshly imagined spirits, a logos of what we can know about those moments when the religious experience itself breaks through the veils of dogma to assert the psychological reality of a living redemptive godhead". -- John Beebe, Editor, Journal of Analytical Psychology

The exploration of myth spans two centuries, engaging theologians, philosophers, and social scientists in a vibrant debate over its origins and implications. This collection of essays by Robert A. Segal critically examines prominent theories from influential thinkers such as Freud, Jung, and Campbell, highlighting the diversity of perspectives on myth's function and meaning. Segal, recognized for his social-scientific approach, presents a synthesis of his best work on the subject, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing discourse surrounding myth.

This book is not about myths, but about approaches to myth, from all of the major disciplines, including science, religion, philosophy, literature, and psychology. The fate of the preternaturally beautiful Adonis is one of the main fables upon which Segal focuses, in an attempt to analyse the various different theories of myth. Where the theory does not work, he substitutes another myth, showing that, for all their claims to all-inclusiveness, certain theories, in fact, only apply to specific kinds of myths. A uniform set of questions is provided, to elucidate both the strengths and the weaknesses of the conjectures. A survey of the past 300 years of theorizing on myth, this book takes into account the work of such prominent thinkers as Albert Camus, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Roland Barthes, C. G. Jung, and Sigmund Freud. Finally, Segal considers the future study of myth, and the possible function of myth in the world as the adult equivalent of play. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Exploring modern theories of myth, this book critiques various perspectives on the origins and functions of mythologies and their figures. It provides a comprehensive overview that connects societal dynamics with mythological narratives, enabling broader theoretical insights into how myths shape and reflect cultural identities.

Myth Theorized provides a survey of some key figures and topics in the modern study of myth.

In this collection, Robert Segal, one of the leading interpreters of theories of myth, seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the myth and ritual theory.

Mythologie in 30 Sekunden beleuchtet die wichtigsten Inhalte der bekanntesten klassischen Mythen und erklärt deren verborgene Bedeutung. Das Buch behandelt den Ursprung von Göttern, Helden und Dämonen der alten Griechen und Römer und erläutert dem Leser die grundlegenden Aspekte ihrer Überlieferungen in einer halben Minute auf jeweils zwei Seiten, in rund dreihundert Wörtern und anhand einer Abbildung. Mythologie in 30 Sekunden enthält die Biografien der sieben größten Dichter und Dramatiker des Altertums und verdeutlicht kurz und prägnant den bleibenden Einfluss antiker Mythen.