Exploring Greek Myth offers a unique and extensive discussion of variant forms of myths and many lesser-known stories, including important local myths, known mostly in a particular city, and local versions of the PanHellenic myths; both crucially reflect the rituals, social practices, and mythic landscape of the world in which they were told. The book presents research that has accumulated over the past decades in a way that is accessible for those who are not yet scholars in the field. In doing so, it fills in the gap between introductory texts about Greek myth and scholarly works on the subject.
Clark begins with a provisional definition of myth, and then moves on to consider a range of topics, which include the sources of our knowledge of Greek myth, myth and ritual in ancient Greek society, comparative myth, myth and gender, hero cult, psychological interpretation of myth, and myth and philosophy. By drawing on the work and analytical methods of many leading scholars in the field, the book helps students appreciate the variety of the study of myth in one volume.
