After taking the course; students will be able to:
- understand references to Greek, Norse, and Judeo-Christian mythology,
- understand a wide range of terms and characters, from the "pantheon" to the "prodigal son";
- display a basic knowledge of numerous myths such as Prometheus; Trojan War and its aftermath; Genesis; etc.
- appreciate various mythological stories and their contribution to the history of ideas (such as the myth of Sisyphus and its influence on existentialism; or the myth of Oedipus and its influence on psychoanalysis);
- appreciate the influence of mythology on not only past but even recent history and modern art (such as the influence of Siegfried and the Niebelüngen Lied on not only Wagner and Arianism, but also the works of Tolkien)
- use their knowledge of mythology to bolster their critical and analytical skills in their approaches to literature, history and ideology (such as the reasons why some elements from Greek and Turkic mythologies survived Islam in Turkey and their significance).