In this seminar, we will consider three important figures in Greek mythology: the infamous King Oedipus; Persephone and her mother Demeter, goddess of the harvest; and Dionysus, god of wine and theater, in whose honor Greek tragedies and comedies were performed. We will examine how these stories served to create cultural identity, how they were represented in material artifacts and literature, and their transformation over the course of their long lives in the Western tradition. Our reading will include translations of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus; the Homeric Hymn to Demeter; and Euripides’ Bacchae and Medea. We will also reconsider some popular misconceptions about myth and tragedy. No prior knowledge of ancient Greek mythology or history is required.