Eternal Drama: The Inner Meaning of Greek Mythology (Paperback)

~ Edward Edinger (Author) "WHAT IS mythology?..." (more)
Key Phrases: sorrowful weary wheel, archetypal dimension, primal form, The Odyssey, Art Resource, Copyright British Museum (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Edinger, a Jungian psychologist, examines the major figures in Greek mythology and analyzes the gods, goddesses, and heroes of these myths to find archetypes described by Jung. Basing his book on a series of lectures he gave in the 1970s, Edinger traces Jungian archetypes through poetry, literature, and the dreams of patients and shows how others have built on the myths. Unfortunately, when he describes the personality types of the mythical figures and explains how people today manifest an Apollo personality or are psychologically akin to Ares, the author makes connections and generalizations that are sometimes hard for the reader to accept. Still, this book would be helpful to students of Jungian psychology who want a perspective on the ties between Jung and the Greek myths. Appropriate for large public and academic collections.
Marguerite Mroz, Baltimore Cty. P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A compelling answer to fundamental questions about why and how we should read myths. . . . A book rich with fresh readings of well-known myths, buttressed by illuminating linkages between the Greek, Hebrew, and Christian roots of our modern psyche."— Parabola

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570626731
• ISBN-13: 978-1570626739
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,851 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Temenos, March 23, 2006

By	Center For Depth Harris "Temenos" (Newport Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an excellent overview of the "inner meaning," thus the psychological value of the unconscious images that are represented in Greek Mythology. If the reader is not interested in that, I would not buy it. The material here is for learning more about the language of the psyche. The book covers all of the major figures of Greek Mythology that are most relevant to understanding the inner meaning of various symbolic forms as they might appear in dreams or other spontaneuous productions from the unconscious. Other reviews of mythology such as Bulfinch's or Edith Hamilton cover the basic "facts" or objective features of mythology, while this book again is focused on relating the figures of Greek Mythology as part of the living heritage of the psyche, the collective unconscious. In this respect, the book is most valuable.

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Psychology of Ancient Greece, October 2, 2005

By	Robert S. Robbins (Williamsport, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In addition to the Greek myths and heroes, the author analyzes the Trojan War, Greek drama (Oedipus), oracles, Dionysus, Orphism, and the Eleusinian Mysteries. Unfortunately, he does not always establish the psychological truth of his interpretations which therefore lack authority. Jungian psychology claims that our dreams are a form of personal mythology in which our private concerns are made into myth. I find this a credible arguement because my dreams frequently contain mythological content, usually a monster that I slay.