The lowdown on what popular culture chooses to keep in its portrayals of the Greek hero Achilles … and what gets left out.

Transcript -- Achilles discussion

What does ‘2001: a Space Odyssey’ have to do with Odysseus? How does Brad Pitt's Achilles in 'Troy' match up to Homer's original hero? And is Arnold Schwarzenegger the new Heracles? This collection of video animations and audio discussions examines how the heroes of Greek mythology have been represented in popular culture, from ancient times to the modern day. Odysseus is the archetypal questing hero - a blank canvas on which every era has projected its own values. Heracles is the original strongman. And Achilles is the fighter whose sexuality vies with his heel for popular attention. The videos mix archive film and TV clips with character animation, bringing a playful approach to classical myth, while the audio discussions shine a more scholarly light on how today’s popular culture sees these myths differently from the Ancient Greeks.

Share Transcript -- Achilles discussion

Sign up to save your podcasts

Transcript -- Achilles discussion

Transcript -- Achilles discussion

More shows like Greek Heroes in Popular Culture Through Time - for iPod/iPhone

Writing Poetry - Audio

Reading Political Philosophy: From Machiavelli to Mill - Audio

Portales: beginners' Spanish - Audio

Coping with Depression - for iPod/iPhone

The History of English in Ten Minutes - for iPad/Mac/PC

Cory Doctorow: Computer and Internet Regulation - Audio

Andante: beginners' Italian - Audio

Mi'kmaq: First Nation people - for iPod/iPhone

Mi'kmaq: First Nation people - for iPad/Mac/PC

Bon départ: beginners’ French second edition - for iPod/iPhone