Explore a diverse collection of literary insights and analyses in this comprehensive TED-Ed video series. Delve into classic myths, renowned novels, and influential authors across various genres and time periods. Discover the hidden meanings, cultural impacts, and enduring relevance of works by Shakespeare, Dickens, Joyce, Woolf, Tolstoy, and many others. Examine the evolution of storytelling, from ancient epics to modern science fiction, and learn how literature shapes our understanding of heroism, tragedy, and the human experience. Gain valuable context for reading challenging texts, uncover the origins of popular literary concepts, and appreciate the power of metaphor and poetic expression. Enhance your literary knowledge and develop a deeper appreciation for the written word through these engaging and informative video lessons.
Overview
Syllabus
The tragic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice - Brendan Pelsue.
Why should you read Charles Dickens? - Iseult Gillespie.
The myth of Prometheus - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read "Macbeth"? - Brendan Pelsue.
Why should you read James Joyce's "Ulysses"? - Sam Slote.
Why should you read Virgil's "Aeneid"? - Mark Robinson.
Why should you read Virginia Woolf? - Iseult Gillespie.
The myth of Cupid and Psyche - Brendan Pelsue.
Why should you read Tolstoy's "War and Peace"? - Brendan Pelsue.
How did Dracula become the world's most famous vampire? - Stanley Stepanic.
The myth of Icarus and Daedalus - Amy Adkins.
Does "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" have a hidden message? - David B. Parker.
Everything you need to know to read "Frankenstein" - Iseult Gillespie.
Everything you need to know to read Homer's "Odyssey" - Jill Dash.
How to recognize a dystopia - Alex Gendler.
What makes something "Kafkaesque"? - Noah Tavlin.
The evolution of the book - Julie Dreyfuss.
The poet who painted with his words - Geneviève Emy.
The controversial origins of the Encyclopedia - Addison Anderson.
How science fiction can help predict the future - Roey Tzezana.
The science behind the myth: Homer's "Odyssey" - Matt Kaplan.
What "Orwellian" really means - Noah Tavlin.
A poetic experiment: Walt Whitman, interpreted by three animators - Justin Moore.
Why tragedies are alluring - David E. Rivas.
What's the definition of comedy? Banana. - Addison Anderson.
Mining literature for deeper meanings - Amy E. Harter.
A host of heroes - April Gudenrath.
What makes a hero? - Matthew Winkler.
An anti-hero of one's own - Tim Adams.
The art of the metaphor - Jane Hirshfield.
How fiction can change reality - Jessica Wise.
Insults by Shakespeare.
On reading the Koran - Lesley Hazleton.
The myth of Oisín and the land of eternal youth - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read "One Hundred Years of Solitude"? - Francisco Díez-Buzo.
Why should you read Edgar Allan Poe? - Scott Peeples.
Everything you need to know to read “The Canterbury Tales” - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read "Don Quixote"? - Ilan Stavans.
Why should you read "Waiting For Godot"? - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read “Fahrenheit 451”? - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read sci-fi superstar Octavia E. Butler? - Ayana Jamieson and Moya Bailey.
What “Machiavellian” really means - Pazit Cahlon and Alex Gendler.
Titan of terror: the dark imagination of H.P. Lovecraft - Silvia Moreno-García.
Why should you read “Crime and Punishment”? - Alex Gendler.
Why should you read "Hamlet"? - Iseult Gillespie.
Infinity according to Jorge Luis Borges - Ilan Stavans.
Romance and revolution: The poetry of Pablo Neruda - Ilan Stavans.
Why should you read “Kafka on the Shore”? - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read “Midnight’s Children”? - Iseult Gillespie.
Why should you read “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy? - Laura Wright.
Why should you read Dante’s “Divine Comedy”? - Sheila Marie Orfano.
Why should you read “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding? - Jill Dash.
Why should you read “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan? - Sheila Marie Orfano.
Why should you read “Dune” by Frank Herbert? - Dan Kwartler.
Why should you read Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”? - Yen Pham.
The epic of Gilgamesh, the king who tried to conquer death - Soraya Field Fiorio.
Taught by
TED-Ed
Reviews
5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review
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This course was an excellent way to help me develop my understanding of core texts that are importance to our literary world. I developed knowledge on how these writers crafted their texts to portray certain messages, and the methods and techniques they used to help these messages be received to the readers in the best ways.
