Year: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Nikolai Smirnov

This short animated film is a post-apocalyptic science fiction story about the destruction of the world as a result of brain experiments on rats. It begins with a close-up of an ancient half-destroyed bust of Caligula. We see elements of the sculpture – one eye, a nose, a cracked forehead, an ear, hair, and a drop (of sweat?) flowing down his face. When the camera moves away, we see that the head is lying among ruins and rats are running among them. A rat climbs on the head, and looks(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

TAGS: Caligula

William F. Russell

Classic Myths to Read Aloud

This book is divided into two sections by reader age: the first part contains stories meant for children of over five years and the second part is for children of eight and over. The "ages eight and over" section is primarily made up of stories from the epics of Homer and Virgil. Each story begins with a note from the author, an "approximate reading time" and a pronunciation guide to names and some of the more old-fashioned words. Each story ends with an “A Few Words Mo(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Achilles Aeneas Agamemnon Anchises Athena Dido Dionysius of Syracuse Hector Helen Hera Jason Menelaus Odysseus / Ulysses Paris (Trojan Prince) Penelope Perseus Telemachus Theseus

Tom Schulman, Peter Weir

Dead Poets Society

The action starts in the fall of 1959 when a new English teacher (a former student), John Keating, arrives at the Welton Academy – a very conservative boarding prep school for boys in Vermont, New England. His unorthodox teaching methods are meant to inspire students to think critically, become individuals and make their lives extraordinary. The Latin expression Carpe diem soon becomes the mantra for a group of boys who are fascinated with Keating’s approach to life. When they find o(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Bacchus Horace Latin (Language) Plato Poetry

Liudmila Razumovskaia

Dear Miss Elena [Дорогая Елена Сергеевна (Dorogaia Elena Sergeevna)]

This is a play in two acts for five actors. The characters are: a teacher of mathematics, Miss Elena (or Elena Sergeevna in Russian), and four pupils of the final year (the 10th grade) – three boys and a girl – Volodia, Vitia, Pasha and Lialia. The action takes place in a flat where Elena lives.The pupils come to their teacher pretending they want to wish her a happy birthday. The real reason for their visit is revealed later in the play. They bring her flowers and an expensive gift.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

TAGS: Antigone Cicero

Terence (Terry) David John Pratchett

Pyramids (Discworld, 7)

Pyramids is set in the fictional Djelibeybi (or the Djel), the tiny, powerless remains of an empire whose only importance is as a strategic block between its neighbours, Tsort and Ephebe. Pteppic/Teppic, the crown prince, has been training at the Assassin’s Guild in Ankh-Morpork. Returning to the kingdom following his father’s death, Teppic discovers that he has no real power, and the real ruler is Dios, the ancient high priest. After an unfortunate series of misunderstandings in whi(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Aesop Ancient Religious Practices Ancient Sacrifice Ancient Warfare Aristophanes Aristotle Athens Cleopatra VII Democracy Egypt Egyptian Mythology Founding Legends Greek Philosophy Homer Plato Ptolemaic Egypt Pythagoras Sparta Sphinx Symposium Thermopylae Trojan Horse Trojan War Zeno of Elea

Cynthia Voigt

Seventeen Against the Dealer (Tillerman Cycle, 7)

The final novel in the Tillerman series, Seventeen Against the Dealer, centres on Dicey, now aged twenty-one. Her brother James and boyfriend Jeff are both away at university, while Dicey has dropped out and started her own boat-building business. Dicey’s dedication and hard work are not enough to counteract a lack of experience or capital. After Jeff breaks up with her, and her grandmother Abigail becomes seriously ill with pneumonia, Dicey’s attention is brought back to h(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Hippocratic Oath Nemesis Sisyphus

Robert Ingpen, Maurice Saxby

The Great Deeds of Superheroes

Five hero tales from Greek myth are included in this collection. In addition to being listed first, the size of the Greek section overshadows that of the other cultures, which feature at most two stories (or in the case of the Old English section, three tales). Each of the five heroes from Ancient Greece is endowed with a descriptive title. Perseus is "the Fearless," Heracles "the Strong One," Theseus "the Daring and the Bold," Jason "the Voyager," and Ody(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Archetype Heracles Hercules Jason Perseus Theseus

Stefan Weinfeld , Jerzy Wróblewski

The Legends of Maze Island [Legendy Wyspy Labiryntu]

The Legends of Maze Island include classical Greek myths associated with the island of Crete: the abduction of Europa by Zeus, his numerous love affairs, the whole story of Daedalus and Icarus, the reign of Minos, insane passion of Pasiphae for the bull of Poseidon, the construction of a labyrinth to house the monstrous Minotaur. The comic book contains also related myths such as those associated with the life of Theseus, Medea, and the son of Poseidon.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Ariadne Athens Crete Daedalus Icarus Labyrinth Medea Minos Minotaur Pasiphae Poseidon Theseus Zeus

Jerzy Flisak, Anna M. Komornicka

The Thread of Ariadne, or Finding Your Way [Nić Ariadny, czyli po nitce do kłębka]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.This is the second volume in the series The Legacy of Antiquity, based on radio programs and plays for children, where the author explains phrases, sayings, and expressions originating from Greek myths, such as “the su(...)

literary

YEAR: 1989

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Achilles Alexander the Great Amazons Amor Argonauts Argos / Argus Panoptes (Giant) Ariadne Ariadne's Thread Asclepius Augean Stables Augeas Cerberus Charybdis Cornucopia Daedalus Echo Eros Fortuna Golden Fleece Helen Hephaestus Hercules Hydra Icarus Mars Mentor Minotaur Moirai Morpheus Muses Narcissus Nestor Nike Odysseus / Ulysses Olympus Pandora Parcae Penelope Phoenix (Bird) Scylla Sphinx Stentor Tantalus