TED Talks
David Deutsch: A new way to explain explanation
For tens of thousands of years our ancestors understood the world through myths, and the pace of change was glacial. The rise of scientific understanding transformed the world within a few centuries. Why? Physicist David Deutsch proposes...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The myth of Hades and Persephone | Iseult Gillespie
One day, Persephone was frolicking in a meadow with the nymph, Cyane. As they admired a flower, they noticed it tremble in the ground. Suddenly, the earth split, and a terrifying figure arose. It was Hades, god of the underworld. He...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The tragic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice - Brendan Pelsue
The marriage of Orpheus, the greatest of all poets and musicians, to Eurydice, a wood nymph, was heralded as the perfect union. Anyone could tell the couple was deeply in love. So when their wedding ceremony ended in Eurydice's untimely...
Curated Video
Persephone: Bringer of Life or Destruction?
In Greek mythology, the magnificent mother and daughter duo Demeter and Persephone were the bringers of food and fair weather and were worshiped in lush harvest celebrations. But their story has a darker side – one involving violence,...
PBS
The Fatal Song of the Sirens
This episode explains how sirens appeared in ancient history, from literature to art, and looks at how the half human half bird creatures became more commonly associated with mermaids. From Ancient Greek legends to Medieval bestiaries,...
Curated Video
It’s Just a Myth of the Seasons
Mr. Griot defines a myth and discusses the characteristics of and elements contained in a fictional story, specifically how it relates to the myth, Myth of the Seasons.
PBS
Food & Fiction: Memorable Meals in Literature | PBS Digital Studios
Food varies wildly from place to place and from culture to culture; since humans are such sensory creatures, using words to evoke the experience of eating is an excellent way to bring a text to life. Hosted by Lindsay Ellis Written by...
PBS
Death, Personified (Feat. Lindsay Ellis)! | PBS Digital Studios
Death as a character reveals how we process one of life’s greatest mysteries, and there’s a lot more breadth to how the grim reaper is depicted than you might think. It's Lit! is part of THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, a eight-part series that...
Cerebellum
Rings, Kings and Things - Fantasy Fiction
The 3 Ms of Fantasy; Mythology, Medievalism and Magic and The Lord of The Rings. This is part 1 from the series 'Rings, King and Things'.
Mythology & Fiction Explained
Mermaids: The Dark & Messed Up Origins - (Exploring the Myths Behind Infamous Sea Creatures)
Mythology & Fiction Explained delves into the numerous legends surrounding mermaids from all around the world
PBS
How Greek Mythology Inspires Us (feat. Lindsay Ellis) | PBS Digital Studios
Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is one of history’s most famous novels and one of the longest-running musicals in Broadway history. On this special episode of It’s Lit! we explore how Les Miserable became both a national and revolutionary...
Mythology & Fiction Explained
Hades & Persephone short
Mythology & Fiction Explained covers the story of Hades & Persephone in 60 seconds.
Getty Images
Morgantina, the central sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone, 1-4 century B.C.
Morgantina, the central sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone, 1-4 century B.C.