What mythology were you taught in school?

[Rivendell_librarian]

I'm reading a fascinating book called Camelot and the Vision of Albion by Geoffrey Ashe. It's about an archaeological dig on Cadbury Hill in the UK in the late 60s. Many people came to visit showing the continuing fascination of the Arthurian legend. The author was the secretary of the project and gives much background to the legend. I've been struck by how much of this is new or relatively new to me. Bran, Lyonnesse (not potatoes!), Albion equated to the Titan Atlas, William Blake's mythology and much more.

it struck me that I was taught far more about classical mythology (I did Latin) than British or other northern mythologies. I googled GCSE mythology (UK school exam at 16) and was directed to a course on classical civilization. It could be that Welsh students are taught about the Mabinogion but I wondered what your experience is.

In one of his letters JRRT dismisses the idea of the return of Arthur (though didn't that mean he gave it enough credence to feel the need to dismiss it?). The Tudors (notably Henry VII) would argue that their coming to the throne was the fulfilment of this - that they had a much earlier claim to the throne going back centuries before the Norman invasion. And of course there is the Round Table in Winchester (once thought to be the site of Camelot) to prove it - with an outsize King Arthur who looks remarkably like Henry VIII ! Henry VII's oldest son was called Arthur. Prince Arthur was baptised in Winchester. Arthur is still a popular name in the current Royal Family, but not as a first name.

 

[Olorgando]

I did have Latin in (US) high school from 10th to 12th grades (1970-73). Don't remember much beyond scraps of Caesar's "De bello gallico".
I suppose any mythological texts would have been dealt with in literature courses - but if they existed, I never took any.
'Course, much of what was taught at the time about US history was seriously mythological, but that's an entirely different matter.

 

[Eljorahir]

I remember learning some Greek mythology in High School around 1980: Zeus, Hera, Icarus, etc.

 

[Starbrow]

I learned some Greek and Roman mythology in high school in the late '70's.

 

[Vorondil]

I am home-schooled so I can learn about whatever mythology I want. I have done Greek, Roman, Egyptian and a bit of Norse.

 

[Lósendir Elsurion]

I learned next to nothing about mythology in school, apart from christian mythology in religion class. I did learn latin for 4 years, but most texts were fictional or historical. Every now and then we had to translate something with a mythological background and knowing about roman/greek mythology helped understand some things, but it wasn't much.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

I remember doing part of Caesar's Gallic Wars and Virgil's Aeneid as our year 11 exam Latin set books. Caesar was much easier and more appealing at that age. He seemed to be always pitching camp somewhere. Similarly we were taught a bit about classical mythology. But I now wonder whether northern mythology is more relevant for someone living in NW Europe.

 

[Kiredor]

1970 - In my last year of Grammar school (aged 11) we learned about King Arthur and the Knights of the round table. It wasn’t really about the story, more in the way of discussing the morals, heroic deeds and the meaning of chivalry. My teacher, Miss Hulme, got us to think of the way they might dress, the food and drink, the scenery and to paint watercolour pictures from our imagination. I was already an avid reader of Tolkien (The Hobbit & LOTR). I really miss those days when life for children was far simpler, happier and much safer.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I was homeschooled, and I studied some Greek mythology and a bit of Arthurian legends, both of which I still love! And now I like listening to podcasts about mythology from all over the world-- Norse, Chinese, Egyptian, Irish and so forth. Greek mythology is probably my favorite.

 

[Áramandë Amaniel]

Greek mythology is probably my favorite.

Same here!

 

[Deimos]

I read Greek, Roman ,Norse and Arthurian mythology on my own when I was 9-10 (3rd-4th grade age).
I was [re]exposed to all those mythologies, willy-nilly in reading assignments related to Geography, History, English, and Science between 5th grade and 8th grade. In high school there was more indepth learning mostly in English lit classes, but the bulk of my knowledge was still rooted in my own reading in 3rd and 4th grade.

 

[Muskrat]

Sadly, almost none before college. If you were interested, you had to read it on your own.

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

I think the closest thing to mythology I was taught in school was poems about Rostam and other heroes of Shahnameh.
Something I plan to continue on my own if I get the time!

 

[Deimos]

I read Greek, Roman ,Norse and Arthurian mythology on my own when I was 9-10 (3rd-4th grade age).
I was [re]exposed to all those mythologies, willy-nilly in reading assignments related to Geography, History, English, and Science between 5th grade and 8th grade. In high school there was more indepth learning mostly in English lit classes, but the bulk of my knowledge was still rooted in my own reading in 3rd and 4th grade.

(Replying to my own post....HAHAHAHA.... the epitome of narcissism 🙄😆)
I was trying to recall why I started reading mythology, and then I remembered.
It happened this way:
It was late January or early February (US, so very cold). I was in third grade and my fifth grade brother bade me come outside.
It it was probably no later than 9PM, and a very clear moonless night.
And he pointed out the Big Dipper** (aka the Sickle, or PLow or Bear) and Orion.
On seeing Orion in all its scintillating glory I stood there transfixed; my mouth was probably agape as well.
So in a few days we went to the library, and he checked out some basic astronomy books (suitable for grades school ages) that focused on learning the constellations.
One of the books went in depth as to how the ancients named the "pictures" they saw in the night sky, and that was my first exposure to epic myth.
Off to the library I went again, and checked out books on Greek and then, soon after, Roman mythology. Norse mythology came a little later.
It was also the beginning of a lifelong interest in astronomy and cosmology.
And the rest (as they say) is history; (well, my history anyway 😄)

**It being winter it was low on the horizon, but still visible at our latitude. The skies were darker then as there was not much ambient "city light" .
It did not impress me as Orion did, but I suppose that is not unusual; a blazing Orion high in a dark sky is a showstopper.