World of Heroes
This is a course webpage for CCR199 World of Heroes, a freshman seminar taught by Prof. SeungJung Kim at the University of Toronto.
This website showcases some of the fabulous open-format final student projects that were submitted, as well as the UofT public sculpture mapping project (check out the interactive "hero" map (follow the GIS link)). The individual entries of the sculptures can be found here.
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Overview of the course:
The concept of the hero is ubiquitous through space and time. Every culture, every historical period, every society has and needs its heroes, whether they are mythical, legendary or real. This course is an interdisciplinary introductory seminar that explores the notion of a hero through the lens of Ancient Greece—its literature, art and culture—which in many ways provide the basis for a long tradition of heroes fostered in the West. Primary source readings will be drawn from a variety of sources, such as Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, Greek tragedies, Ovid, Apollodorus, and Pindar; through secondary readings we will learn about modern theories regarding the notion of the hero, including gender theories, which will inform our understanding of heroes/heroines in the context of ancient and contemporary cultures alike. Through the examination of visual culture throughout history, from ancient Greek art to contemporary films, this course also aims to teach critical approaches to visual media and the basics of art historical practices. Field trips will be taken throughout the course that encourages first-hand learning and foster a dynamic environment for critical application of classroom learning.