Greek mythology in popular culture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elements of Greek mythology appear many times in culture, including pop culture.[3][need quotation to verify] The Greek myths spread beyond the Hellenistic world when adopted into the culture of ancient Rome, and Western cultural movements have frequently incorporated them ever since,[4] particularly since the Renaissance.[5] Mythological elements feature in Renaissance art and in English poems,[6] as well as in film and in other literature,[7] and in songs and commercials.[8] Along with the Bible and the classics-saturated works of Shakespeare, the myths of Greece and Rome have been the major "touchstone" in Western culture for the past 500 years.[9][need quotation to verify]
Elements appropriated or incorporated include the gods of varying stature, humans, demigods, titans, giants, monsters, nymphs, and famed locations. Their use can range from a brief allusion to the use of an actual Greek character as a character in a work. Many types of creatures—such as centaurs and nymphs—are used as a generic type rather than individuated characters out of myth.