Hillsdale College has launched a free, not-for-credit online course on Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
The course, which includes 12 video lectures, is taught by associate professor Benedict Whalen. It’s designed to explore the ancient epic poem’s themes of cunning, loyalty and homecoming, according to a community announcement.
“The story of ‘The Odyssey’ has been retold for over 2,000 years,” wrote executive director of online learning Jeremiah Regan. “(It) encompasses the full experience of humanity, as Odysseus overcomes mythical battles and temptations to reach his home, only to find that after his many toils, the work of re-founding his kingdom awaits.”
All of the college’s students study Homer as part of the liberal arts core curriculum.
Hillsdale College has launched an online course on Homer’s “The Odyssey,” according to a community announcement. The course, which features 12 video lectures, is taught by Benedict Whalen, associate professor of English. Lecture 1 was released July 13 with the remaining available July 14, according to the announcement.
“All human beings love,” Whalen wrote. “All human beings suffer. All human beings ultimately die. … The pages of ‘The Odyssey’ are a doorway to the past, through which we encounter the suffering, the trials, the joys and the triumphs of the great heroes who came before us.”
The course includes quizzes, study guides and readings. Learn more at online.hillsdale.edu/courses/promo/odyssey.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @SalsaEvan. This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale College launches free not-for-credit course on ‘The Odyssey’
