Wilton Library Poetry Seminar To Explore Ancient Myth

WILTON, CT — Wilton Library will host an eight-week literature seminar series bringing together two of its favorite teachers: Judson Scruton and Gerald Weiss. This teaching tag-team will combine their talents to cover an ancient Greek myth juxtaposed against several more modern poets. The series begin Thursday, March 12 from 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

There is no charge for the program, but advance registration is required. Registration is available online here or by phoning (203) 762-6334. By registering for the first session, attendees will automatically be registered for all eight sessions.

The story of "Orpheus and Eurydice" is perhaps the ultimate tragic love story as well as a deep exploration of the powers and limitations of music and, by extension, of imaginative arts. It is the myth to end all myths and has inspired poets and artists throughout the centuries to develop its themes in paintings, operas, songs and plays. As M. Owen Lee noted in his book "Virgil as Orpheus," "A great artist never touches a myth without developing, expanding, and sometimes radically changing it." This eight-week course will explore the origin, matrix and development of the myth from its classical versions in Virgil’s "Georgics" (Book IV) and Ovid's "Metamorphoses" (Book X) to its reworking and re-interpretation by succeeding artists (musicians, painters, poets and playwrights) while refocusing on the power and perils of the myth. Artists such as Brueghel, Stravinsky, Milosz, Rilke, Duffy and others will be considered. The myth calls us to reflect on what it means to be human.

Judson Scruton M.A (The Johns Hopkins University, The Writing Seminars, specializing in poetry) has taught creative writing and literature at prep schools and universities. In his career as an educator Judson has also directed publications, communications, public relations, and development at a variety of educational institutions in the U.S. and U.K. including the Newberry Library in Chicago. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of English at Fairfield University.

Gerald Weiss earned both a B.A and an M.A. in Classical Languages from St. Louis University. He pursued graduate studies in Philosophy and Theology at Innsbruck University (Austria) and later at the Gregorian University (Rome, Italy) where he received his Ph.D. While writing his dissertation he taught for a year at the Rome Center of Loyola University of Chicago. Upon returning to the United States he taught Philosophy/Theology/Religious Studies at Seton Hall, St. Louis and various other universities. He has had one book published and written numerous articles for educational, religious and spiritual periodicals and journals. Since retiring he has devoted most of his free time to painting and has exhibited some of his works at the Wilton Library.

Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton.

This press release was produced by the Wilton Library. The views expressed here are the author's own.