Mythic Muse: Writing Poetry with Mythology
with Dr. Roula-Maria Dib
An 8-week poetic inquiry course blending creative writing with research
When: 7 Wednesdays from January 15-March 5 (no class on Feb 19), 2025
19:00-21:00 (London Time)
Where: Online
Fees: £200 regular
£175 students
15% discount applicable for LABRC Members
Course Overview:
Myths are mirrors. They reflect universal truths, but they also allow us to see ourselves. Writing poetry through the lens of mythology is as much an act of self-discovery as it is a creative process.
Have you ever felt drawn to the timeless power of myths? The tales of gods, heroes, and universal symbols that echo across cultures are more than just stories—they are vessels of meaning, reflection, and transformation.
Join Dr. Roula-Maria Dib this winter for Mythic Muse: Writing Poetry with Mythology, a 7-session course that will take your creative writing to extraordinary new depths.
Through close readings, arts-based research, and hands-on workshops, you’ll uncover how to weave archetypes, symbols, and mythic narratives into your poetry. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a curious beginner, this course will help you channel myths into art while exploring your unique voice.
Description:
This course explores the interplay between mythological themes and poetic expression, offering an opportunity to channel timeless archetypes, symbols, and narratives into one’s own creative work. Drawing on global myths and traditions, you will explore how to use mythological motifs as tools to inspire and deepen your poetic voice.
Given Dr. Roula-Maria Dib’s background in Jungian theory, arts-based research and poetry, the course would emphasize exploration and creativity, encouraging experimentation with different media, voices, and traditions. It promises to be a rich, transdisciplinary experience that blends her expertise in creative writing, mythology, and arts-based research. The blend of mythology, personal reflection, and collaborative practice would make it transformative, offering not just tools for writing but pathways to self-discovery.
Roula-Maria Dib (PhD, University of Leeds) is the founding director of the London Arts-Based Research Centre, founding editor of literary and arts journal, Indelible, and creative producer of literary event series, Indelible Evenings, as well as Psychreative, a virtual salon for researchers, artists, and writers with a background in depth psychology. As a literary scholar, poet, and editor, her research interests are at the interstices of literature, modern poetry and poetics, creative writing, and Jungian psychology. She is the winner of the British Council’s Alumni Awards 2021-2022 for the Culture and Creativity category in the UAE and a holder of the UK Global Talent Visa. Her authored books include Jungian Metaphor in Modernist Literature (Routledge, 2020) and poetry collection, Simply Being (Chiron Press, 2021)
Course Objectives:
- Understand key mythological themes, archetypes, and symbols across cultures.
- Analyse how myths have influenced classic and contemporary poets.
- Develop techniques for integrating mythological elements into personal poetry.
- Use arts-based research methodologies to explore myths creatively.
Who is this course for?
- Anyone curious about self-expression through myth and poetry
- Writers and poets of all levels
- Creative thinkers
- Mythology enthusiasts
- Students and Academics
- Seekers of personal growth
- Autoethnographers
- Anyone seeking inspiration!
Teaching Methods:
- Interactive lectures on mythology and poetry.
- Creative writing workshops for feedback and refinement.
- Arts-based research activities, such as creating visual art inspired by a myth before translating it into poetry.
- Collaborative discussions and peer critique sessions.
Assignments:
- Weekly writing prompts.
- A final portfolio of original myth-inspired poems
Weekly summary (shortened syllabus):
Week 1: Foundations of Myth and Poetry (Jan 15, 2025)
- Introduction to mythology and its universal themes
- Close readings of poetry inspired by myths
- Writing prompt
Week 2: Archetypes and Symbolism (Jan 22, 2025)
- Understanding Jungian archetypes
- The role of symbols in myth and poetry
- Writing prompt
Week 3: Nature in Myth Across Cultures (Jan 29, 2025)
- Exploring myths from various traditions through nature
- Cross-cultural perspectives on storytelling and identity.
- Writing prompt
Week 4: Personal Myths (Feb 5, 2025)
- Transforming personal experiences into mythic narrative poems
- Writing “mythologies of the self” to explore identity and transformation
- Writing prompt
Week 5: Collaborative Mythmaking (Feb 12, 2025)
- Group activities to create shared mythologies through poetry.
- Experimenting with arts-based approaches like visual-poetic hybrids or performance poetry.
- Workshop session to refine collaborative work.
Week 6: Mythic Worlds in Practice (Feb 26, 2025)
- Using mythology to address contemporary themes (ecology, identity, politics).
- Preparing a final portfolio or performance piece.
- Writing prompt
Week 7: Final Portfolio Presentation (March 5, 2025)
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