Drawing on Greek, Roman, Teutonic, and Near Eastern mythology, this course will introduce the student to theories and uses of myth in politics and history. Through close readings of a variety of primary and secondary sources of and about mythology, the student will examine the influence of myth on history and on the creation of history. Through an examination of the works of Claude Levi-Strauss, Ernst Cassirer, and Mircea Eliade, students will apply theories to operative myths. Topics may include the mythical background of the Virgin Mary, Napoleon's and Hitler's uses of mythology, biblical mythology and the Puritans, myth and Christology, utopian ideals, with emphasis on the history of the United States.