Phaethon by Charles Kingsley (2023)
Phaethon is a novel by Charles Kingsley that was first published in 1838. It tells the story of Phaeton, the son of Helios (the sun god), who is given permission to drive the chariot of his father for one day. However, he becomes overconfident and loses control of the horses, causing them to run wildly across the sky. This results in a series of disasters that threaten the world with destruction. Phaethon eventually repents and returns to Helios's palace, where he is forgiven and allowed to live out his days in peace.
By Charles Kingsley · First published 2023 · Genre: Mythology, Adventure, Fantasy · 21,695 words
First lines
Templeton and I were lounging by the clear limestone stream which crossed his park and wound away round wooded hills toward the distant Severn. A lovelier fishing morning sportsman never saw. A soft gray under-roof of cloud slid on before a soft west wind, and here and there a stray gleam of sunlight shot into the vale across the purple mountain-tops, and awoke into busy life the denizens of the water, already quickened by the mysterious electric influences of the last night's thunder-shower. The long-winged cinnamon-flies spun and fluttered over the pools; the sand-bees hummed merrily round their burrows in the marly bank; and delicate iridescent ephemerae rose by hundreds from the depths, and, dropping their shells, floated away, each a tiny Venus Anadyomene, down the glassy ripples of the reaches.
What this Textopian page supports
Phaethon is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Kingsley, dated 2023 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Charles Kingsley
- Date: 2023 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mythology, Adventure, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Tragedy
- Length: 21,695 words
- Structure: 1 section, 505 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Phaethon by Charles Kingsley
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Phaethon?
- How does this novel by Charles Kingsley fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mythology first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Mythology — The novel is based on the Greek myth of Phaethon, the son of the Sun-god Helios, making it fall under the mythology genre.
- Adventure — The story follows the adventure of Phaethon as he tries to ride his father's sun chariot, adding elements of the adventure genre.
- Fantasy — Though the novel is based on mythology, its narrative encompassing gods, divine powers and fantastical events marks it as belonging to the fantasy genre as well.
- Coming of Age — The book explores Phaethon's journey towards self-discovery and maturity, making it a coming-of-age tale.
Tags
mythology · Greek · sun · gods · adventure · hero · journey · fate · identity · family · tragedy · nature