6-session asynchronous class including syllabus, video streaming links, and PDFs of slide presentations
$80 Paid Patreon Members / $95 General
Please note: Orders fulfilled weekly on Wednesdays

The unicorn embodies rich and enduring symbolism, carrying diverse personal and cultural meanings deeply intertwined with its unique historical imagery. How does this symbol, spanning from alchemy to the medieval Catholic Church and extending to the 1980s "space unicorns" and pre-teen stickers, resonate with the modern psyche? Why is it still such a popular and enduring symbol? And what ailment might it be seeking to heal within the modern mind?

This class will take a deep dive into the unicorn in all its manifestations and meanings, with an eye toward its healing potential. We will begin with the history of the unicorn, and look at the evolution of its symbolism throughout time. To amplify the symbol in its modern context, we will closely examine Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn. Using visual imagery, poetry, film, and fairy tale, we will tease out the potential cultural and personal meanings for the symbol. In the last session, students will have the opportunity to showcase their final projects, engaging with both the class material and the multifaceted symbol of the unicorn, and explore its significance within the context of their own lives.

Each session will include heavily illustrated lectures focusing on the art and history of the unicorn, as well as discussion and amplification of the themes. Students will be able to access a virtual classroom that will include an archive of all videos, additional resources for homework between sessions, as well as links and downloads of supporting materials and suggested reading. 

What students have said about this class:

"This course was an absorbing and enormously engaging walk through the history and mythology of the unicorn and all of its multifaceted and ever-shifting symbolism. While learning more about this special interest was completely fascinating and revitalizing to my creativity, the BEST part was truly the charming group of people in this course that made the discussions so excellent! Alicia is an excellent instructor and her enthusiasm for the topic was indisputable! My gratitude to her for creating and sharing this course is huge! "

A Ph.D. in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology, Alicia K. Anderson is a writer, researcher, and storyteller. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies by Improbable Press, World Weaver Press, Autonomous Press, Roi Faeneant Press, and No Bad Books Press. Her academic writing will be published in two books by Vernon Press in the coming year. Alicia is based in the Land of Enchantment – steeped in the magic of New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Her book about the modern meaning of the unicorn is forthcoming from McFarland Press.

Images: Unicorn sticker from the 1980s; detail of The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (from the Unicorn Tapestries), 1495–1505Gustave Moreau, The Unicorns, 1885