Gorgon's head on a silver coin
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Classics 215:
Mythology
Spring 2002
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The god Apollo on a gold coin of Syracuse
image courtesy of Edgar
L. Owen, #3803
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Instructor: Dr. Victor A.
Leuci
Texts:
Barry Powell, Classical Mythology,
2nd. Ed., Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1998
Website accompanying Powel's text: www.prenhall.com/powell
David Leeming, The World of Myth, An Anthology,
Oxford U. Press, New York 1990
Objectives: The
purpose of this course is 1) to introduce you to principal myths of Greece,
Rome, northern Europe, India, China, the Near East, the Amerindians, and
others, and 2) to explore the functions and patterns of myth in various
ancient and modern cultures. An important goal of the course is to
develop a critical perspective that will allow you to compare the myths
of different groups of people and to perceive the way in which certain
mythic patterns seem to be universal in scope and others to be culturally
specific. In essence, everyone in the class should strive to become
adept at listening to, reading, telling, and interpreting traditional tales.
Relationship to the General
Education Curriculum (Tier II: Artistic Expression and Critical
Appreciation Context-course in literature). Mythology is a key backdrop
to all Greco-Roman art and literature, as well as the literature, written
and oral, of almost all cultures, so the material studied will, by definition,
be representative of significant movements and periods, as well as key
themes and figures. As stated in the Objectives above one goal of the course
is to develop a critical perspective which will involve developing the
students’ ability to analyze and discuss the material using key terminology
and a variety of approaches. Understanding a society’s mythology is often
essential in understanding that society and its concommittant culture since
cultures often use myths as a key way of examining the human condition.
Thus through this study of mythology, students will explore the relationship
between art and society in order to gain insight into cultural aspects
of society and develop a perspective that enhances understanding of the
human condition. A study of mythology, with the importance of reading parts
of significant works of literature and looking at how mythology was a key
mover in the arts in general, cannot but help to promote an appreciation
of the arts.
Writing
Intensive Option: Different types of writing will be part of
the course: short papers and exams that are predominately essay (two of
which must be the take-home versions). Eight short papers will be assigned
as a means to help participants come to a better understanding of important
themes, ideas, and concepts. The first short paper will be revised on the
basis of a conference with me. Three other short papers must be revised
on the basis of conferences with me and with a tutor at the Writing Lab.
A critique and conference after the completion of a paper may also occur.
In general, participants in the class should highly consider using the
services of the Writing Lab and especially the Lab tutors, who can be of
tremendous assistance.
Format: The course
will consist of both lectures and discussion. More than three unexcused
absences will be considered excessive, and no make-up work will be accepted
for unexcused absences.
Grading:
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Exams: 2-3 total, 100 points each.
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Papers: 8 total; 600-900 words in length;
30 points each; your lowest two scores will be dropped. These may form
an important part of class discussion.
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Final: the final will simply be papers
# 7 and 8. You may opt to double the points each is worth by doubling its
length and indicating in the header of the paper that you are doubling
it.
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Class Participation: 50 points; will
also include posts in class discussion folder
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Honor Code: All students and faculty
must adhere to the Honor Code; please see the Student Life Handbook for
the full description of the Honor Code.
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ADA Accommodation: Any student who feels
that he or she may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability
should contact me to arrange an appointment as soon as possible.
At that time, we can discuss the course format, anticipate your needs,
and explore possible accommodations.
Exams:
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In-class version: The exams will be a
combination of fill-in the blank or short answer with essays. Usually there
will be 10-15 fill in the blank questions worth 2 points each two essays
(one long and one short) worth 25 to 40 points each. The essays should
be well written in standard paragraph format and replete with pertinent
facts to support your thesis (or theses). The average length for a good
long essay is usually at least 300 words, i.e. one to two full pages depending
on how large you write, what type of margins you use, etc. A review
sheet will typically be posted in the discussion folder and linked to the
web syllabus one week before the exam as an aid in your preparation.
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Take-home version: You may choose a take-home
option on the exams. This will involve writing either two 900-1200 word
essays or three 600-900 word essays. The topics for these essays will be
provided along at the same time and places as the review sheet for the
in-class exam.
Short Papers:
Content: Each short paper will focus
on a specific question based on your readings or possibly on a web site.
The questions will typically be narrow in focus, and your paper should
follow suite. The thesis you maintain in your paper should be supported
with facts from the readings and from quotes where appropriate, both the
facts and the quotes need citations. The paper, however, should not be
one long quotation.
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Formatting:
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Header: start with a simple heading at
the top of the page giving your name, course number, the number of the
assignment (e.g. Paper #6), a word count, etc.
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Citations: for citations from our textbooks,
give the author's name and the page number; for other citations, follow
standard format, e.g. APA, MLA, etc, but note that I prefer italicizing
titles, etc. to underlining. There will be a post in the discussion folder
with examples for your aid.
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Spacing & Font: you may use any font,
point size, or line spacing that you want--within reason, that is.
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Submission: A paper copy is due at the
beginning of the class period. An electronic copy of each paper is also
required and should be submitted within 24 hours of the due date for the
paper copy; note that there is a two letter grade deduction for failure
to submit an electronic copy.
Attendance:
Regular attendance and participation are essential for the success of the
whole class. More than three unexcused absences will be considered
excessive, and no make-up work will be accepted for unexcused absences.
Each unexcused absence past three will result in a deduction of 5 points
from the total number of points one has at the end of the semester. If
you are ill, e-mail me before class, if possible, or as soon as you are
able.
Assignments:
The assignments given below are not "set-in-stone," and may vary depending
on how each class period goes. The syllabus will be updated as needed.
Unit I: Creation Myths
Unit II: Divine Myths (other
than creation myths)
Unit III: Legends (Part
1)
Unit IV: Legends (Part 2)