The Nature of Myth, Powell, Ch 1:

• divine myth, legend, folktale, traditional story, oral vs. written

Creation Myths, Leonard, Ch 2, Powell, Ch 4-5, pdfs

• know the following:
  • In Leonard:
    • Dogon (all & humans): Amma, Jackal, Nummo, The Word, Granary, Ancestors, Lebe, [Earth,]
    • Iroquois: Sky woman, [the sorcerer,] Waterfowl, Beaver, Turtle, Sky woman's daughter, Bud, Sapling, [tree of light]
    • Sumerian (humans): Anu, Enlil, Shamash, the Anunnaki, Ulligara, Zalgarra
    • Hebrew (all & humans): God, Adam, Eve, Serpent, Eden, Tree of Life
    • Mayan (all, humans, flood): Popol Vu, [Sovereign] Plumed Serpent [also called Heart of the Sea and associated with Maker, Modeler, Bearer, Begetter], Heart of Sky [associated with Thunderbolt Hurricane, Newborn Thunderbolt, Raw Thunderbolt]
      
      
  • In Powell:
    • Greek (all): Chaos, Gaea, Eros, Uranus, Cronus, Rhea, Cyclopes, sickle, Aphrodite, Erinyes, Zeus, Typhoeus, Hesiod's Theogony
    • Greek (humans/flood): Prometheus, Epimetheus, Pandora, Deucalion, Pyrrha, Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days.
    • Mesopotamian (all, flood): Enuma elish, Tiamut, Apsu, Marduk.
      
      
  • Pdfs in Moodle:
    • Norse (all & humans): Gylfi, Niflheim, [Muspelheim,] Surt, Ymer (or Ymir), Odin, [Vili, Ve], "Third" (son of Bor, i.e. Ve)
    • Big Bang (all): nothing, vacuum, fire, light (later microwaves), crystals, dust
      
      
• basic questions for the creation of mortals (not applicable to all):
  • Who is(are) the creator(s) of humans?
  • What material(s) is(are) used in the creation of humans?
  • How are humans different from other animals?
  • Why are humans created (i.e. what role/purpose do they play in creation)?
• Flood myth (Greek, Mayan, Mesopotamian): why, who survived?

Myths of the "Olympian" gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades (Powell, Ch 6)

• Key Names & Terms: Zeus, aegis, xenia, Moerae, Graces, Ganymede, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, anthropomorphism, animals/powers associated with Zeus, Hera, & Poseidon

Myths of the Olympian gods: Apollo (Powell, Ch 7)

• Key Names & Terms:
  • birth: Leto, Hera, Zeus, Delos, Apollo
  • oracle: Telphusa, Delphi, Pytho, Pythia
  • loves: Cassandra, Sibyl at Cumae, Daphnê, Coronis
  • son: Asclepius

Possible Essay Questions

• Big Bang:
  • Sources to draw from: Ch 2 in Leonard & McClure; pdf for Big Bang
  • Prompt: We have seen how one can describe the big bang poetically. For two of the following (Norse, Mayan, Greek), examine ways they are similar to the poetic big band and ways they are different.


• Couples:
  • Sources to draw from: Iroquois myth in Leonard & McClure, Ch 2; Powell, Ch 6 or Ch 7.
  • Prompt: How is the relationship between the sorcerer & sky woman similar to/different from the relationship between Zeus & Hera (or Apollo and his loves)?


• Social:
  • Sources to draw from: Ch 2 in Leonard & McClure; Powell, Ch 5
  • Prompt: Examine two of the following creation myths (Dogon, Iroquois, Mayan, Greek flood myth) with regard to cooperation versus competition. In your conclusion postulate what conclusions can you draw about the two societies based on your examination of each.