S03-Review for Exam 2

Myths of the Olympian Gods: Zeus and Hera

Myths of the Olympian Gods: The Male Deities

Myths of the Olympian Gods: The Female Deities

Myths of Fertility: Demeter and the Great Goddess

Myths of Fertility: Dionysus

Powell, Chapter 10: go to his web site: click here

Possible Essay Questions:

1. Short Essay Question: (150-200 words long)

Apply Malinowski's Charter theory to the following texts: the Homeric Hymn to Dionysus or the selections of the tragedy The Bacchae (Powell 256-271). Make sure you give specific examples to back up your conclusions and that you succintly but sufficiently state what the theory is is in your introduction. Also make sure you cite your sources and assume that your reader is familar with the stories--i.e. do not retell the stories.

2. Long Essay Questions: (300-400 words long)

Apply Levi-Strauss' structuralist theory to a non-Greek Trickster (Krishna, Coyote, Legba) or a non-Greek Great Mother (Innana & Dumuzi, Isis & Osiris, Cybele & Attis). Make sure you give specific examples to back up your conclusions and that you succintly but sufficiently state what the theory is is in your introduction. Also make sure you cite your sources and assume that your reader is familar with the stories--i.e. do not retell the stories.

In the discussion of the creation myths we examined the relationship between deities (or the deity) and humans. Scholars of Homer's works have noted that three pairs of opposites describes well how the Olympians deities relate to humans--the deities sometimes emphasize their nearness to humans and sometimes emphasize how great a gulf separates humans from the deities; the deities are sometimes kind and sometimes cruel to humans; the deities sometimes act according to justice and sometimes according to selfish "whims." Use these three pairs of opposites to examine the Greek Olympian deities covered in Powell, chapters 6-9 (make sure you use material from at least 3 chapters in your discussion). Also make sure you cite your sources and assume that your reader is familar with the stories--i.e. do not retell the stories.