Gorgon's head on a silver
coin
|
Classics 215:
Mythology
Spring 2003
|
The god Apollo on a gold coin
of Syracuse
image courtesy of Edgar
L. Owen, #3803
|
Instructor: Dr. Victor A. Leuci
Texts:
Barry Powell, Classical
Mythology, 3rd. Ed., Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 2001
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).
Seven to 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. Two 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:
-
Exams: 2-3 total, 100 points
each.
-
Papers: 7-8 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.
-
Final: the final will simply
be papers # 7 and 8 (or 6 & 7 if 7 papers total). 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.
-
Class Participation: 50
points; will also include posts in class discussion folder
-
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.
-
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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
Formatting:
-
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.
-
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.
-
Spacing & Font: you
may use any font, point size, or line spacing that you want--within reason,
that is.
-
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)