CLAS230 Classical Mythology
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois 61462
Instructor: Thomas J. Sienkewicz, toms@monm.edu
Schedule of Topics and Readings
Fall, 1997
Part I. The Journey of Myth
Aug. 27 Course Introductions
Aug. 29 What is a myth?
Odysseus and the Cyclops. Rosenberg, pp. 80-85
Sept. 1 What is a myth? Cont.
Rosenberg, "Introduction"
Sienkewicz, "On Myths and Sisyphean Tasks" (electronic copy)
Sept. 3 Interpretations of Myth
Kirk, chapter 1
Sept. 5 Interpretations of Myth Cont.: Structuralism
Kirk, chapter 2
Sept. 8 Interpretations Cont.: Cyclopes
Kirk, pp. 162-171
Sept. 12 Interpretations Cont.: Dreams
Kirk, chapter 6
Sept. 15 Interpretations Cont.: Multifunctionalism
Sienkewicz, "The Web of Myth" (electronic copy)
Campbell, The Power of Myth (video)
Sept. 17 What is a hero?
"Star Wars" (video)
Hero Packet
Raglan (on reserve)
Part II.Greek Myths about Heroic Journeys
Sept. 19 Homer. Iliad
Rosenberg, pp. 31-61
Sept. 22 Iliad Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 61-75
Sept. 24 Homer. Odyssey
Rosenberg, pp. 75-93
Sept. 26 Odyssey Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 93-111
Sept. 29 Vergil. Aeneid
Rosenberg, pp. 113-131
Oct. 1 Aeneid Cont.
Rosenberg, 131-146
Oct. 3 Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica
Introduction and Books I-II
Oct. 6 Argonautica Cont.
Books III-IV
"Jason and the Argonauts" (video)
Oct. 8 FIRST UNIT EXAM
Oct. 10 Fall Break
Oct. 13 Fall Break
PART III. Heroic Journeys from Around the World
Oct. 15 Egypt. Isis and Osiris
Rosenberg, pp. 162-168
Oct. 17 Greece. Demeter and Persephone
Rosenberg, pp. 15-20
Oct. 20 Hittites. Telepinu
Rosenberg, pp. 168-172
Kirk, pp. 220-226
Oct. 22 The Epic of Gilgamesh
Rosenberg, pp. 172-203
Oct. 24 Gilgamesh Cont.
Kirk, pp. 132-152 and chapter 3
Oct. 27 The Book of Jonah (use your own Bible)
Oct. 29 "The Empire Stikes Back" (video)
Oct. 31 The Norse Hero: Sigurd
Rosenberg, pp. 226-240
Nov. 3 Sigurd Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 240-252
Nov. 5 A Comparative Interlude
Kirk, chapter 5
Nov. 7 Beowulf
Rosenberg, pp. 267-276
Nov. 10 Beowulf Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 276-288
Nov. 12 King Arthur
Rosenberg, pp. 288-309
Nov. 14 King Arthur Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 309-323
Map and Geography Quizzes.
Nov. 17 The Indian Ramayana
Rosenberg, pp. 333-347
Fox Classics Lecture, 7:30 P.M. Highlander Room.
Attendance required.
Nov. 19 Ramayana Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 347-360
Fox Classics Lecture Statement Due.
Nov. 21 The Japanese Kotan Utannai
Rosenberg, pp. 376-386
Nov. 24 "The Return of the Jedi" (video)
Nov. 26 THANKSGIVING BREAK
Nov. 28 THANKSGIVING BREAK
Dec. 1 The West African Sunjata
Rosenberg, pp. 416-435
Dec. 3 Sunjata Cont.
Rosenberg, pp. 435-451
Dec. 5 The Congo Mwindo
Rosenberg, pp. 452-463
Dec. 8 The Crow tale of Lodge-Boy and Thrown-Away
Rosenberg, pp. 506-509
Dec. 10 The Inuit Sedna
Rosenberg, pp. 520-525
17 Final Meeting: 6 P.M.