CLAS230 Classical Mythology
Department of Classics
Monmouth College

SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
Fall Semester 2005

Part I: Introduction to Myth
Aug. 30 Course introductions and a Definition of Myth (see the American Heritage Dictionary definition)  Also Cullen's "Yet Do I Marvel"
Sept. 1 and Sept. 6 What is a myth? Chapter 1 of Thury and Devinney (T&D).
Sept. 8 Ways of Understanding Myth: Chapter 2 of T&D and Sienkewicz' "The Web of Myth"
Sept. 13. Polytheism and Divine Pantheons. Pantheons of Mythology / Greek Pantheon  / The Pantheon  / The Major Gods; Full Moon Deities / Genealogical Tables Egypt: Pp. 415 of T&D; India: Pp. 190-191
Sept. 15 No class. Work on Greek myth website evaluation.

Sept. 20  An overview of World mythology. Read Sienkewicz' "On Myths and Sisyphean Tasks" and World Myths and Legends in Art / World Mythology / Thury and Devinney's List of Gods and Heroes. Evaluation of Greek myth website due.
Sept. 22 Metamorphosis. Apollo and Daphne (in Ovid's Metamorphoses)
Sept. 27 Apollo and Daphne Cont. 1st MAP/GEOGRAPHY QUIZ (focus on pantheons)
Sept. 29 Aetiology and Metamorphosis: The Rape of Proserpina. Ovid's Metamorphoses  Book 5
Oct. 4 Myth and Ritual: The Myth of Demeter and Persephone.
 Outline of Homeric Hymn to Demeter / Homeric Hymn to Demeter / Eleusinian Mysteries Schedule  / The Eleusinian Mysteries / Chapter 25 of T&D

Part II: Myths of Creation
Oct. 6 and Oct. 11 QUIZ on Part I Greek Creation Stories Chapter 3 of T&D. Structure of Hesiod's Theogony / Outline of the Theogony
Oct. 13.  Ovid's Creation Story. Chapter 4 of T&D and Ovid's Metamorphoses Book I (Evaluation of world myth website due.)
Oct. 18 No class. Fall break.
Oct. 20 and 25 Biblical Creation Stories. Chapter 5 of T&D.
Oct. 27 Norse Creation Stories. Chapter 6 of T&D
Nov. 1 and Nov. 3 Native American Emergence Stories. Chapters 7 of T&D. Also Mayan Creation Stories. (
Prospectus for Individualized Project due.)
Nov. 8  QUIZ on Part II  and African Creation Stories. Chapter 8 of T&D
Nov. 10 African Creation Stories (Cont.)
Nov. 15 Egyptian Creation Stories. Chapter 26  of T&D
Nov. 17-22 Egyptian Creation Stories Cont. Optional Progress report on Individualized Project due on Nov. 22.

Part III: Myths of Destruction
Nov. 29 Ragnarok. Chapter 9 of T&D. Also pp. 97-101 and Biblical Flood Stories. Chapter 10 of T&D
Nov. 29 Ovid's Flood Story. Chapter 11 of T&D
Dec. 1 The Hero of a Thousand Faces. Chapter 12 of T&D
Dec. 6 Mesopotamian Flood Story: Pp. 168-173 and The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Hero Journey. Chapters 13-14 of T&D (
Individualized Project due.)

Dec. 8 QUIZ on Parts III-IV and 2nd
MAP/GEOGRAPHY QUIZ (on world myths)

Dec. 15
  Class Meeting for Poster Presentations and Course Evaluations, 1 P.M.

This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.

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