Date

Read These Materials Before Class

Work Due & Potential Lines of Discussion/ Discussion Leaders

June 8

Class introduction, books, materials, initial lines of inquiry. Watch some Moyers/Campbell video.

June 9

Joseph Campbell, “Metaphor and Religious Mystery,” from Thou That Art (online, Google Books), 1-9.

M&K chapter 1

What are myths? How have they been interpreted, and how do we look at them in literary contexts?

June 10

Bible: Genesis chs. 1-4 (note: this is more than is in M&K); B pp. 1-8; M&K pp. 32-46.

Myths of origin (cosmogonical myths). Reflection 1 assigned.

June 11

M&K, remainder of ch. 2; B ch. XVI.

Myths of origin

June 15

David Herring, “Northrop Frye’s Theory of Archetypes: An Overview,” online (click through all the links). M&K, 185-227.

Reflection 1 due.  Myths of gender. Discussion led by Erika.

June 16

M&K, remainder of ch. 4; B, chs. V, XII, XVII-XX.

Myths of gender.Discussion led by Asia.

June 17

M&K, 102-144. B, chs. IV, VII, XIV.

Myths of gender and gender conflict.

Incidentally, another "goddess" statue from about 35,000 BCE was found recently: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/science/14venus.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

June 18

M&K,  remainder of ch. 3; B, chs, III, IX, XI

Paper Topic due. Myths of gender conflict. Discussion led by Shelley. (Here's an alternate version of her power point.)

June 22

Bettelheim, from The Uses of Enchantment ; Tolkien, On Fairy Stories. M&K 247-277.

Trickster myths. Discussion led by Sara.

June 23

M&K, remainder of ch. 5; B. chs. II, XXIX--XXXIII

Trickster myths. Discussion led by Joseph.

June 24

James Frazer, “The Gardens of Adonis,” from The Golden Bough (online). M&K, 320-360.

Myths of place. Reflection 2 due if there's not another catastrophe.

June 25

Bible: Genesis, chs. 6-9; Mark Isaak, “Flood Stories from Around the World,” online (everybody read the European, Near East, and Hindu myths and then pick one from each other geographic grouping)

Myths of the deluge (flood). Discussion led by Asia.

 June 29

Bible: The Book of Revelation

Encyclopedia Mythica: Ragnarok;  Zoroastrian Myth of the End;

Myths of ending (eschatological myths). Discussion led by Shelley.

June 30

David Morrison, “The Myth of Nibiru and the End of the World in 2012,” The Skeptical Inquirer Sept/Oct. 2008; http://www.2012endofdays.org/general/Predictions-for-2012.php. Some video: http://www.history.com/content/armageddon.

Myths of ending (eschatological myths). Dr Richardson may visit. The "onereed.org" link on the 2012endofdays link is down but can be accessed here: http://web.archive.org/web/20060211050059/http://www.onereed.com/articles/katun.html.

July 1

The Arthurian Legend (click here for readings).

Reflection 3 due. Myths of national origin. Discussion led by Eric.

July 2

Claude Levi-Strauss, “How Myths Die,” from Structural Anthropology . Discuss exam,  complete evaluations.

 Discussion led by Joseph.

July 6

The Prentice-Hall Reference Guide, chapters on MLA documentation; The Department of English, “The Correct Use of Borrowed Information”

Oral Presentations; class-selected topics.  Rough Draft Conferences on your research papers

July 7

Indulge in carbohydrates and six excellent twenty-minute presentations.

Research papers due. Oral Presentations; class-selected topics.

July 8

Dr. Rankin points out that at five minutes and six seconds after 4 AM on the 8th of July this year, the time and date will be 04:05:06 07/08/09.

Final Exam