SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
CLAS230 Classical Mythology:
In the Modern World
Spring, 2002
NOTE: One advantage of a web-based schedule is that it can be adjusted frequently according to class progress. Students are advised to consult this page regularly for changes.
ML = Morford and Lenardon
Part I. Introduction to Myths in the
Modern World
Jan. 15 Myths Ancient and Modern
Echoes
of Mythology
Jan. 17 What is a myth?
Read Sienkewicz' "On
Myths and Sisyphean Tasks"; Sisyphus;
Countee Cullen's "Yet Do I Marvel"; ML
490-491;
Jan. 22 Myth theories in the modern world
Read ML 1-15; Sienkewicz' "The
Web of Myth"; Some
Theories of Myth; Types of Myth;
Myth
and Folktale. Look for Folktale
Themes in the myths of Phaethon
(Ovid 13-36); and Procris and
Cephalus (Ovid 154-170); Procne and Philomela ( Ovid 134-142); Matthew
Arnold's "Philomela"
Jan. 24 Historical Background
Read ML 15-31; Ovid 175-178 (Daedalus, the labyrinth, the Minotaur,
the Math Minotaur, and
Icarus); Schliemann:
Heros and Mythos / Schliemann;
Historical World behind
the Trojan War; MC
at Troy; Mycenae;
Knossos / Plan
of Knossos; W.
H. Auden's "Musee des Beaux Arts" / Daedalus
and Icarus / Virtual
Streetband's "Icarus" / Icarus
Rising
Jan. 29 The Survival of Classical Mythology in the Modern World
Read
ML 542-576; Ovid 190-193 (Philemon and Baucis: Rembrandt).
See also Ovid in Art. On
Adapting Myths
Jan. 31 Classical Mythology in Music and
Film
Read ML 577-593; Disney's
"Fantasia". Myth in Music
and Cinema. Ovid 318-322 (Galatea). Centaurs.
Ovid 202-203 (Hercules, Nessus and Deianira). Satyrs.
Part II. The Gods
in the Modern World
Feb. 5 Introduction to the Greek
Gods
The Pantheon / Greek
Pantheon / Classical
Myths: The Ancient Sources
First Unit Quiz
Feb. 7 Creation
Myths
ML 35-69; Ovid 1-14 (Myths
of Creation, Zeus' Rise to
Power: Ages of Humankind)
Organization of the
Business
of the Gods Presentation
Feb. 12
Zeus and Hera
and Their Children
ML 70-84
Ovid 18-23 (Io); 49-50 (Europa); 229-230 (Ganymede).
Zeus / Hera
Feb. 14 Cupid and
Venus
ML Chapter 7
(116-140)
Ovid 61-66 (Narcissus and Echo); 76-82 (Pyramus
and Thisbe); 232-234 (Pygmalion); 241-242 (Adonis)
Feb. 19 Anthropomorphism;
Artemis
ML Chapter 4
(85-97); ML Chapter 8
(141-162)
Ovid 14-18 (Daphne); 36-40 (Callisto); 55-58 (Actaeon);
125-130 (Niobe); 230-232 (Hyacinthus); 370-374 (Aesculapius)
Feb. 21 Apollo
ML
Chapter 9 (163-188)
Feb. 26 Hermes
MLChapter
10 (189-203);
Ovid 82-85 (Hermaphroditus)
Feb. 28 Demeter, Hades,
and Persephone
ML Chapter
12 (233-249)
Second Unit Quiz
Mid-Course
Evaluation due before Spring Break
March 12 The
Underworld
ML Chapter 13
(250-272),
Ovid 109-116 (Persephone)
March 14 Orpheus
ML Chapter
14 (273-285)
Ovid 225-228 (Eurydice); 249-252 (Death of Orpheus)
Website
evaluations due
March 19 Dionysus
ML Chapter 11
(204-232); Euripides' Bacchae
Ovid 58-60
(Semele)
March 21
Dionysus Cont.
March 26
Business
of the Gods Presentations
March 28
Business
of the Gods
Presentations Cont.
After the presentations, we will do Narcissus in ML Chapter 11
(204-232)
April 2 Poseidon
ML
Chapter 5 (98-104)
Progress Report for Individualized Project
due.
Presentation on Myth in Pop/Rock Music by Marty Pickens
and Prof. S
April 4 NO CLASS
April 9
Athena
ML
Chapter 6 (105-115
Ovid 121-125 (Arachne)
Part III. Gods and
Greek Tragedy the Modern World
As you read the plays assigned,
consider ways that they deal with modern issues.
April 11 Euripides'
Trojan Women
Cassandra
Modern
Productions of Trojan Women
April 16 No Class. Founder's Day
April 18 Third Unit Quiz
April 23 Euripides'
Trojan Women Cont.
Helen in the Modern World
April 25 The Trial of Helen
April 30
Euripides' Hippolytus
Analysis
of Euripides' Hippolytus / Euripides'
Chronology / The
Euripides Homepage / Summary
of Hippolytus / Some
Notes on Hippolytus / On
Aristotle and Hippolytus / Some
Background to Hippolytus / Some
Themes in Euripides' Hippolytus / Modern
Productions of Hippolytus / Why
Modern Adaptations of Greek Tragedy? / Tantalus
from the Perspective of Modern Adaptation / Modern
Performance and Adaptation of Greek Tragedy
Individualized Project Due
May 2 Fourth Unit Quiz (on Bacchae, Trojan Women, and Hippolytus)
The quiz will be on Euripides' Bacchae, Trojan Women, and Hippolytus and their modern contexts, including Helen, Casandra, etc.
The focus of the quiz will be the following:|
1.) identification of characters in the plays;
2.) the role of the gods in each play;
3.) modern aspects of the plays;
4.) your vote on Helen's guilt or innocence.
May 7
1 P.M. Final Exam Meeting
Group presentations and course
evaluation
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.
