Monmouth College, Fall 2003

CLAS230 Classical Mythology:  Women in Greco-Roman Mythology

 TH 3:30-4:45, Wallace Hall 114

Instructor | Required Texts | Course Description | Class Procedure
Archaeology Lectures | Schedule | Course Handouts

Instructor:  Dr. V. Wine (Return to Menu)

Required Texts: 
Morford and Lenardon’s Classical Mythology (6th ed.) ;
Homer’s Odyssey  (trans. Fitzgerald);
Lefkowitz’s Women in Greek Myth (The Johns Hopkins University Press);
Euripides’ Medea (Focus Classical Library; Sophocles’ Antigone (Focus Classical Library)

A Companion to Classical Mythology (Longman) is optional. (Return to Menu)

Course Description:  This semester’s Classical Mythology focuses on the portrayal of women in Greek and Roman mythology.  The course surveys Greek mythology while focusing on the Greek goddesses and heroines; it will also look at the goddess Athena and at Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, in Homer’s Odyssey in order to examine the difference between a goddess and a god and a heroine and a hero.  The view of Medea and Antigone in two tragedies and Lefkowitz’s comments on the representation of women in Greek myth will also help to illuminate the subject.  Two short papers will allow the student to investigate related areas of interest, such as comparing Greco-Roman goddesses or heroines with those in other world mythologies, or focusing on a particular Greco-Roman goddess or heroine or a particular piece of literature.  Other areas of interest may yield suitable topics as well, such as in art, film, music, drama, sociology, anthropology, psychology, theology, or history. (Return to Menu)

Class Procedure:  The final grade will be an average of the two papers (25% each) and two exams (25% each).  Attendance at outside lectures may be included. (Return to Menu)

Archaeology Lectures:  Attendance at these lectures is strongly encouraged.  Up to 10 extra credit points will be awarded with the submission of a one-page (minimum) summary and response for each lecture. (Return to Menu)

Schedule: The following schedule of topics and readings gives dates of intended discussions and assignments.  The student is expected to keep informed of any changes which might be made in class.

Week 1 8/26

8/28

 Ch.1, "The Myth of Creation"

Ch. 2, "Zeus’ Rise"; Lefkowitz ch. 1
Week 2 9/2

9/4

 Ch. 3, "The Twelve Olympians"

Ch. 4, "Anthropomorphism"; Lefkowitz ch. 2
Week 3 9/9

9/11

 Ch.5, "Poseidon"; Lefkowitz ch. 3

Ch.6, "Athena"; Odyssey 1
Week 4 9/16

9/18

 Ch. 7, "Aphrodite"; Odyssey 2

Ch. 8, "Artemis"; Odyssey 3-4
Week 5 9/23

9/25

 Ch. 9, "Apollo"; Lefkowitz ch. 4

Ch.10, "Hermes" ; Lefkowitz ch. 5
Week 6 9/30

10/2

 Ch. 11, "Dionysus"; Lefkowitz ch. 6

Ch. 12, "Demeter"; Odyssey 5-6
Week 7 10/7

10/8

10/9

 Ch. 13, "Hades"; Lefkowitz ch. 7

Archaeology Lecture, 7:30:  Prehistory in Western Illinois

Ch. 14, Orpheus; Odyssey 7-8
Week 8 10/14

10/16

 Exam #1

Paper #1 due and presentations
Week 9 10/20

10/21

10/24

 Archaeology Lecture, 7:30:  Macedonian Royal Tombs (Augustana College)

Fall Break; Archaeology Lecture:  the Parthenon

Ch.15, "The Theban Saga" ;  Sophocles’ Antigone
Week 10 10/28

10/30

 Ch. 16, "The Mycenaean Saga"; Od 9-10

Ch. 17, "The Trojan Saga"; Od 11-12
Week 11 11/4

11/6

 Ch. 18, "The Returns"; Od 13-14

Ch. 19, "Perseus"; Od 15-16
Week 12 11/11

11/13

 Ch. 20, "Heracles"; Od 17-18

Ch. 21, "Theseus"; Od 19-20; Archaeology Lecture:  Central Mexico
Week 13 11/18

11/20

 Ch. 22,"Jason, Medea, Argonauts"

Euripides’ Medea
Week 14 11/25

11/27

 Ch. 23, "Local Heroes and Heroines"; Od. 21-22

Thanksgiving Break
Week 15 12/2

12/4

 Ch. 24, "The Nature of Roman Mythology"; Od 23-24

Paper #2 due; Exam #2
Final Exam 12/11 Presentations of Paper #2

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