Mythology:
Final Exam Information

Final Exam: Instructions

The final will consist of two parts: An essay (60%) and multiple choice questions (40%).  The multiple choice questions will contain some visual elements, which will all be taken from power points available from our Old Assignments page, and they will draw on material emphasized in class and iconography that should be familiar by now.  Because of the visuals aspect, it is important to be in class on time for the exam, even if it is at the deadly hour of 8 AM, since I will be showing the slides then.

The essay questions are below.  As with the midterm, I will give you a choice between two of them on the exam, and you will write one essay.  As before, you can spend as much or as little time as you like preparing the essay, but no books or notes are allowed while you write the exam.  By the way I don't expect the exam to last 3 hours; you an take as much of the time as you want but this exam will be only a little longer than the midterm.

Terms, Names and Ideas

The multiple choice section will focus on Terms, Names and Ideas from the second part of the course, but there will be some comparative questions that draw on earlier material.  Here is an edited list, which includes most of the TNI from the second half of the course, but substantially fewer from the earlier half:

Norse Myth:

Gilgamesh and Inanna:

Theseus and Athens (ML 23); Jason and Medea (ML 24)

Heracles (ML 22); Amazons

Perseus (ML 21):

Odysseus and Returns (ML 20):

Trojan War (ML 19):

Mycenaean Saga (ML 18):

Theban Saga (ML 17):

Orpheus (ML 16):

Afterlife (ML 15):

Demeter and Eleusis (ML 14):

Dionysus (ML 13):

Hermes (ML 12):

Apollo (ML 11):

Artemis (ML 10):

Aphrodite and Eros (ML 9):

Athena (ML 8):

Poseidon (ML 7):

Olympian Gods (ML 5 & 6):

Zeus and Creation (ML 3 and 4):

Myth and History (ML 1 & 2):

Rubric

Has the author formed his essay around a coherent thesis which addresses and unites the issues in the essay?  Can I follow a clear train of thought?

Has the author avoided long retellings of myths, choosing excerpts to support her points?  When she brings up myths or other stories, does she clearly relate them to the ideas they illustrate?

Is the writing clear and coherent?

Does the author show a perspective that goes beyond the book and notes, showing a personal investment in the ideas?  Does the essay read like a retelling of notes, or like a genuine attempt to wrestle with complex issues?

Does the author go beyond the obvious, into subtlety and detail?

My rubric for grading is essentially the same as that for papers in the Important Information page, with the exception that I do not expect research for the final exam essays (just good preparation from class materials and readings).

The advice on writing and arguing points on the Important Information page should also be helpful.

Final Essay Questions

1. Odin and Zeus    Odin and Zeus are identified in their respective mythologies as the chief among the gods, as wise, and as particularly associated with kings.  Compare and contrast how these two very different deities fulfill these roles for Greek and Northern European peoples, addressing the issues of the natures of their wisdom, leadership, and patronage of humans.

2. Inanna and Gilgamesh:  In the cult-related poem we call “Inanna’s Descent,” Inanna makes an underworld journey, while in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh journeys to the ends of the earth.  Compare and contrast these journeys, considering issues such as: Why is the journey undertaken in the first place?  Does the journey take superhuman strength to accomplish?  Are there significant actions that must be undertaken?  What is the goal of the journey?  How does the protagonist return home?  Is there a deeper message about human life that emerges from the journey?  Is the protagonist changed by the journey?  What are the characteristics of each protagonist that affect the pattern or significance of the journey?

3. Archetypes   According to Jung, "In the case of human behavior and attitudes, patterns are expressed in archetypal images or forms." (M&L, p.11)  Some of these archetypes are the animus/anima, wise old man/woman, journey into the underworld, etc.  Discuss one archetypal image in at least two of the cultures we have studied.  You may use one of those listed above, or another one.  You may also chose a culture you have done independent research on, or include modern culture, or look at more that 2 cultures. (Note: if your paper topic was on such an image, chose a different one!)

4. Being a Man   Several of the stories we have looked at in this part of the course focus on experiences that are particularly those of men.  Choose two or three hero stories from any culture and discuss what they say about being or becoming a man in their culture.  What are the key attributes of a man?  What sorts of things must he do to get them?  To show them?  What are the consequences if he is unable to do this -- if he fails?  Is this definition of manhood only relevant in one area (e.g. war) or does it transfer to other aspects of life, as far as you are able to determine?

5. The Femme Fatale   The femme fatale (“fatal woman”) is an archetype that often appears in the modern world.  A definition: “A sensuous, alluring woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations; she often tries to achieve her hidden purpose by using feminine wiles such as beauty, charm, and sexual allure.”  Is the femme fatale a significant figure in Greek mythology?  Consider such figures as Aphrodite, Helen, Medea, Ariadne, Circe, and anyone else you like who may (or may not) fit the bill.  Are there destructive female figures who do not fit the femme fatale description?  What do your findings show about gender relationships in the Greek world as seen in myth?  OR: Consider female figures from the different mythological systems we have studied, addressing the same questions.

6. Order and Chaos   The establishment of order over chaos is obviously a powerful element of Greek creation myth, and continually recurs in Greek myth through themes such as hubris and nemesis (often violations and restorations of divine order).  Are Norse and Mesopotamian mythologies similarly concerned with order and chaos?  Discuss the ways in which order is violated and maintained in each culture’s myths, the extent to which these mythologies show the universe is an orderly place, and the relationships of the gods to the order (however much or little there is of it) in the universe.  Note:  We have not seen nearly as much of this theme in Mesopotamian myth as in Greek and Norse, so you can focus on Greek and Norse if you like.