Mythology:
Midterm Review and Preparation

Exam Overview 

• The exam consists of two parts: a multiple choice section drawn from your terms, names and ideas, worth 40%, and an essay, worth 60%.  Some of these are identifying gods, goddesses or scenes from visual images (which will only be ones we have gone over in class and which are available to you in the power points).
• In the Midterm Essay Pool below are 6 essay questions.  On the actual midterm, I will offer you a choice of two of these questions, and you will write an essay on ONE.
• You may use any materials you like in preparing, including study groups, internet or book research, etc.
• BUT when writing the exam you may not use books or notes and you must complete the exam within the class period.
• On exam day, you'll receive both parts of the exam at once, to work on as you choose.  Bring your own paper.  No books or notes allowed.

Midterm Essay Pool

1. Establishing divine order  Zeus had to establish order in the universe with a series of conflicts that began at his birth.  Other deities too had to establish their identities at birth, in a way that also established the nature of their provinces and powers, and their nature as a deity.  Choose 2-3 deities whose early exploits define them and their powers.  For each, consider the specific elements of myth that predict or illustrate the deity and his/her relationships with humans – to the extent that they do.

2. Love Affairs: Gods and Mortals   A number of the stories we have read about in the chapters on gods, concern love affairs between gods and mortals (or sexual harassment / rape of mortals by gods).  What do these stories say about the Greek view of their gods?  Are these negative stories, or are they neutral or positive comments on the gods' power or morals?  Why are there so many of these stories?  Also, these stories come out in a number of different ways -- compare the results of some mortal/divine love affairs with others.  Are the outcomes similar, or is there a wide variation?  Are there different messages from different stories?  This is a multifaceted question and you can focus your answer either by exploring the issues in depth in 2-3 stories, or by looking for general principles and illustrating them briefly with more stories.

3. Dionysus and Demeter   In Euripides' Bacchae, the prophet Tiresias contrasts Demeter and Dionysus as the deities of dry vs. liquid principles of fertility.  Compare and contrast the ways in which the theme of fertility enters into the myth and worship of these deities.  Consider both mythic issues (i.e. narratives that specify or hint at the fertility relationship) and fertility elements in worship (for example, Maenads, Eleusinian Mysteries, Anthesteria, Thesmophoria, etc.)

4. Parent and Child  Greek myths feature many intense relationships between a parent and a child.  Compare and contrast two or three of these relationships (you may use others to support points if you like).  Consider such issues as, similarity or difference in the character of the parent/child duo, integration of divine function, messages about family life, metaphorical significance to human development or humans’ place in the world, and any other issues you would like to approach.

5. Monsters:In this course, we have encountered many monsters, from the Cyclopes and Typhoeus to the Gorgons and Harpies; in addition we have found Giants, Titans (which can be a lot of things), and personifications of scary things.  Choose several of these monstrous beings and discuss their role in Greek mythology, addressing such questions as:  Do their monstrous powers by nature oppose them to order?  Are their monstrous forms inherently frightening?  Are their comic or “adventure story” or other functions in their stories?  What sorts of feelings might stories featuring monsters engender in their audiences?  Do monsters share some key factor in Greek myth, or all they all different; either way, what are the dynamics of monsters’ roles in Greek myth as a whole?

6. Creation Myth: The myth below is a creation myth from outside the Greek & Roman worlds.  Describe its similarities and differences to Greek creation myths (focusing on Hesiod but including others if you like) and the significance of these changes to the different cultures' views of how the universe is formed, the nature of god/the gods, the role of humans, and other significant issues.

   Maori Creation Myth

   In the beginning there was no sky, no sea, no earth and no Gods. There was only darkness, only Te Kore, the Nothingness. The very beginning was made from nothing. From this nothingness, the primal parents of the Māori came, Papatuanuku, the Earth mother, and Ranginui, the Sky father.  Papatuanuku and Ranginui came together, embracing in the darkness, and had 70 male children. These offspring became the gods of the Māori. However, the children of Papatuanuku and Ranginui were locked in their parents embrace, in eternal darkness, and yearned to see some light. They eventually decided that their parents should be separated, and had a meeting to decide what should be done.  They considered for a long time - should Rangi and Papa be killed? Or shall they be forced to separate?

   Finally, Tumatauenga, the god of War, said "Let us kill our parents". However, Tane-Mahuta, the god of man and forests, and all which inhabits the forests, thought that Rangi and Papa should be separated. He thought that Ranginui should go up above, to the sky, and that Papatuanuku should should go below, to dwell on earth. All the children, including Tu, the God of War, agreed with Tane.  Tawhiri Matea, the god of winds and storms was the only child who did not wish for his parents to be separated. He feared that his kingdom would be overthrown. One by one the children tried to separate their parents. Rongomatane, the god and father of cultivated foods, tried without success. Haumia Tiketike, god of uncultivated food also tried.  Then it was the turn of Tangaroa, the god of the sea, and Tumatauenga, the god of war, but neither Tangaroa nor Tumatauenga could separate their parents.

   Lastly Tane-Mahuta rose. Strong as the kauri tree, he placed his shoulders against his mother Papatuanuku and his feet against his father Ranginui, and he pushed hard, for a very long time, straining and heaving all the while. Rangi and Papa cried in pain, asking their sons" why do you wish to destroy our love?" After a long time Tane finally managed to separate Rangi and Papa, and for the first time the children saw the light of day (ao Marama) come streaming in. Once this happened, Tawhiri Matea, the god of winds and storms, and who had been against the separation of his parents, left for the sky to join his father. The turbulent winds and storms on earth are caused by Tawhiri Matea, in revenge for this brother's acts.  Now that the separation of Papatuanuku and Ranginui was complete, and there was a sky and an earth. However, there was just one missing element, and Tane decided to create a female. From an area named Kura-waka Tane took some clay, and modeled it into a woman. He then breathed life into it, and created Hine-ahu-one - the earth formed maiden.

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Rubric:

General comments

• Avoid long retellings of myths; stick to references to the main points.
• Assume that your reader has the level of knowledge that everyone in the class does -- for example, you don't need to explain hubris (your classmates know what it is), but you will want to demonstrate how it applies to the situation it describes.
• You might also consult Arguing A Point.  The examples refer to research papers and go into a level of detail your exam essay probably won't, but the principle holds true.

Terms, Names and Ideas for the Midterm Multiple Choice