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Midterm Exam: Essays
The Midterm will consist of two parts: a factual section with multiple
choice questions, and an essay. The following topics are the ones I will choose from in
making up the exam. I will give you a choice between two of them on the exam. You may
prepare as much or as little as you like, but you have to keep your preparation in your
head -- no books or notes will be allowed during the exam. These questions require thought
and even speculation on your part. There are no specifically correct answers. Whatever you
write about, support your arguments with specific examples. Long retellings of myth aren't
necessary--condense them so that the salient points are obvious. Come to me with questions
or problems. I reward: originality; awareness of ideas and scholarly interpretation as
well as simple facts; clearly conceived essays with a point; use of specific examples to
make your point. I don't like long recapitulation of stories or unclearly understood
notes, rambling essays without a fixed point of view, vague unsupported statements.
- A number of gods and goddesses have connections with agricultural fertility. Discuss a
few of them. Are there connections / similarities between these stories? Significant
differences / variations? Why? And why are there so many "fertility" figures?
Discuss the element of possession and madness in Dionysiac religion and
myth. Why are these ideas so important? What does madness do for the worshippers, or for
the society? What does it show about the Greek world view? Use examples from the text, and
if you like you may use comparisons from the culture portrayed in Black Orpheus.
Take ONE of the stories listed below and note the thematic oppositions
(male/female, nature/culture) and how they are resolved or not resolved in the action.
What themes do these oppositions bring out? (1) Pandora's creation, (2) Pentheus and
Dionysus, and (3) Persephone's abduction by Hades.
Hermes and Aphrodite are both "liminal" deities in that they
preside over human transitions into alien places or states of mind. Discuss the liminal
aspects of these gods, and how these aspects appear in the narrative myths about them. How
are Hermes and Aphrodite similar / different in their relationships with humans?
In Greek society, men dominate politics and religion, and are considered
the head of the family. Yet there are also powerful female deities. Discuss the roles of
these goddesses, especially as relates to other gods and to humans. Where does their power
come from? Do human women partake of it in any way?
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 as you wish.)
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