Mythology

Due date:

• April 4

Format:

• 7-9 pages
• Must be typed
• You may use any standard form of referencing; MLA preferred. For references to classical texts, use the abbreviations in the Oxford Classical Dictionary. NOTE: Links to some examples are forthcoming.

Topics:

Anything to do with mythology. Some suggestions:

• Focus on a particular god or goddess, research the myths and religious practices surrounding that deity, and discuss what significance s/he had for his/her society. You must go beyond narrative -- i.e. don't just tell me "Zeus did this and that." I want to see signs that the deity's importance in society is really being explored.
• Focus on a figure or set of figures from the mythology of a culture we don't study in this course, but which appeals to you. Use the ideas and methods we've used here to give depth to your research.
• Research the occurrences of a mythological theme (e.g. creation myths, heroic journeys, the end of the world) or figure (e.g. snakes, wise old women) in literature, religion, movies, etc.
• Write about the use of mythological themes in a modern author (poet, artist, filmmaker).
• Research different versions of a myth in primary sources and examine what they mean, using a structural or psychological approach.

Requirement:

See me about your paper by March 21. I can give you suggestions about how to narrow a broad topic or work a general interest into a viable paper topic.

Research:

The paper should show a knowledge of your subject which is either wide-ranging or detailed (preferably both), and should also show some personal thought. Checking 3 books a week before the due date won't work. Here's what I'll ask myself as I read your paper:

• Have you done enough research? Did you just check the indexes of a couple of books, or did you really make an effort to find out all you could that was relevant about your topic?
• Have you used primary sources? Primary sources are original texts, the ancient sources for Greek, Mesopotamian and Norse myths, the collected narratives of more modern cultures. Secondary sources -- modern authors discussing these texts -- are important too, but primary sources are essential.
• Have you used your own interests and creativity to focus your topic? Are you asking yourself questions that lead to the next step in your research?
• Are you applying the principles of this class in your treatments of myths, or are you just repeating what you read in a book without really thinking how the whole thing works?In your writing, are you able to explain your ideas and argue your positions from a knowledge of the critical issues in your topic?
• Do you meet the technical criteria of length and format?