LLT 121.999 Classical Mythology Fall, 09 11:00 am TTH; 222 Siceluff Hall
Instructor: J. A. Johnson Office: 105 Siceluff
Office Hours: 7:45-9:15, 12:15-1:15 TTH
Office Phone: 836-5122
and by appointment
E-mail:
JulieJohnson@missouristate.edu
Electronic Contact – Email checked daily am & pm
Course Page:
http://courses.missouristate.edu/JulieJohnson/ - Click on link to
correct section.
Texts: Ovid, Metamorphoses, translated by Rolfe Humphries (Indiana U. Press)
Homer, Odyssey, translated by W.H.D. Rouse (Signet Classic)
Plus various handouts
Online Texts: Euripides, Medea at
http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/euripides/medea.htm
Euripides, Hippolytus at
http://classics.mit.edu/Euripides/hippolytus.html
Films: Midsummer Night’s Dream, Medea, Phaedra,
(perhaps, Black Orpheus)
Schedule | Online Text of Ovid's Metamorphoses |
Syllabus | Online Text of Homer's Odyssey |
Test Study Guide |
Date
Class
Reading Assignments
Wk 1
Greetings & Overview Greek
Myth
Ovid – pp 3-27
(Aug 25/27) Ovid & Homer; Cosmogonies
(Creation – Jove & Io)
Wk 2
Man vs. Gods – nature of the beast
Ovid – pp 28-54
(Sep 1/3)
Theories of Myth – as primitive science
(Phaethon – Goddess Envy)
Wk 3
Theories of Myth – religious explanations
Ovid – pp 54-80
(Sep 8/10) Ovid
- Week 3 Ovid
- Week 3b
(Europa – Pentheus & Bacchus)
Wk 4
Test 1 – 17th Ovid
- Week 4
Ovid – pp 81-100
(Sep 15/17)
Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Daughters of Minyas – End of Cadmus)
Wk 5
Heroes! Ovid
- Week 5
Ovid – pp 100-133
(Sep 22/24) Clash of the
Titans Graeae,
Fates, and other sisters
(Perseus – Minerva’s tales)
Wk 6
Moral Compasses – cultural values/gender roles
Ovid – pp 133 - 152
(Sep 29/Oct 1) Ovid
- Week 6 Structure
of Tragedy Greek
Theater
(Niobe – Tereus, Procne, Philomela)
Wk 7
Legends and Heroes Ovid
- Week 7
Ovid – pp 153 - 167
(Oct 6/8)
Film: Medea
(Jason & Medea)
Themes of play: Greek vs Barbarian; Women vs Men; Love vs Hate
Euripides' Medea
µέτρον άριστον
Wk 8
Mythic dysfunctional families Ovid
- Week 8
Ovid – pp 167 -- 200
(Oct 13)
Test 2 – 13th
(War with Crete – Brand of Meleager)
------------------------------Fall
Holiday----------------------------------------
Wk 9
Film: Phaedra Ovid
- Week 9 Ovid - Week 9b
Ovid – pp 200-204, 209-219
(Oct 20/22) Theseus
(Baucis & Philemon, Hercules)
Themes: Women vs Men; Greek vs Barbarian; Love vs Hate; god vs god
Euripides'
Hippolytus
Wk 10
Ovid
- Week 10 Ovid – pp 234 – 261
(Oct 27/29)
Adaptation of myth
(Orpheus & Eurydice – death of Orpheus)
[ October 28th - Deadline for Withdrawal with
automatic ‘W’.]
Wk 11
Trojan War background More
War
Odyssey, Books 1-4
(Nov 3/5)
Essays Due – 3rd
Penelope's Song - YouTube
Wk 12
Odysseus appears at last!
Odyssey, Books 5-8
(Nov 10/12)
Test 3 – 12th
Arrival on Calypso's island
- YouTube Calypso
Aeolus
Wk 13
Sagas & Songs: Faraway Places with strange-sounding names…
Odyssey, Books 9-12
(Nov 17/19)
Odysseus leaves Calypso's island
Odyssey (Part I)
The Sirens
Wk 14
Home at last! (cf. homecoming vets)
Odyssey, Books 13-16
(Nov 24th)
Arrival
on Ithaca
---------------------------------Thanksgiving----------------
Wk 15
Values of Home and values of travel
Odyssey, Books 17-20
(Dec 1/3)
thaca - YouTube, by
Cavafy (Second version:
Ithaca)
Odysseus' First Interview with Penelope
Wk 16
What now? (cf. Tennyson & Brooke)
Odyssey, Books 21-24
(Dec 8/10)
Test 4 – 10th
Final – Thursday, 11:00 am, Dec 17
Course: LLT 121 fulfills 3 hours of General Education
requirements under the area of inquiry "Self-Understanding, Humanities
Perspective". As such, it aims at the General Education Goals under both Part
One: Intellectual Abilities and Dispositions and Part Two, B. Understanding
Culture and Society. The details of these goals are laid out at the following
web site and factor into the specific sectional course objectives:
http://www.missouristate.edu/GeneralEducation/Faculty_Senate_Approved_GenEd.htm
. As an honors section, this class will provide enhanced opportunities to engage
primary source material and to enjoy “hands-on” class activities.
LLT 121 also connects to the MSU Public Affairs mission by addressing two of the
main themes of Public Affairs: (1) Ethical Leadership (in the study of ancient
heroes) and (2) Cultural Competency (in understanding ancient European societies
and their concerns and the values they contributed to western civilization).
LLT 121 is an introduction to the principal tales of ancient Greece,
particularly those which form the mythic heritage of Greece and Rome and which
now serve as the common tradition and cultural legacy of the west and, in
particular, as the store of symbols and icons from which we draw in expressing
values and communicating interests.
Specific Course Objectives:
•
Acquire familiarity with basic Greek and Roman myths as shown in ability to
speak and write about them and to recognize references to them in art,
literature, and music (what the myths are and their occurrence in any context)
•
Acquire understanding of the sources and cultural functions of these tales in
their original contexts as shown by an ability to recognize and interpret
ancient
uses of myth (how and why we have them) with special attention to the human
values expressed by these myths and to the leadership qualities accorded to
mythic heroes
•
Acquire appreciation of the ongoing power of ancient myth and its use in
contemporary times, as shown by the recognition of the various uses of myths in
today’s culture (how they still appeal)
•
Acquire appreciation for the ancient poetic sources of myth through assimilation
of primary sources as shown by a familiarity with Ovid’s, Euripides’, and
Homer’s works (why generations of men and women have dug them)
Class: Class time will be spent in a combination of lecture,
discussion, and films. You are responsible for reading and pondering assigned
material in advance of the class in which it will be covered, for attending
promptly and cheerfully, and for chewing over the material in class with gusto
and thoughtfulness. To prime our conversational pumps, you should always come to
class with at least one question prepared in writing prompted by that week’s
reading assignment. [These may be collected on occasion, so make them good.]
Testing: There will be 4 tests and a final exam during the
term. The tests will total 100 points (25 points each), the final exam, 25
points. All exams will cover the information from our primary sources (who,
what, where, and when of myth), class handouts, lectures, graphic
representations, discussions, activities, and whatever else is pertinent. Study
guides for all tests and for the final will be available by link to the online
course page.
Essay: There will be one 3-5 page essay, hard copy due in class
on November 3rd. (Please note, I do not accept electronic transmission unless
approved by me in advance.) You may choose any one of the following five options
on which to write. You many use no sources beyond the primary texts and your own
ruminations.
Topics:
1. Ovid’s relevance to Modern Love
2. Euripides’ relevance to Modern Women
3. Ovid’s relevance to Modern Marriage
4. Ovid’s relevance to Modern Values
5. Topic of your own devising approved in advance by your instructor
Participation: Participation will be assessed based on faithful
attendance and lively engagement as shown by discussion, raising questions,
comments, and general sharing in the work of the class. This is your class, and
its level of interest depends upon the contributions of each and every students.
Excessive absences will certainly impair your ability to perform on tests. If
you should miss class, it is your responsibility alone to acquire notes and
information from other students. (Do feel free, however, to e-mail me at any
time with questions about the material or about assignments.) If you wish to
present, individually or in a group, on one of the readings of the class, please
do volunteer.
Notate Bene: There will be no make-ups on tests without my
permission prior to the day in question. Medical absences should be verified by
a physician’s note. However, in the case of a natural disaster (e.g., blizzard,
ice storm, flood, and plague of locusts) we shall adjust the schedule as
appropriate. Risk neither life nor limbs. In the event of inclement weather, if
you suspect the roads are impassible, you should check the course page to see
whether class has been cancelled or call Mrs. Burlison, MCL Executive Secretary,
at 836-5122.
There will be absolutely no fudging on the official date and time of the final
exam (Thursday, December 17th). Do not ask. A necessary (but not sufficient)
requirement for any change of an individual’s final schedule is the written
permission of that student’s college dean.
Grading: At the end of term, the point total for the tests and
final will be added (along with any possible bonus points) and a grade will be
assigned on the basis of the percentage achieved out of the total possible
points according to the following scale: 100-90% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C;
60-69% = D; 0-59% = F.
The approximate percentage breakdown of the course work is as follows:
4 tests = 100 points or 57 %
Essay = 25 points or 14.3%
Participation = 25 points or 14.3 %
Final = 25 points or 14.3 % Total: 175 points
Procedures for Grade Inquiries: If you have any questions about
test, written work, or final course grading, please see me first. If you have
further questions, I shall refer you to Professor Madeleine Kernen, Department
Head, Modern & Classical Languages.
Some of you (e.g., athletes, pledges, scholarship recipients, etc.) may require
regular feedback on your grade. If so, please apprise me early in the term and
check with me often. If you wish a ‘snapshot’ estimate of your grade at any
time, just email your request.
Courtesies: Late arrivals to and early departures from class
are both rude and disruptive. Inclement weather aside, such comings and goings
will not be tolerated. If special circumstances pertain (e.g., a 9:30 or 12.45
in the Professional Building), please let me know at the start of term.
Integrity: I presume at the outset that everyone is of the
highest moral character and probity. However, in a case of suspected cheating or
plagiarism (‘Plagiarism’ means the theft of intellectual property, stealing the
ideas or words of another and passing them off as one’s own.), I shall return
the exam without a grade, and the student must see me immediately. If good faith
has been restored, a grade will be given. In the case of unquestioned
dishonesty, the test or written material will be given an automatic zero; and
the student must still see me immediately. In the latter instance, the student
will be counseled to drop the course and the Academic Integrity Council may be
notified.
Missouri State University is a community of scholars committed to developing
educated persons who accept the responsibility to practice personal and academic
integrity. You are responsible for knowing and following our student honor code,
Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures, available at
http://www.missouristate.edu/acadaff/AcademicIntegrity.html and also
available at the Reserves Desk in Meyer Library. Any student participating in
any form of academic dishonesty may be subject to sanctions as described in this
policy.
Accommodations: To request academic accommodations for a
disability, contact Katheryne Staeger-Wilson, Director, Disability Services,
Plaster Student Union, Suite 405, (417) 836-4192 or (417) 836-6792 (TTY),
http://www.missouristate.edu/disability. Students are required to
provide documentation of disability to Disability Services prior to receiving
accommodations. Disability Services refers some types of accommodation requests
to the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, which also provides diagnostic testing for
learning and psychological disabilities. For information about testing, contact
Dr. Steve Capps, Director, Learning Diagnostic Clinic, (417) 836-4787,
http://www.missouristate.edu/contrib/ldc .
Nondiscrimination: Missouri State is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure
available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against.
At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible
discrimination to Jana Estergard, Equal Opportunity Officer, 111 Park Central
Office Building (PCOB), telephone (417) 836-4252. Website:
http://www.missouristate.edu/equity/ . Other types of concerns (i.e.,
concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your
instructor and can also be brought to the attention of Professor Madeleine
Kernen, Head, Department of Modern & Classical Languages.
Emergency Response
Students who require assistance during an emergency evacuation must discuss
their needs with their professors and Disability Services. If you have emergency
medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in
case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon
as possible.
For additional information students should contact the Office of Disability
Services, 836-4192 (PSU 405), or Larry Combs, Interim Assistant Director of
Public Safety and Transportation at 836-6576.
For further information on Missouri State University’s Emergency Response Plan,
please refer to the following web site:
http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/erp.htm .
Dis Volentibus!
(With gods willing!)
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