For Next Week: Reading Questions for The Iliad, Books 1-3

NOTE: Remember that the Paper #1 assignment is two posts down (due next Friday!) 

Answer two of the following:

Q1: In Classical Mythology, Morales writes that “it was the gods’ interactions with each other, and with mortals, that gave the myths meaning. It was not important that the gods had moral authority; they did not. They were unfaithful, vengeful, petty, and mean, just as humans are” (43). How do we see this in the first three books? How does Homer show them not as “gods” but as extreme versions of humanity—even caricatures of humanity?

Q2: Examine Achilles’ confrontation with Agamemnon in Book I: how do we respond to him as a hero in this passage?  Does he meet Morales’ qualifications for the mythic hero: “Mythic heroes were—and are—outrageous and outstanding. They are phenomenal. They distil some collective ideal or fantasy” (55). How do we see this here? What makes him particularly “outrageous and outstanding”?

Q3: Though Achilles is often thought to be the embodiment of hubris (Morales, pg.44.), in what ways does Agamemnon also deserve this title?  How do we see the leader of the Greek armies display this quality, and how does it endanger the Greeks’ relationship with the gods?

Q4: Morales writes that “the aim of this book is to understand classical myths not as fossilized entities, but as living agents” (2). What makes Helen a “living” and exciting character even today when we see her in Book 3? Consider her words when she confronts Aphrodite and tells her, “It would be treason to share [Paris’] bed” (41). How could she still be a mythic character for women today, rather than just a ‘prize’ to be won by Paris or Menelaus?

Class Ideas from Week Three

We watched a short clip from the original Star Wars film, A New Hope (1977). You can watch the clip here: 

We also discused some of the tropes and themes in this clip: The Unlikely Hero, the Chosen One, The Mentor/Wizard, the Sidekick, the Evil Empire. His father wanted him to have the lightsaber, to become a Jedi; but he can’t get involved, it’s “such a long way away.” A simple farm kid who finds himself in the middle of a galactic struggle.

Here are some other themes and ideas that come out of our conversation and out of Chapters 3 & 4 in general:

MYTHIC HEROES

• Page 53: Why do some heroes become Myths—who undergoes an “apotheosis”? (54). What makes Luke or Harry Potter immortal?
• Page 55: Not whether he lived, or lived well, but that he was LARGER THAN LIFE
• Page 55: ZEITGEIST (The spirit of the age): myths represent the fantasies of the people, their importance to the present--not just an image of the past. 

 HEROES AS PROMETHEUS

• Page 44: HUBRIS—transgressing the Immortal Order, also, the fatal flaw that all heroes have. 
• Page 45: Is Myth a way to keep people in line? Did they really believe in it as scripture?
• Page 40: Gods were not moral, they were humans writ large...so not really a religion; more a way to interpret the past/present--which leads naturally to allegory (see below)
• Page 43: The Gods’ favor was enjoyed in this life, not the next: life after was pretty much assured...so why might this life matter more?

MYTH OR ALLEGORY?

• Page 56: Mythoi and Logoi: often, that which is logoi (factual) doesn’t inspire us—we want logoi that sounds like mythoi (stories, tales, lies); movies “based on a true story”
• Page 57: The myth of myth being “savage”: that myth was a primitive way of thinking that led to logic and philosophy 
• Page 62: Allegory saved myth—but the danger of allegory? Can it explain too much away? 
• Page 66: Important passage--allegory gives the reader control of the material; we are not beholden to the path or to an author. We get to choose how to read and how to adapt it to our own lives.

 

Paper #1: Myths of the Future, due Feb.5th

NOTE: Blog Response #1 video is in the post BELOW this one...

“Heroes were heroes because they captured the Zeitgeist and embodied the fantasies of the people. The heroes of classical mythology were figures from the past. But what made them heroes, their mythism, if you like, always came from their importance to the present” (Morales 55).

INTRO: Similar to your Blog Response #1 post, I want you to look for the ‘mythology’ in the modern world—and more specifically, in the dominant forms of literature that can still create myth. So where are the myths of today be created? What “lore” is being collected and what “fantasies” are being acted out by modern participants? How are old heroes transforming into new protagonists, and past fantasies becoming allegorically renewed? And what “ideology” might emerge from our streaming shows and podcasts?

PROMPT: For your First Paper, I want you to answer the question, what work of art do you think has a good chance to become a myth in the next hundred years? In other words, how can you see a relatively modern film, book, show, podcast, album, etc., becoming the basis for an extensive lore and an allegorical interpretation of its characters, stories, and symbols? Think about what works today have already inspired retellings and adaptations of their original material in memes, jokes, copycats, and parodies. What works have added words to our language or characters to our stock of leading men and women? Remember that these myths don’t have to be about the ‘future’ or the ‘past,’ but should be “important to the present,” and capture something of the “zeitgeist” of our age, even if, ultimately, this work owes a lot to its fictional forbearers. 

SOURCES: Use Morales’ Classical Mythology to help you discuss this topic. Use passages as a framework to analyze and discuss your work in question. And be specific: discuss a specific character, passage, scene, episode, or lyric to help us ‘see’ the mythological aspects in question. Remember that any story can become a myth if enough people care about it, so you can’t go wrong here; the trick is to convince us the process of “apotheosis” (page 54) is already in effect. Where do we see this work being repackaged and repurposed for the ages? And how aware do you think the author and/or creators are of making a modern myth? Is it by purpose—or totally by accident?

REQUIREMENTS:

• 3-4 pages, double spaced at least (you can do more!)
• Focuses on ONE work (not a series of works, or a type of works—don’t do science fiction or superheroes in general)
• Uses passages from Morales’ Classical Mythology as a primary source; you must QUOTE and apply these passages to your work (don’t just say: “Morales says a lot of cool things about myth that totally apply to Star Wars!”).
• Due Friday, February 5^th @ 5pm by e-mail or in the box on my door (HM 348)

Blog Response #1: Chapters 3-4 from Classical Mythology

 Watch the video below which is a mini-lecture on Chapters 3-4 from Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction. Then respond to the question below as a COMMENT. If you have any trouble posting, try to make a blogspot account (which is free), or you can even e-mail me your response. ALSO: I'll post the Paper #1 assignment this weekend, so keep an eye out! 

Summary of Tuesday's Class (Week Two)

Just to help jog people's memories, and to provide some raw material for future papers and assignments, here are some of the ideas we discussed in class on Tuesday:

We discussed some of the manifestations of a "myth": a myth is a PROCESS and not a thing. It is continually evolving and being added to, revised and resurrected. It never dies or stays put.

A myth is always a lore (collection of stories), and ideology (a way of reading these stories), and functions as pleasure (a vicarious way of living the myth and processing it in our daily lives--or in our fantasies). 

Any story can become a myth, but not all stories are myths; a myth has to be a COLLECTIVE recollection--something shared by an entire culture and told in one of the dominant modes of storytelling. Stories told in forms that are not in the mainstream rarely become myths. However, stories we find in podcasts, in a Netflix series, or a Broadway show, have a better chance of entering the collective psyche today. 

Myths are also heterogenous, not homogenous; there is not one story but many. A myth is often revised. We saw this with the story of Europa. There were many ways to interpret it, and it is used in many ways--often symbolically, rather than by focusing on the narrative. 

With a modern myth like Star Wars, there can't be just one story or one movie that is the 'real' one. If it's a real myth, it must be told and re-told, and revised, and adapted in different contexts. However, there are always a group of fans who object, who want the lore to remain the same. But a real myth must undergo a metamorphosis. 

As the book states, we also need to look at WHO is telling the myth and WHY they're telling it this way. Myth is often a form of propaganda for the tellers--it reflects who they are and where they're from. Also, myths are often read in context; a myth changes in a specific time and location.

For example, we looked at the movie Troy: it changed The Iliad to suit the needs and interests of a modern audience. It cast Brad Pitt as Achilles, who is not Greek and is an icon of American movies. That changes the meaning and context of the story. So does casting an African-American as Achilles, which has also been done. It doesn't make the story "wrong," but tells a different aspect of the story.

A story has a Beginning, Middle, and an End. A myth can focus on all, or two, or one. Many myths start in the Middle, or just tell the End. As we'll see with Homer, the poems never tell the entire myth--just a single part. 

For Next Week: Read Morales, Classical Mythology, Introduction & Chapters 1-2, and Questions Below

For next week's class, be sure to read Chapters 1-2 of Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction, and answer TWO of the questions below for class. Answer each question with a few sentences or a short paragraph each. I'm more interested in how you answer these questions than in what you say. So for example, don't give me a simple yes/no answer, and don't try to figure out what the 'right' answer is. These are designed to get you thinking 'inside' the book rather than simply skimming over it. Bring these questions to class with you next week, since you'll turn them in after class. 

Q1: What does it mean to read a myth as an "emblem, rather than narrative" (9)? Why do some people appropriate myths more for what they embody or represent, rather than the actual stories they tell? Can you think of examples in our own culture where we do that?

Q2: Morales writes that "classical myth is often talked about as if it were a homogenous and static category. Instead, as we have seen, the ideological impact of myths changed within the classical world" (14). Why is it crucial for myths to change and become heterogenous throughout time? Why might that make them "myths"?

Q3: Discussing the frescoes in Pompeii in Chapter 2, Morales suggests that "The house makes you work hard at reading the myths and how they interrelate" (21). Why might context also change how we read a myth? Why is where a myth is located as important as what it is?

Q4: Why is the image of Prometheus in Rockerfeller Center (nicknamed "Leaping Louie") so controversial? Why did people criticize it by saying, "Pardon me, but is that meant to be permanent?" (35). What rules did it seem to break about art or mythology? Is it a legitimate criticism? 

Welcome to the Course!

Welcome to the Spring 2021 version of World Literature to 1700, which this year is focusing exclusively on the works of Homer. No, not the donut-loving father from the Simpsons, but the much more obscure figure from the ancient past who is credited with writing two of the most influential epic poems in existence: The Iliad and The Odyssey. We'll spend this semester reading shortened versions of each work (but not too short!), as well as several critical works about mythology and the historical context of ancient Greece. Ideally, by diving deep into his works and world, you'll better understand where ancient texts come from, and how these works shape us as readers and citizens of the 21st century. 

There are three REQUIRED books for class: The Essential Homer, Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction, and Homer: A Very Short Introduction. The other two books are optional, though you will need one of them (or you can use a third text, which we'll discuss in class): Miller's Circe or Shanower's Age of Bronze. 

The syllabus is pasted below, though I'll give you a hard copy in class. Please let me know if you have any questions at jgrasso@ecok.edu. I can't wait to share these works and the ensuing discussions with you this semester! 

English 3913: World Literature to 1700, “The World of Homer”:

Spring 2021

Tuesday / Thursday, 12:30-1:45

Dr. Joshua Grasso / jgrasso@ecok.edu (X 430)

Office Hours: MWF 10-11 & 1-2; TR 12-12:30

Class Website: ecuworldlit.blogspot.com

From Morales’ Classical Mythology: “Classical mythology only happens when the stories become active agents: when people use them. As such, classical myth is not an object or series of objects to be known. Rather, it is a continual process of telling and retelling, of provoking and responding, of critiquing and revising. It is a process rather than an event. Or, to borrow Mary Beard’s formulation, we should think of it as a verb, and not a noun.”

Course Description: In this class, we’re going to read all the works of Homer (all two of them!) to try to understand why these books are so firmly lodged in the human imagination. Why do people keep reading and “using” these books to explain the past and to make sense of the present? What characters and metaphors have they bequeathed to the world, and why do they remain modern even after the passage of two or more centuries? As Morales suggests above, Homer isn’t a thing but a process, and reading Homer is a verb—we do things with Homer, and it does things to us. Or in the words of the poet Cavafy (who was borrowing from Homer), “Keep Ithaka always in your mind./Arriving there is what you’re destined for./But don’t hurry the journey at all.” (these lines will make more sense after you’ve read The Odyssey!).

Required Texts:

• The Essential Homer, translated by Stanley Lombardo
• Graziosi, Homer: A Very Short Introduction
• Morales, Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction
• (choose ONE): Miller, Circe or Shanower, Age of Bronze

Required Work:

• In-Class Participation: see below
• Response Questions: 20 pts.
• Blog Responses: 20 pts.
• Papers 1-3: 45 pts. (15 pts. each) 
• Final Paper: 15 pts.

In-Class Participation: Since we only meet once a week, coming to class is very important; this is our one chance to make difficult works ‘speak’ and to have wide-ranging discussions about the material. You are required to come to each class unless you are sick, have a verified case of COVID, or other concern (feel free to contact me). If you miss more than TWO classes for any unexcused reason, you’ll lose -10 pts. from your final grade (a letter grade, basically). So please keep me informed if things come up, and don’t hesitate to miss class if you’re sick or have a similar emergency.

REMEMBER: always bring a mask, your book, and an open mind! Leave your laptop and work for other classes at home…you won’t get participation points if you surf the web or do other work where I can see it. Don’t waste the opportunity to enrich the class with your insights or be enriched by someone else’s.

Response & Blog Questions: Whenever we have a reading, I will alternate from response questions due the next day in class, and Blog Responses, where I will post a short video based on the reading, requiring you to post a response ‘comment’ on the blog. These are designed not as busy work, but to get you actively reading the material, and thinking about connections beyond the plot. Each is worth 20 pts. for the semester, and you will get full points so long as you miss no more than ONE response. After that, you lose -5 pts per missed response. So be careful!

Papers 1-3: These are generally short, focused assignments that respond to a single text, but will ask you to make connections beyond each text. Paper #1 responds to Classical Mythology; Paper #2 responds to The Iliad; and Paper #3 responds to The Odyssey. You can revise each paper for a higher grade based on my comments.

Final Paper: This is a slightly more intricate assignment which will use an outside text, either Miller’s Circe or Shanower’s Age of Bronze. Be sure to read one of these books throughout the semester so you’ll be ready to write this paper as your ‘final.’ Hint: Circe is a loose re-telling of The Odyssey, and Age of Bronze is a kind of prequel to The Iliad, so you might read whichever book coincides to the poem you most prefer.

Late Work Policy: One day late = -10 pts. Two days late = -20 pts. Zero after that.

THE FINE PRINT

1.       You must buy all the books for the course. Trying to use on-line summaries will doom you to vague, uninformed responses. If the goal of any class is to become more engaged with the material, reading the books is essential. Read and enjoy the material. :)

2.       If you miss class, check the blog to see if there are any new assignments or material. You can also e-mail me if the blog hasn’t been updated to be sure.

3.       When you e-mail work to me, check the attachments carefully. If I can’t open it (or it’s simply not attached) it doesn’t count. I will contact you if this happens, but the clock is ticking...if you turn in an e-mail without an attachment at 4:59 and the paper is due at 5, it might be late!

4.       If you have any kind of emergency, please contact me as soon as possible. If I know you’re going through something difficult, I can work with you and help you get the work. If you only tell me weeks or months later, it’s too late.

5.       The COVID situation can change our class dynamic at any time. If you’re confused by what’s going on or feel you can’t complete the work, etc., please contact me first. Let’s talk through it to make sure it’s not as bad (or as hard) as you think. I’m always available by e-mail and will respond within an hour or two at most (unless you e-mail me at one o’clock in the morning!).

6.       Academic Integrity link: https://www.ecok.edu/sites/default/files/siteContent/administration/academic-affairs/documents/AcademicIntegrityPolicy.pdf

ADA Statement: East Central University is committed to providing equal access to University programs and services for all students. Under university policy and federal and state laws, students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations. If any member of the class has a documented disability requiring academic accommodations, he or she should report to the Office of Disability Services.  A student seeking reasonable accommodations originating from a documented disability must register with the Office of Disability Services so that said accommodations may be provided. Contact the Academic Affairs Office if any assistance is needed in this process.

72-Hour Transition Statement: Should on-campus instruction be suspended for any reason, ECU’s face-to-face and blended courses will transition to online/virtual delivery within 72 hours.  Online courses will continue as scheduled.

Tentative Course Schedule:

 

WEEK ONE (Jan.11-15)

Discussion: Introduction to the Course

Reading Homework: Morales, Classical Mythology, Chapters 1-2

Writing Homework: Responses for Chapters 1-2

 

WEEK TWO (18-22)

Discussion: Morales, Chapters 1-2

Reading Homework: Morales, Chapters 3-4

Writing Homework: Blog Response #1

 

WEEK THREE (25-29)

Discussion: Morales, Chapters 3-4

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 1-3

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 1-3

 

WEEK FOUR (Feb.2-5) Paper #1 due Thursday @ 5pm!

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 1-3

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 6,9,12

Writing Homework: Blog Response #2

 

WEEK FIVE (8-12)

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 6,9,12

Reading Homework: Graziosi, Homer, Chapters 1-4

Writing Homework: Responses for Chapters 1-4

 

WEEK SIX (15-19)

Discussion: Homer, Chapters 1-4

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 16,18,19

Writing Homework: Blog Response #3

 

WEEK SEVEN (22-26)

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 16,18,19

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 22,23,24

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 22,23,24

 

WEEK EIGHT (Mar.2-5)

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 22,23,24

Reading Homework: Graziosi, Homer, Chapters 5-7

Writing Homework: Blog Response #4

 

WEEK NINE (8-12) Paper #2 due Thursday @ 5pm

Discussion: Homer, Chapters 5-7

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 1,4-6,8

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 1,4-6,8

 

WEEK TEN (15-19): SPRING BREAK

 

WEEK ELEVEN (22-26)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 1,4-6,8

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 9-11

Writing Homework: Blog Response #5

 

WEEK TWELVE (29-Apr.2)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 9-11

Reading Homework: Classical Mythology, Chapters 5-6

Writing Homework: Responses for Chapters 5-6

 

WEEK THIRTEEN (5-9)

Discussion: Classical Mythology, Chapters 5-6

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 12-18

Writing Homework: Blog Response #6

 

WEEK FOURTEEN (12-16) Paper #3 due Thursday @ 5pm!

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 12-18

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 19, 22

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 19, 22

 

WEEK FIFTEEN (19-23)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 19, 22

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 23-24 & Homer, Chapters 8-10

Writing Homework: Blog Response #7

 

WEEK SIXTEEN (26-30)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 23-24 & Homer, Chapters 8-10

Reading Homework: None!

Writing Homework: Work on Final Paper!

 

Final Paper due Thursday, May 6^th @ 5pm!