Classical Mythology: Philosophy 1021
Course Syllabus
Parthenon, Athena's Temple; Athens today
Instructor: Dr. Eve A. Browning
307 A. B. Anderson Hall
www.d.umn.edu/~ebrownin
ebrownin@umn.edu
Course description : A rich and beautiful tradition of sacred stories concerning goddesses, gods, heroes, benign and monstrous magic, miracles, and the supernatural is part of our classical heritage. This course conveys the myths of ancient Greece and Rome against the background of cultural and religious practices which gave them life and meaning. Students are guaranteed an unforgettable journey through the ‘bright land' of classical mythology.
Texts: (required; in UMD bookstore or purchase independently)
The Essential Homer tr. Stanley Lombardo. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishers, 2000
Ovid, Metamorphoses tr. Charles Martin. New York: W.W. Norton, 2004
Course Requirements:
1. Consistent attendance and preparedness are expected of all students and constitute 25% of the course grade. Preparation will be demonstrated (and evaluated) through short quizzes, in–class writing exercises, and discussions. For absence policy, see the Policies page of this syllabus.
2. Exams will be given in weeks 5, 10, and 15 of the semester. Take-home final exam to be distributed in the last week of classes and due on or before the scheduled final exam end-time. Exam grades averaged will constitute 50% of course grade.
3. A creative project will constitute the final 25% of the course grade. Here the student will choose some idea, story, character, or theme from the classical myth tradition and give it an imaginative treatment in the form of a short work of fiction. More information on the creative project will be distributed and discussed in the third week of the semester. Projects are due on the last day of class.
Topic and Reading Schedule:
Week 1: Virgo
Introduction to myth and myth's relationship to ancient religion. Creation stories of the ancient Mediterranean; learn about the ancient Greek creation story and be prepared to compare with any other creation story you know.
Read: Essential Homer (EH) pp.1-51
Week 2: Libra
The Homeric hero: conflicts of honor and courage. Was there a Trojan War? See this scholar's discussion of the question and be prepared to assess the evidence on a quiz this week.
Read: EH pp.52-106
Week 3: Scorpio
Gods and goddesses at war. Choose one or more divinities from this site and describe their physical appearance and material objects with which they are associated, in a 250-word essay due this week.
Read: EH pp.107-153
Week 4: Sagittarius
What is human nature? “TROY”, the movie; see reviews of "Troy" and decide for yourself whether this type of film is worth viewing. Review essay due this week.
Read: EH 153-204
Week 5: Capricorn
The “wrath of Achilles”: resolved? See this page for art and information related to the end of the Trojan War and be prepared for a
Read: EH 205-240
Exam #1 this week
Week 6: Aquarius
The “wine-dark sea”: Odysseus' journey See map of Odysseus' journey home and consider how plausible this largely conjectural itinerary seems to be.
Read: EH 241-284
Week 7: Pisces
See Odysseus as Hero and write a short character sketch of Odysseus comparing him as hero to other heroes we have met.
Temptations and threats to the traveler
Read: EH 284-331
Week 8: Aries
“I am Odysseus”: self-knowledge and the hero's quest See Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy article on Self-Knowledge and be prepared to discuss one important type of self-knowledge on a quiz this week
Read: EH 332-388
Week 9: Taurus
“You can't go home again”: T/F? Bring in the lyrics to one favorite song about home.
Read: EH 388-422
Week 10: Gemini
“Journeys end in lovers meeting” Is Odysseus' homecoming sweet or bitter?
Read: EH 423-482
Exam #2 this week
Week 11: Cancer
Overview and review: what have we learned? Explore Roman religious festival calendarand write one up in the form of a 250-word participant's journal.
Film and critique.
Week 12: Leo
Introduction to Roman myth and religion.
Read: Ovid Metamorphoses 1-5
Week 13: Rome and its reach in the ancient world:this interactive map of the Roman empire will let you go exploring. Find a province and be a tourist, keep a journal of one day's travels. Due in class this week.
Love, sex, and violence
Read: Ovid, Metamorphoses 6-10
Week 14: When emperors become gods, what happens? How many emperors & family members were deified?
See also this interesting little story for a biography of your instructor's favorite bad-boy Roman emperor.
Myth meets History
Read: Ovid, Metamorphoses 11-15
Week 15:
Bird's-eye view of the post-history of classical myth.
No additional reading. Exam #3 this week . Take-home final exam distributed last day of the week, due at end of scheduled final exam period at the latest. Projects due
See below for COURSE POLICIES
Professor Browning's Course Policies
• Academic integrity is an expectation of all students and faculty at UMD. See UMD Policy on Academic Integrity for a statement on academic integrity and definitions of key terms. Violations of academic integrity will be handled according to the procedures outlined at this site.
• Students must arrive on time and remain until the conclusion of the class.
• Absences with their consequent lacunae are the student's own responsibility.
• A missed exam is a failed exam. Exceptions are university-excused absences with prior notice; see the UMD Absence Policy.
• Late course projects are accepted with a grade reduction of one letter grade per calendar day.
• All work submitted for course credit (except for in-class essays and quizzes) must be typed and spell-checked, printed legibly on good quality paper, with student's last name and first name clearly printed at the top of each page, with multiple sheets stapled.
• Courtesy to other students is an expectation of class membership. This entails refraining from extraneous noise-making, staying awake and in a reasonably upright posture, and keeping electronic devices other than laptops turned off.
• Questions are welcome at any time, and along with their answers are generally of benefit to all members of the class. Please do ask that question!
