Eliade; PostModern Mythic Story; Grendel Socratic Seminar/Workshop

Period 1: Please get into your groups of 4 from last class and share details about the Mircea Eliade essay on myth. Take 10-15 minutes to share your summaries. You should have a basic understanding of Eliade's points. We will be using some of Eliade's theories in our next examination of myths/legends. Please see homework below for more Eliade's theories.

REQUIRED STORY PROJECT:

1. Scour and flip through the collection of myths in Mythic Voices. Pick a myth outside of cultural Greece. You may feel free to do other portfolio pieces with the stories you have read: Cupid & Psyche, Theseus, The Golden Fleece, Perseus, Hercules, etc. [you will find Cupid (Eros) & Psyche, Hercules & the Hydra, Demeter & Persephone, Theseus, the Trojan War, Odysseus, and even Gilgamesh in the mythic voices collection. Do not pick these myths for this assignment, please.]

2. Choose a myth from the collection. Do not pick a myth you are familiar with. Read the myth. As you read, consider how you might update or alter the story. Take notes, create a mind-map, or outline ideas. Consider how many scenes you might need to write to tell the story (what might those scenes be?--use index cards to arrange scenes, etc.)

3. Feel free to use Northrop Frye or Joseph Campbell's theories to outline/construct your plot.

4. Use Jungian archetypes for characters (ego types): the trickster, shadows, the caregiver, the rebel, etc. Look at the 12 common archetypes here. You may also use Northrop Frye's or Joseph Campbell's archetypes. Feel free to combine, change, remove, or extend the characters in the original myth.

5. Like the novel Grendel, retell or update or recreate the original myth in some creative way. Use post modern/contemporary writing techniques such as multiple perspective, poetic prose, metafiction, or stream of consciousness.

6. Write a draft. This will be a requirement for your 2nd marking period portfolio. The project is not due until January. You may workshop a draft next week.

Finally, before we move downstairs, please sign up for one of the research groups (see sign up sheet going around). You will team up to examine a creation myth, a hero myth, and major gods/goddesses & heroes from the cultural tradition. Next class, after you complete your research, you will create a brief Prezi presentation with your group member(s). See homework for more details.

  • Egypt
  • Norse
  • Celtic
  • India (Hindu)
  • Africa (Ashanti, or Bantu)
  • North American Indian (Navajo, Crow, Zuni, or Haida)
  • Central American (Toltec/Aztec)
  • Australia (Aborigine, Dreamtime)

CLASSROOM: Socratic Seminar on Grendel. Then a workshop for your analytical essays on Star Wars. With time remaining, please begin your homework assignments.

HOMEWORK: Please complete the following tasks:

1. watch the following video (12.5 minutes). Complete the graphic organizer and turn in your notes next class. Monday you do not have this class. We will meet again Wednesday, Dec. 7.
2. Research your chosen cultural mythology subject. Research the following:
A. find a creation myth from your culture. Read it, be familiar with how the world according to this tradition was founded. Use Eliade's classification of creation myths to help you identify the type.
B. Research the major Gods/Goddesses of the mythic tradition.
C. Research the heroes/legends central to this mythic tradition. Choose a major hero/legend from that tradition and read about his/her story. Gather information and notes so that next class you may progress with the creation of your group's Prezi. Details will follow.
3. Feel free to continue drafts for your portfolio (including updating and completing your second draft of your workshopped Star Wars analytical essay).
4. Finally, if you haven't finished reading Grendel and would like to finish it, please do so. Please bring your Grendel and Mythic Voices books with you to next class.

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