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Workshops The primary source of participation grades in this class is based on your physical presence in class and engagement in tasks designed to foster understanding and academic success. Guidelines for each workshop are listed below. Each workshop is worth up to 5 points; some will be performed in class, others will require work at home. |
Personal
Mythography
(weeks 1 and 2)
In his chapter, "All Myths are Stories" in Myth from the Ice Age to Mickey Mouse, Prof. Robert Brockaway notes the following:
As C. G. Jung showed us in his Memories Dreams Reflections, each of us has a personal myth, our story about ourselves, that which we tell ourselves about our life history and our place in time and space. This story is subjective and, in part, stems from subconscious and unconscious depths of psyche. It is not necessarily accurate. It is not at all objective. Instead, it is as we perceive and interpret it. (16)
To get us started, then, I would like each student in
the class to compose a short autobiography as if you were recounting a
myth about your origins, about your view of "life so far," or
of your life as you would like it to unfold. This composition will provide
me with a diagnostic tool (to see where your writing skills stand at this
point), introduce me to new students, and give you a chance to engage
in a small-scale form of mythography (the writing of myth).
The essay should be short (three paragraphs), double-spaced in a readable
font, include a narrative account that addresses the issues described
above (try to avoid Too Much Information syndrome), and makes use of your
current understanding of the language of myth.
While I want this effort to be enjoyable for us all, please avoid abject silliness. At some point we will read these essays aloud, so keep this in mind as you write. Submission of this workshop will earn the points (5), but it must be completed by the beginning of class week three to count.
Please include this information on your paper: Your name, your program, and your e-mail address.
Individual activity, completed outside of class.
Instructions: Choose an archetype and conduct research into its use and meaning. List as many examples of this archetype as you can think of, based on your own experience (stories, movies, games, etc.).
In addition, list the sources you consult in MLA citation style, to be submitted next week. You really need only two or three; check the Course Resources links and the material linked on the schedule to begin with. Remember that the Library has numerous resources on myth as well.
Finally, create a mask that “illustrates” your choice, using any materials you deem appropriate. Other than being big enough and sturdy enough for you to wear on your face next week, and good reasons for the way it looks, there are no restrictions or further guidelines. A good website on masks is available at http://42explore.com/mask.htm and another with basic ideas and instructions for mask making can be found at http://www.allspecies.org/edu/maskmaking.htm.
Please be able to provide reasons for your choice and design, however, and be able to discuss the various examples you listed prior to creating your mask. This exercise is designed to accomplish several objectives. Participating students will:
Conduct college-level research on a topic important to the study of myth.
This activity is connected to our scheduled discussion (week 7) on drama and mythography, and to the group theatrical performance. It should also help you to locate a focus for your final project, to be articulated in a formal proposal (with bibliography) by week 5.
Project development and preliminary bibliography (week 4)
See the project guidelines and research resources pages on this website.
Astronomy and Cosmology (Week 5)
Many preliterate cultures paid close attention to the heavens, using the moon, sun, planets, and constellations to help guide everything from marriages to crop plantings and harvesting.
Due to the human tendency to see patterns where they don’t necessarily exist (a phenomenon called “pareidolia”), many cultures assigned shapes to particular heavenly arrangements, and attached stories to these shapes. The Greeks, for example, often saw the figures of mythic heroes in particular star patterns, and these are reflected in Western notions of the Zodiac.
For this exercise, small groups (2-4) will view a Hubble Space Telescope photograph taken of a selected region of space and “locate” or “see” a convincing figure of a beast or other object. Using the tracing paper supplied, draw this figure on the printout of the photo, and tell a story about it.
The story must relate to a contemporary or recent historical event, and must not be just silly; it must both provide an account of the event (in the language of myth) and provide a reasonable explanation for the image your group has "seen."
When each group has finished, we will discuss the results in conjunction with our conversation about ancient astronomy, cosmology, and architecture. Representatives from each group will "connect the dots" on a PowerPoint slide of their image, and tell the story.
Just for fun, check out my AstroLinx page.
Performance Development workshop (Week 7)
See the resources linked for this week on the Schedule, performance guidelines, and the list of Bacchae links.
Writing Clinic (week 8)
See the style guide for writing papers, the research resources, and resource links.