Unit 2 Myths and Legends
Section I: Preparation
• Brainstorming
• Focus: Greek myths
Section II: (questions based)
• In-Class Reading
• After-Class Reading
Section III:
• Part III: E1: vocabulary
• Part IV: Translation
Preparation: brainstorming
Brainstorming “myths”: (vocabulary)
• Myth Mythology Legend (legendary)
• Folktale fable fairytale allegory Epic (Homer)
Brainstorming your myths or legends (chatting time)
Brainstorming “world myths”
• Biblical stories
• Greek pantheon
• American legends
• Indian myths
• Chinese Fables
• …
Preparation:
Focus on Greek myths / Tragedies
• Icarus
• Medea (Euripides)
• Prometheus Bound (Aeschylus)
Icarus
• The story: listen; read
• Reflection on the story:
be critical or not
hints:
---on generation gap
---on free will
(to breath through or to obey conventions?)
---Tragedy means…
---metaphorically for early “flying” dreams
---if I were Icarus
---…
• Recommend: to read more about Icarus; to see the movie
Icarus (2010) and see how truly the spirit of Icarus was
reflected in it;
Medea (Euripides)
•
•
•
The story: read; see
Reflection on the story: be critical or not
hints:
---to justify / to condemn Medea’s slaying her sons
---to justify / to condemn Medea’s betrayal of her father and people
---on free will
---Tragedy means…
---A comparison between Medea and …
---if I were Medea
---…
Recommend:
to read more about GK tragedy. Esp.:
 Oedipus the King—Sophocles
 Medea---Euripides
 Prometheus Bound ---Aeschylus
Prometheus Bound (Aeschylus)
• The story: read; song
• Reflection on the story: be critical or not
hints:
---who’s right: Zeus or Prometheus?
---on free will
---if I were Prometheus
---Tragedy means…
• Recommend:
to read more about Prometheus
 Prometheus the Fire Giver
 Prometheus Bound
 Prometheus Unbound
Reading
• In-Class Reading
Why the Tortoise’s Shell
Is Not Smooth
• After-Class Reading
I: Beauty and the Beast
II: The Monkey King
ICR: Why the Tortoise’s Shell Is Not Smooth
The author (Chinua Achebe: a Nigerian novelist)
Students’ questions:
My questions:
 What does the tortoise symbolize? (those who…)
 What does the broken shell symbolize?
 Why did the bird fall into his trap anyway?
(turning point in Para. 6)
 What is the moral of this fable / folk story?
Language: learn the new words in your way
Exercise: vocabulary & translation
ACR: I: Beauty and the Beast
• Movie episode: Beauty and Beast
• Students’ questions: 会计 国贸
• more fairy tales: a recommendation on reading and
movies
(The Princess and the Frog / Shrek / (Ugly Betty )/ Any
Chinese versions of “ugly” beauty? )
• （optional）Criticizing the tale:
--If you were Beauty / the beast…
--Do you think that’s true love?
…
• Language: Some new words ---- E2, P75
ACR: II: The Monkey King
• translation: A Journey to the West / Monkey
• Students’ questions：会计 国贸
• Be critical: At who’s side are you?
(heaven’s / monkey’s )
• Language: E2 P88
A suggestion: You might have
obtained a lot of favorable topic
for writing from the above
discussions.
Part III
E1， P89-91
(optional); E5: translation
Part IV
Translation
To probe into the
examples on your own.