HUM 115 – 100 – World Mythology - Syllabus
Professor Catlyn Keenan
303.678.3817
catlyn.keenan@frontrange.edu
Syllabus subject to change
Course Description
Introduces students to the mythologies of various cultures with a special emphasis on
Greece, Asia and North America. Common themes are illustrated and some artistic
reactions are used as examples.
One important aspect of studying religion is remembering to respect other
cultures. Many of the myths, legends, and ideologies may be foreign to many and it is
vital to keep an open mind. The material presented in this class is based on educated
scholarship and is not intended to encourage an ideology or religion. Intolerance will not
be tolerated.
Required Texts
Myth & Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology by Scott Leonard and Michael
McClure
Classical Myth by Barry B. Powell
CCCS Competencies View
 Demonstrate knowledge of mythological heritage: study how myths form, why
the form, and how they influence culture.
 Psychological implications: what do myths mean? How do they affect people?
 Historical contexts: Gain an understanding of the cultures out of which myths
arise.
 Demonstrate knowledge of mythological motifs and characters in fiction and art.
 Discuss ancient and modern mythology in daily living and thought.
Course Requirements:
1. Participation: this class is set up as a seminar and discussion will be a main
component. You are expected to contribute and be prepared. A total of 80 points
will be assigned for attendance, preparation and participation. Tardiness will
impact participation grade. An additional 20 points will be allocated for entries in
the Blackboard discussions. You must contribute a total of 12 entries to receive
full credit in response to either the questions I pose each week or in response to
another student’s post. Online Discussions: This gives students the opportunity to
discuss what they are learning with their peers. A topic will be posted each week
and students are required both to respond to the topic and to one another. Students
may ask questions in addition to commenting on the topic. This is a less formal
conversation and will involve topics that relate myth to modern life.
2. Assigned readings must be completed before class. If you don't read, your
participation grade will suffer. Short written responses will demonstrate close
reading of material, evidencing critical engagement with the information.
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3. Paper: There is one 5 page research paper due this semester. You may choose one
myth of your choice to focus your paper. Using the text, choose a methodology
(Jung, Freud, Eliade, Campbell, etc.) and analyze the myth using the methodology
you have chosen. Start by identifying all of the important symbolism and then,
using your method, analyze what those symbols might mean. Include as much
detail as possible and remember to adhere to the critical thinking standards of
depth, clarity, breadth, accuracy, fairness, precision, relevance and logic. (Each of
these intellectual standards is outlined in detail in the Writing Guidelines.)
a. You are expected to use at least three sources in addition to the
textbook(s). You may use articles, books, or internet sources as long as the
sources are of academic quality, peer reviewed and written by an author in
the field of mythology or religious studies. For specific guidelines – see
Attachment A.
b. In addition to the paper, you are expected to provide online written
responses, a Museum Visit report, and written responses on take –home
exams. This means that 66% of your grade is determined be critical
writing that you will have the opportunity to polish and perfect.
4. Exams: There are two take-home exams. 30% of the exam will be defining terms
and concepts. 40% of the exam will be a critical response to questions about the
study of myth, and 30% will be a critical analysis of the a myth or a comparison
of two or more myths. This means that 70% of the exams are writing responses
that should evidence polish (no spelling or grammatical errors) and critical
thinking. For a sample exam, see Attachment B.
Presentation Projects: You will be responsible for working in teams of two and
presenting on one of the assigned readings. In addition, you will need to research your
topic and bring additional information to class. Be prepared to hand in lecture notes or
“talking points” of your presentation. Presentation: Students will work in teams of two in
the formation of a 20 minute presentation on one of the topics listed in the syllabus (see
below). The presentation rubric is attached as Attachment C. As always, students will be
graded on the degree of critical thinking evidenced in their presentation.
5. You will select topic during the second week of class.
a. Be creative in your presentations! Consider using PowerPoint for images
that illustrate your topic. Search YouTube for videos. Bring in an
additional myth to examine. Ask provocative questions for discussion.
b. See the Presentation Rubric for additional information.
Museum Visit: We will visit the Denver Art Museum during the term. More information
will be forthcoming. In the meantime, check out their website:
www.denverartmuseum.org. This assignment is designed to expose students to mythic
representations – students are asked to identify at least three motifs, myths, or metaphors
contained in the art and discuss how those themes are depicted visually. Museum Visit:
Myth is often contained in artistic representation and studying these depictions is a
crucial element of understanding myth. In class, we will study images that contain mythic
metaphors – the museum trip is a change to put what you’ve learned into practice. With
the help of your tour guide, identify at least three mythic images and record the title of
the piece and every mythic symbol you can find in the image. Speculate as to the
meaning of the imagery, supporting your insights with the text book.
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6. Check Blackboard online regularly for updates and to see your grades. Writing
assignment rubrics and study guides are contained online. Students are expected
to engage in online discussions in response to weekly topics concerning myth and
mythology.
Grading:
All grades will be held to the standards of critical engagement: depth of insight, clarity
of articulation, awareness of other positions and fairness when addressing different
positions, use of credible sources, creativity of presentation, analysis of information
and engagement with the subject.1 See Attachment A.
Grades:
Paper:
100 points
Participation:
80 points/20 points for Online discussion
Museum Visit:
50 points
Presentation:
50 points
Exams: 2@100 =
200 Points
Total:
500 Points
Each class will consist of lecture and focused discussion. Often, though not always, films
will be shown. Please note: these films are not available for your personal use - you must
be present in class to receive credit.
1/23 – Welcome to world mythology!
1/28 – Leonard & McClure, chapter 1, “Purposes and Definitions”
1/30 – Powell, chapter 1, “The Nature of Myth”
2/4 – Powell, chapter 23, “Theories of Myth Interpretation”
2/6 – Powell, chapter 2, “The Cultural Context of Classical Myth”
Last day to drop with refund: 2/6/.
2/11 – Powell, chapter 3, “The Development of Classical Myth”
2/13 – Leonard & McClure, chapter 2, “Creation Myths”
2/18 – Powell, chapter 5, “Myths of Creation”
Presentation: Hindu Creation Myths: two Hindu creation myths will be chosen
and compared for similarities and differences. Presenters will analyze the sociopolitical
context out of which the myth arose and will summarize the myth’s use in modern Indian
culture.
2/20 – Powell, chapter 4, “Myths of Creation: “The Rise of Zeus”
Take Home Exam One Due
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Critical Thinking criteria provided by The Foundation for Critical Thinking.
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2/25 – Leonard & McClure, chapter 3, “The Female Divine”
2/27 – Powell, chapter 9, “Myths of Fertility: Demeter”
Presentation: examine the similarities and differences between representations of
the female from around the world, using four examples. Students may choose to analyze
the artistic representation of icons and discuss possible meanings and interpretations of
the symbolism, or they may choose myths and analyze the female characters of the myth
in order to ascertain the status and position of women within the cultures.
3/3 – Research Day: Go to the Library and establish a thesis topic. Find at least three
resources: be prepared to hand them in on 3/5 in MLA format with your thesis.
3/5 – Leonard & McClure, chapter 4, “The Male Divine”
3/8 – Museum Day! Meet at the Denver Art Museum, North Entrance, at 12:45PM.
3/10 – Presentation: Celtic and Norse myth, tying the myths to the Germanic and Irish
histories and cultures. Presenters should compare and contrast the myths and analyze the
similarities and differences before suggesting possible causes for the points of contrast.
3/12 – Powell, chapter 7, “Myths of the Olympians: The Male Deities”
3/17 – Powell, chapter 10, “Myths of Fertility: Dionysus”
3/19 – Leonard & McClure, chapter 5, “Trickster Myths”
Presentation: presenters will provide at least two examples of the trickster,
focusing on the meaning of this mythic character and what social purpose he serves.
Students are expected to provide relevant points of contrast between at least three myths
and analyze the meanings with as much depth and clarity as possible.
3/24 – 3/30 – Spring Break! No Class.
4/2 – Powell, chapter 11, “Myths of Death: Encounters with the Underworld”
Presentation: presenters will analyze at least two“underworld/afterlife” myths
from different cultures for common features and differences. Students are expected to
speculate with logic and precision the eschatological ideology suggested by each myth.
4/7 – Powell, chapter 13, “Perseus and Myths of the Argive Plain”
Presentation: Students will apply the mythological abilities they have learned in
choosing two different types (creation, destruction, hero, trickster) of myth from the
Greek culture. Presenters will identify all of the symbolic elements in each myth and then
identify the mythic meanings of the metaphors they have identified.
4/9 – Powell, chapter 15, “Theseus and the Myths of Athens”
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Presentation: Presenters will choose one of the Greek hero myths and then
identify a hero figure from the myth of another culture. This will allow students to
compare and contrast the two myths by identifying relevant points of similarity and
difference.
4/14 – Powell, chapter 16, “The Myths of Crete”
4/16 – Powell, chapter 17, “Oedipus and the Myths of Thebes”
4/21 – Powell, chapter 19, “The Trojan War”
Last day to drop with “W” recorded on transcript: 4/21.
4/23 – Powell, chapter 20, “The Fall of Troy”
4/28 – Powell, chapter 21, “The Return of Odysseus”
4/30 – Powell, chapter 22, “Roman Myth”
Research Paper Due by 9PM via BlackBoard
5/5 – Biblical Myth, readings TBA
5/7 – Leonard & McClure, chapter 6, “Sacred Places”
Extra Credit Due & All Assignments Due
5/12 – Wrap Up
Film: TBA
Exams Due by 9PM
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Attachment A
Writing Guidelines – World Mythology
A student’s job while attending a university is to learn the importance of, and how to
create, an informed opinion. (This is part of thinking critically, too!) There are two steps
to creating an informed opinion. 1.) Learn what experts think. An expert is someone with
formal training in the field who is subject to peer review. 2.) Consider the opposing
viewpoint. 3.) State your opinion using the experts to back you up. This will demonstrate
that you have a wide variety of sources and have considered multiple, educated opinions
in formulating your own thoughts.
Keep in mind, you do not have to advocate an opinion to which you are
personally committed! I am not interested in what you believe, only whether or not you
can take a position and explain it eloquently.
The point of writing a college level paper is to analyze, not report. Consider writing
papers to:
 Analyze an event or phenomena
o Why is it important? What details are necessary to facilitate
understanding? How have scholars understood/explained it? How do you
understand it?
 Explore a theory or method
o Who has used it? What are its strengths and weaknesses? To what has it
been applied and how? What do the scholars have to say about it? Why is
this exploration important?
 Compare two or more ideas, ideologies, cultures, practices, etc.
o Why are these worthy of comparison? How are they different? Have other
scholars compared the two? If so, why? What can be learned from the
comparative project?
When writing a scholarly paper there are a number of things to keep in mind. First of all,
transitions between sentences and paragraphs should be smooth: each one should follow
logically from the one before. For example:
In the following essay I will compare and contrast Dawkins,
Descartes, and Locke. Dawkins explains the theory of natural selection,
Descartes examines reality, and Locke addresses functions of the mind.
We begin with Richard Dawkins….
For those who do not have a lot of experience writing there is a simple format you
can follow. Begin with a strong thesis statement: "I believe Kant and Locke
differed in opinion because they came from different eras." Then list two
or three reasons you think this to be so, using sources to back up your positions. Each
following paragraph should address one of your points. A conclusion will briefly reiterate
your points and restate the thesis.
Quotes will be done in the following manner. If the quote is a sentence or less in
length it should be included within a sentence. For example:
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Augustine said, "Dear God, please give me celibacy, but not yet"
(source #).
Note the use of punctuation in the above example.
If the quote is two or more sentences long it should be set inside its own area
within the body of text. For example:
That all our knowledge begins with experience
there can be no doubt. For how is it possible
that
the
faculty
of
cognition
should
be
awakened into exercise otherwise by mean of
objects which affect our senses....
(Kant 163)2
Know the difference between quoting and paraphrasing. Both must be cited. Any phrase
longer than three words that you take from a reading must be in quotes. If it is not, this is
plagiarism and is subject to disciplinary action.
When citing Internet sources you must include website address, author’s name and
author’s credentials. For example: www.harvard.edu, Diana Eck, PhD - Religious
Studies, Harvard. If you cannot find this information do not use the website. The use of
Wikipedia is not allowed.
All papers should be double spaced in size 10 or 12 script. A traditional font should be
used. I usually write in 12 and put inserts in 10. Papers for this class should be at least
five pages in length. Bibliographical information should be in MLA format. You must
include at least three sources from outside class but more is better.
A few other things to keep in mind:
 Do not use report covers when handing in hard copies. A staple in the left corner
will suffice.
 Never write in the second person!
 Do not include background info on the authors you are analyzing unless the info
is directly relevant to your thesis.
 Words in a foreign language must be italicized. The exception is proper names.
How will my paper be graded? 3
2
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Footnotes may also be used.
Adapted from White, E.M. (1998). Teaching and Assessing Writing: Recent Advances in Understanding,
Evaluating and Improving Student Performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers and The
Foundation for Critical Thinking’s Universal Intellectual Standards.
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Exact point allocation will be determined by the degree of excellence within the specified grade
area. For example, a paper awarded 98 points may have one or two minor punctuation errors but
be perfect in regard to the Critical Thinking Goals, while a 91 may have one or two minor
grammatical errors but be quite good with regard to the Goals.
Universal Intellectual Standards:
Relevance: Thesis and subsequent must be directly related to the content of the class.
Breadth: Topic should indicate awareness of the implications and ramifications of the
topic being addressed.
Depth: Choose a focused topic that allows you to get into some real detail on the subject.
Clarity: The main points of the paper/presentation should be clear and direct, as opposed
to vague and unfocused.
Logic: Each point should be directly related to the thesis topic and support one another.
All points raised must relate to one another and support the thesis of the
paper/presentation.
Accuracy: Cited sources must be academically valid and cited correctly. Citations and
information must be correct.
Precision: Details must be as specific as necessary to support the points being made.
Fairness: Topic and text should be respectful of diversity and tactful in approach. No
diatribes, hate speech, or abusive positions. Incorporate awareness of opposing positions
into your paper.
A (90-100 points): OUTSTANDING: A paper with an A rating completes the task set by the
assignment and is excellent in nearly all respects. It is well organized with a clear and relevant
thesis or statement of position stated or implied. It is well developed with content that is logical,
accurate, and precise in addition to being interesting, and appropriate to the class material. It
demonstrates the writer's ability to produce and synthesize complex ideas. Logical transitions
contribute to its fluent style. It is virtually free from errors in mechanics, usage and sentence
structure, and shows evidence of excellent control of language.
B (80-89 points): VERY GOOD: A paper with a B rating shares most of the characteristics of
the A paper, and shows no serious errors in logic. There may be minor weaknesses in
paragraphing, grammar, and syntax, but the content is effectively organized into coherent units.
The paper is well written and is largely free from errors in mechanics, usage and sentence
structure. The paper will be accurate, precise, fair, and logical, but may not have strong
transitions between ideas and may lack depth and/or clarity.
C (70-79 points: SATISFACTORY: A paper with a C rating is generally competent. It may
accomplish the assignment less completely than the A or B paper, but it does come to terms with
the basic task of the assignment. Compared to a B paper, it may have a weaker thesis and less
effective or complete development. A C paper will lack breadth, depth, clarity, and/or fairness. It
may insufficiently develop minor points, but it does give the evidence of the writer's ability to
support key ideas. It is organized well enough to allow the reader to move with relative ease
through the discourse. The C paper may contain some awkward or ineffective sentences and may
show some problems with mechanics and usage, but these errors are not serious or frequent
enough to consistently distract the reader from the content.
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D (60-69): MINIMALLY SATISFACTORY: A paper with a D rating may show difficulty
managing the task of the assignment. Thesis may be vague or too obvious to be developed with
depth and breadth. It may lack adequate support for the thesis. There may be distinct weaknesses
in paragraphing and organization, but the total effect is not chaotic. Errors in mechanics, usage
and sentence structure interfere with readability, and overall organization will be lacking.
F (less than 59 points): POOR: A paper with a 2 rating fails to come to terms with the
assignment. The primary task is ignored, misconstrued, badly mishandled, or redefined to
accommodate what the writer wants to say or is able to say, lacking in fairness and clarity. There
may be a combination of the following defects: serious errors in reasoning, little or no
development of ideas, or no clear progression from one part of the essay to the next. The F paper
may have ungrammatical or poorly constructed sentences, and serious, frequent errors in
mechanics and usage which impede understanding.
An F grade may also be used for the paper that is obviously "off-topic," regardless of the
writing quality. In this case, the paper does not deal with the topic assigned and,
therefore, does not fulfill the assignment.
Paper Topics
When choosing a paper topic, pick something that fascinates you! Be sure to select a
narrow topic; the most common mistake undergraduates make when writing a paper is
writing on a vague, broad topic like “Hinduism.” Instead, narrow your topic and be as
specific as possible.
Check the Learning Center for Writing Lab opportunities and get help from a
professional writing professor! They can help with organization, grammar and spelling.
Remember: paper grade will drop 1/3 of a letter grade for each day that it is late,
not to exceed two letter grades. Check the syllabus for due dates. Papers are due by 9PM
on the due date.
Topic Suggestions:
 Examine a specific myth and place it in its cultural context by exploring what the
myth suggests about the society from which it arose. Be sure to take specific
examples from the myth and link them directly to social and cultural mores in
existence in the time you’re examining.
 Using one of the archetypes from Myth & Knowing (father, judge, mother,
maiden, etc.) analyze a myth from a modern world religion. For example, how
does the Eve of the Christian Bible exemplify characteristics of a mother
goddess? Or how can Hinduism’s Shiva be understood as a trickster? Make your
examples clear and logical, being sure to analyze to a deep and precise degree.
 Compare myths from different cultures and explore similarities and differences.
What could account for these similarities and differences? Critically analyze your
positions, illustrating each point with appropreaite examples.
 Using the methods we have learned, analyze a myth that we do not discuss in
class. (There are a TON of American Indian myths.) Be sure to choose a
methology that is appropreaite to the myhth and the position you’re taking and be
clear and precise in your position(s).
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Attachment B
HUM 115
Exam One
100 Points Possible
Professor Catlyn Keenan
Exam one is due on Wednesday, February 20th. You may hand it in during class or email
it as an attachment by 9PM. (Email attachments MUST be Word documents; failure to
provide a word document format will result in a late penalty.) Late exams will lose three
points for each day they are not received, not to exceed 21 points.
Please type your exam: you may single space or double space. Be sure to put your name
on your work and staple the pages together.
Section A: Definitions. Provide an explanation of the following terms in one or two
complete sentences. Define the term and then provide an example from the text or
lecture. 3 points each, 30 points possible – points awarded for accuracy of information,
clarity of wording, and relevance of the example provided.
1. Plato’s Rational Myth (Leonard and McClure, Ch. 1):
2. The Comparative Method (Leonard and McClure, Ch. 1):
3. The Nature School (Leonard and McClure, Ch. 1):
4. Ethnology (Leonard and McClure, Ch. 1):
5. Structuralism (Leonard and McClure, Ch. 1):
6. Etiological Myth (Powell, Ch. 1):
7. Legend (or Saga) (Powell, Ch 1):
8. Motif (Powell, Ch. 1):
9. Eschatological Myths (Powell, Ch. 24):
10. Cosmogony ((Leonard and McClure, Ch. 2):
Section B: Short Answer. Provide a concise paragraph of at least 150 words in response to
the following. 5 points each, 30 points possible – points will be awarded for completeness
of the response, the accuracy of the information, the logic of the wording, and the
precision of detail.
1. Who were the Semites? How did they influence the development of Greek culture
and myth?
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2. What is unique about the myths attributed to Homer? Provide at least two
examples of Homeric myth that illustrate your observations.
3. What is unique about the myths attributed to Hesiod? Provide at least two
examples of Hesiod’s myths that illustrate your point.
4. Why did Greek men and women occupy different social spheres do you think?
Provide a mythic example about how the genders were viewed to illustrate your
point.
5. Outline Eliade’s theory about scared and secular space.
6. In many creation myths, water represents chaos. In the in-class Jungian myth
making exercise, water represents sexuality. Are these different uses of the
metaphor? Or are the two understandings of water compatible? Elaborate upon
your opinion.
Section C: Application of Knowledge. Choose one etiological myth from Leonard and
McClure, Chapter 2. Identify all of the symbolism utilized in the myth and speculate on
what each thing means. Categorize the events/aspects of the myth according to the nine
types of creation myth. Your answer should be at least 400 words long and include as
many relevant details as possible. 40 points possible – points will be awarded for the
accuracy of the information, the depth of analysis in the response, the clarity of thought
and wording, and accuracy of points and examples.
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Attachment C
Presentation Rubric
Your presentation should take about ten minutes per presenter. You may PowerPoint
your presentation or provide handouts (I can copy documents for you in advance) but you
do not need to do this.

Post a discussion on Blackboard at least 24 hours in advance. 10 Points
o Each member of your team does not need to post a question; one question
will suffice. The question should be well thought out, relevant to the
reading, and artfully articulated, and thought provoking.

Provide a synopsis of the main points of the chapter. 10 points
o Do not feel as though you need to summarize the entire chapter. Choose
specific points you find interesting/relevant and explain them in as much
detail as possible. Plan to have three to four items and delve into the
complexities of each to as deep a degree as possible.

Choose one element and do some additional research for inclusion in your
presentation. 10 points
o Suggestions: Research the culture the myth is from and provide interesting
details. Elaborate on the larger work the myth is taken from. See if any of
the characters are used in psychoanalytic analysis and explain how they
are used. Show a picture or pictures of the deities and discuss the
symbolism used in the image. Be sure to provide fair, logical, relevant
information and synthesize the points you make with the mythological
methodology we are learning.

Explain the major symbols of the myth: the characters and their archetypes,
numbers, significant events/items/places. 10 points
o Use Campbell’s theory on myth or compare/contrast your myth with
another. Analyze possible meanings of the symbols and place the myth(s)
you choose into a historic context with as much breadth as possible.

Pose at least one question per presenter (NOT the same one from Blackboard) for
follow up discussion. 5 points
o Questions should allow the class to analyze the material you present in
order to formulate new ideas and opinions concerning the material. Be
clear, direct, accurate, and relevant with your questions.

Hand in a synopsis of your presentation with your name on it. This can be your
entire speech, an outline, or “talking points.” 5 points