Introduction to Myth: Myth and Film (Online)
195: 244: 91
Fall 2012
Prof. Kathleen Sclafani
Email: ksclaf@aol.com
Office Hours: online, by request (see below)
Course Overview:
Throughout history myths have been passed on through a variety of
methods, from storytelling and performance to all forms of written
texts. Since the start of the 20th century, film has become the newest and in
some ways most powerful medium through which myths are transmitted. In
this course we will explore how, through both content and form, film
communicates the myths of a given society to its members. By combining
the study of myth theories with film analysis, we will attempt to explore the
ways in which films both influence and reflect the way we think, and why
movies are much more than “just entertainment”.
This course will be administered online through an ecollege course
shell. Though we do not have scheduled class periods it is still a full 3credit course and will require approximately 10 hrs of work per week. This
includes the time spent in lieu of class, viewing instructor presentations and
participating in online discussions, as well as completing assigned activities
and watching films. The online format is as rigorous as its face-to-face
version and has the advantage of offering students more flexibility. It is also
highly interactive, centering on group discussions and individual
communication between students and teacher.
On the first day of class you will be directed to take a short student
orientation training course (on the opening page after you log in at
https://ecollege.rutgers.edu/index2.jsp) which covers in detail how to access
and submit assignments, interact with the instructor during online office
hours and communicate with other students. If you need help with the
program, please call the Helpdesk at (303)-873-0005. It is available 24x7
and can be contacted for any technical problems like pages not loading,
connectivity problems, not able to view a video or hear an audio, or any
other things that are not working as they should.
Comparative Literature Learning Goals:
1. Students will demonstrate familiarity with a variety of world literatures as
well as methods of studying literature and culture across national and
linguistic boundaries and evaluate the nature, function and value of literature
from a global perspective.
2. Students will demonstrate critical reasoning and research skills; design
and conduct research in an individual field of concentration (such as literary
theory, women's literature, post colonial studies, literature and film, etc);
analyze a specific body of research and write a clear and well-developed
paper or project about a topic related to more than one literary and cultural
tradition.
3. Students will demonstrate competency in one foreign language and at
least a basic knowledge of the literature written in that language.
Course Requirements:
1. Paper. You will be assigned one 12-15 page paper to be submitted at the
end of the course in lieu of a final exam.
2. Quizzes/Online Activities. See syllabus for announced quizzes.
3. Participation. This includes timely submissions and responses to online
discussions and activities (see further instructions below and in the course
shell). Both the number and the quality of your online responses will
contribute to your participation grade. Threaded discussion initial postings
must be made by midnight on Thursdays, and responses must be completed
by noon on Sundays for you to be credited for the online session that week.
Grading
Your grade will be determined according to a point system. Every
assignment will be worth a certain number of points, and your final grade
will be a percentage of the total number. For example, if there are 1000
possible points and you earn 900, your percentage grade will be a 90, or a
B+. Note that 28% of your grade will be based on participation (which
involves timely responses to discussion threads).
Paper 150 pts (33%)
Threaded Discussions
Quizzes/Activities
TOTAL:
150 pts (10 pts per week [10 pts are free]; 33%)
150 pts (33%)
450 pts
A = 92-100, B+ = 87-91, B = 80-86, C+ = 77-80, C = 70-76, D = 60-70, F =
59 and below
Materials
All films can be viewed instantly through either Netflix (for those who have
an account) or Amazon instant video (prices generally range from $1.99 to
$2.99 to rent, though one film costs $9.99). Most are also available in DVD
format from Netflix as well, but please plan ahead if you choose to do
this. BE SURE TO VIEW THE CORRECT FILM. Check the director
and year listed in parentheses to confirm.
All readings will be available under the doc sharing tab (top menu) in the
course shell.
Overview of Course Design:
Each week will follow the same sequence of tasks:
1. First, at the beginning of the week, you will read the introduction to the
week's material by clicking on the left menu. You will then be directed to
review a lecture, for which you will need to block out one-half hour. Its
purpose is to introduce you to that week’s readings, themes, theoretical
frameworks, and generally get you interested in the material. The lecture
may take the form of written notes or a Power Point presentation.
2. Second, as soon as possible after having reviewed the lecture, you will
read/view the assigned texts and films. They are listed on the syllabus. All
readings will be posted on eCollege under the doc sharing tab at the top
menu, and all films can either be viewed instantly on Netflix or
purchased/rented on Amazon instant video. Some film clips and videos will
be loaded directly into the course shell.
3. Third, you will engage in a small-group discussion in the Threaded
Discussion. This involves several steps (including two postings/week). See
below for details.
4. Some weeks you will have a quiz on the material for the week or an
online activity to complete. You will find these assignments in the left menu
on the course shell. Quizzes must be completed in two hours once you begin
and are due on the last day of the week assigned (usually Sundays).
*Please don't attempt to work ahead in the course, as it is a work in
progress and I may make changes up and until the first day of the
week. You may access the week's work beginning Monday mornings.
Specifics of Course Design:
Lectures/Instructor Presentations:
On the left menu in the course shell you will find a list of units. Each unit
corresponds to one week of the course. When you click on it, you will see
the lecture at the top. Click on that to access the lecture/presentation for the
week.
Threaded Discussion Interactions: (150 pts/33%): It is important to keep in
mind that our course focuses on fostering a rich set of both student-student
and student-instructor interactions. The Threaded Discussion on eCollege
provides a safe space and the means to hold students accountable for sharing
their ideas in the pursuit of the co-production of knowledge and
understanding.
 At the beginning of the course, I will assign each of you to a small
group of four or five students with whom you will interact on the
Threaded Discussion during the semester.
 Each week the class will be given a prompt (found on the left menu
in the course shell under each week’s unit. Click on the unit, then
“Threaded Discussion” to access) to which you will post an initial
first response on your group’s Threaded Discussion. Your post
should answer the prompt completely and should show evidence
that you have both watched the film and completed the lecture
and reading. After everyone in your group has posted that first
response (by Thursday at midnight of that week), you will post
another response (by Sunday at noon), this time commenting on ideas
brought up by the other students in your group. You can comment,
raise questions, offer elaborations, and so forth. Your response should
not be simply “I agree/disagree with Student X.” We are looking for
nuanced and meaningful interactions.
 After each week I will post my own response that addresses the
whole class, sharing with you my thoughts and observations on the
ideas brought up in the small groups. That response of mine will be
crucial, as I will clarify misunderstandings that I find in the groups
and will help as you evaluate and prepare group presentations.
. At the end of the semester, I will assess the quality of your
participation in the Threaded Discussion, and I will determine the
amount of credit earned. There will be 14 weeks total, and there are a
maximum of 10 points that can be earned for your participation each
week (you will start with 10 points to begin).
Ground Rules for Group Discussions: I expect you to write in
sentences (minimum of subject, verb, and the expression of a
complete idea). I also expect you to uphold and promote a safe
environment of mutual respect. I encourage respectful and civilized
lively intellectual debate. We are not here to simply agree with one
another, but rather to co-produce knowledge and nuanced
understanding. Please read
http://blog.ecollege.com/WordPress/?p=151 for an illuminating
discussion on “netiquette” or “network etiquette.”
Quizzes and Online Activities: (150 pts/33%)
See course shell for details and instructions.
Papers: (150 pts/33%)
You will have a 12-15 pg research paper due at the end of the course (topic
to be announced). You will be asked to complete the paper in stages, and
you will submit each part through the doc sharing tab located in the top
menu of the course shell. During the process your work will be evaluated by
the instructor and by other students, and in turn you will help your group
mates with comments and suggestions.
Instructions and requirements for the paper will be posted in the course
shell. Look for the announcement on the home page.
Office Hours:
If you need to contact me for any reason, please use the email address at the
top of the page. We can either communicate through email or arrange to
meet in the chat room provided by the ecollege course shell. I check my
email at least once and usually several times per day, so I will get back to
you within 24 hours at the latest.
Syllabus:
PART I: THEORIES OF MYTH
Week 1: What is Myth? (9/4 – 9/9)
*Take the SOT (Student Orientation Tutorial) on the top of the opening
page after you log in to help familiarize yourself with the course shell*
Lecture/Presentation: Definition of myth; theoretical approaches to myth
View: Clip from “The Power of Myth”, a PBS interview with Joseph
Campbell
Read: Critique of the monomyth by Robert Segal
Threaded Discussion: See course shell, left menu
Week 2: Theories of Myth II (9/10 – 9/16)
Lecture: Jung, Freud, Levi-Strauss
Read: The Epic of Gilgamesh; Thury, "How to Perform a Jungian Analysis";
Thury, "A Levi-Straussian Analysis of The Epic of Gilgamesh"
Threaded Discussion: see course shell, left menu
Online Activity: Analysis of Gilgamesh (10 pts)
Week 3: Theories of Myth III (9/17-9/23)
Lecture: Myth as Ideology
View: Clips from Young Mr. Lincoln (Ford 1939); Clips from Triumph of
the Will (Riefenstahl 1935)
Read: Cahiers du Cinema on Young Mr. Lincoln; Ellwood, The Politics of
Myth, Ch 1
Threaded Discussion: see course shell, left menu
Online Activity: Research paper topic due (see course shell) - 5 pts
Week 4: Film as Myth? (9/24-9/30)
Lecture: Issues re: understanding film as myth
View: Video on The Writers’ Journey
Read: Segal, “The Future of the Study of Myth”; article on displaced
cinema; Bordwell article on superheroes
Threaded Discussion: see course shell, left menu
Online activity: Imdb project (see course shell) - 10 pts
PART II: FILM AND THE MYTH OF THE HERO
Week 5: The American Hero (10/1-10/7)
Lecture notes: Lawrence on superheroes; Ray on the American hero
View: Casablanca (Curtiz 1943)
Read: Robert Ray, A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Cinema Chapter 3
Thread: See course shell, left menu under Week 2
Online Activity: List of resources for research paper due (see course shell)
- 5 pts
Week 6: Heroes of the Chinese Wu-Xia Tradition (10/8-10/14)
Lecture: Question Western bias of above theories; background on wu-xia;
significance of the wu-xia “blockbuster” as international image of China
View: Hero (Zhang 2002)
Read: Article on Hero as myth
Thread: See course shell, left menu under Week 4
Online Activity: See course shell (10 pts)
Week 7: Myth and the Hero in West African Film (10/15—10/21))
Lecture: Ukadike article; background on Sembene; background on the
Sunjata (clips from Keita! Heritage of the Griot)
View: Moolaade (Sembene 2004)
Read: The Dogon Creation Myth/Sunjata
Thread: See course shell under Week 6
Online Activity: Paper outline due (10 pts)
Week 8: Myth, Cinema and the Other (10/22-10/28)
Lecture: Shohat/Stam articles on eurocentrism; clips from Orfeu
View: Black Orpheus (Camus 1959)
Read: Sartre on Black Orpheus; Perrone article
Thread: See course shell, left menu under Week 5
Online Activity: View clips from Orfeu (Diegues 2000);
quiz (15 pts)
Week 9: The Female Star in Classic Hollywood (10/29-11/4)
Lecture: Mulvey and the gaze; the “woman’s picture”
View: Mildred Pierce (Curtiz 1945)
Read: Allen, “The Role of the Star in Film History: Joan Crawford”
Thread: See course shell, left menu under Week 3
Online Activity: View clips from Kill Bill; read excerpts from Jordan,
“Women Refusing the Gaze”; quiz (15 pts)
Week 10: Female Monsters in Greek Myth (11/5-11/11)
Lecture: Female monsters in Greek mythology
View: Clips from Medea (Pasolini 1969) and Medea (von Trier 1988)
(found on left menu of course shell)
Read: Read Euripedes' Medea
Thread: See course shell
Online Activity: Rough draft due (10 pts - for on time
submission/completeness only)
Week 11: Modern Female “Monsters” (11/12-11/18)
Lecture: Modern female monsters in film
View: Alien (Scott 1979)
Read: Warner “Monstrous Mothers”; Creed, “Horror and the Monstrous
Feminine”
Thread: See course shell
Online Activity: Peer review of rough drafts (10 pts)
Week 12: The Vampire Myth (11/19-11/25)
Lecture: The myth of the vampire
View: Near Dark (Bigelow 1987)
Read: article from Vampires: Myths and Metaphors of Enduring Evil
Thread: See course shell
Online Activity: See course shell (10 pts)
Week 13: Prometheus and Frankenstein (11/26-12/2)
Lecture: The Frankenstein myth
View: Frankenstein (Whale 1931)
Read: “Prometheus, The Greek Trickster” (Thury); Picart, “Rebirthing the
Monstrous”
Thread: See course shell
Online Activity: See course shell (10 pts)
Week 14: Myth in Whale and Shelley (12/3-12/9)
Lecture: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Read: Excerpts from text
Thread: See course shell
Online Activity: see course shell (10 pts)
Paper due: 12/12