Course Title: Introduction to Mythology
Department Prefix: ENGL Course Number: 210
Number of Credits: 5
Prerequisites: Reading 098
General Education Core Course: Yes Division: Humanities
Location: Main Campus
Name of the Textbook
: Donna Rosenberg’s World Mythology: An Anthology of the
Great Myths and Epics , 3 rd edition
Instructor’s Name:
Michael J. Kiefel
Office Location: #7 , Humanities Division (on the end of the main building closest to the dome)
Office Hours : 2:30-3:30 p.m. daily, Office # 7
Phone: (509) 527-4640 (office) (ext. 4640) (My phone has voice mail.) e-mail address: kiefel@wwcc.edu
Item Course Credit Section Room Day Time Instructor
1440 Myth and Folklore 5 F1 0107 Daily 1:30-2:20 Kiefel
Course description : This course focuses on the myths and motifs that people world wide must have connecting the seen and the unseen forces in the world, the figures that appear again and again in different forms.
Type of Instruction Used in this Course : Student co-editing, lecture, on-the-board demonstrations by instructor and students.
Attendance Policy : Attendance is essential, no matter how smart a student might be.
Attendance and Participation comprise 15% of the grade. Each class attendedcounts five points; each class missed counts ten points off for unexcused absences and three for excused. If an emergency occurs, the instructor can be reached prior to the class by voice-mail (527-4640) or e-mail (see above). A student should not miss more than five classes in a quarter unless the classes are excused classes (i.e. emergency doctor appointments, sports events) which have been discussed with the instructor prior to the absence. Haircuts and scheduled doctor or dentist appointments do not usually count as excused absences since they can be scheduled around class time. Even excused classes will be deducted two points, not as many as the unexcused class (10 points off).
Note : The grade will be based on the points of what we actually cover; the syllabus is as accurate as possible, but is still tentative and subject to change. Students will be notified of any changes.
Testing Policy : Make-up quizzes will be deducted 10% automatically before any other points are deducted for errors. However, those students who inform the instructor in advance of events or who have an unforeseen emergency will have only a 5% deduction to begin with.
Homework Policy : Assignments must be typed and double-spaced (for correction and editing), and be handed in by 1 p.m. on the day they are due . They can be handed directly to the instructor, put into his office door-box, or placed in the instructor’s mailbox at the Info Center. If worse comes to worst, essays can be e-mailed, but believe me when I say e-mail essays are not encouraged.

Course Activities
Mini- summaries:
Quizzes
Mid-term
5 x 30 = 150 possible points
5 x 40 = 200 “
1 x 100
= 100 “
Individual Creation Paper 1 x 150
Group Project 1 x 100
= 120 “
= 100 “
Individual oral presentation 1 x 50
Cosmic Question Responses 1 x 100
Group Dramatization
Final
1 x 100
1 x 150
= 50
= 100 “
= 100 “
= 100 “
Attendance and Participation 1 x 200
Total
Grading Policy
93-100% = A, 90-92% = A-
= 180
= 1200 possible points
86-89% = B+, 83-85% = B, 80-82% = B-
76-79% = C+, 73-75% = C, 70-72% = C-
66-69% = D+, 60-65% = D
0-59% = F
Learning Outcomes :
By the end of the quarter, students will be familiar with various major stories and the motifs that crop up again and again in myths and folklore. Students will be familiar with various motifs and archetypes that show up frequently (i.e. the reluctant hero, the wise old shaman, the light-hearted tailor vs. the curmudgeonly shoemaker, the hero’s quest, the patient and long-suffering woman, the wandering pariah, the Iron John primitive) and create their own list of analogues. Furthermore, they will explore how their own mythic constructs might be affecting their lives.
Due Dates for papers, quizzes, and tests :
First Mini summary
Second Mini summary
First Quiz
Third Mini summary
Second Quiz =
Individual Report Deadline =
=
=
=
=
Fourth Mini summary
Mid-term Test
Third Quiz
September 25
October 5
October 11
October 16
October 23
October 26
= October 30
= November 2
= November 8
Fifth Mini summary
Fourth Quiz
Fifth Quiz
Group Project
Creation Paper
Cosmic Questions
Final Test
=
=
=
=
= November 9
= November 15
= November 29
December 2
December 4
December 7
December 10

The individual focused reports will target specific archetypes, creatures, and elements which emerge universally in different cultures’ myths (i.e. animals that are humanized, people who are part another animal, creatures which are the combination of various animals. Here are the categories that can be chosen by students. (Choose from and find figures from at least five different mythological cultures.)
1) magical/sacred birds
2) giants
18) miniature humans
19) dragons
3) magicians/shamans 20) sacred gardens
4) human bodies combined with animal features 21) resurrections
5) beautiful women who drown men 22) gods associated with the sea
6) men and monsters who drown people
7) creatures that combine various animal parts
8) wise animals
9) trickster animals
10) sacred/magical trees
11) monsters
12) witches
13) magical/sacred plants besides trees
14) enchanted forests
15) buildings that have weird features
23) gods/goddesses assoc. with sun
24) reluctant heroes
25) magic potions or herbs
26) unusual births of heroes
27) magical forms of transportation
28) demons
29) gods in the form of animals
30) sacred caves
31) dangerous waters
32) sacred women
16) magical weapons 33) forbidden objects
17) servants sacrificing animals instead of humans 34) mythological twins
Themes to Consider for this Fall Quarter, 2009 loss of innocence to gain wisdom unusual circumstances surrounding birth reluctance to venture toward a new self/existence the unlikely form of a transformative guide an inborn resourcefulness when all seems lost tribal/civic values vs. the individual need to be distinguished ego/shadow struggles and movement to a needed transformation
Quizzes and Tests Schedule
1 st
Quiz
2 nd
Quiz
3 rd
Quiz
4 th Quiz
5 th
Quiz
10/16
10/23
11/10
11/20
12/1
Midterm Exam 11/3
Final Exam 12/10
While several folk tales and Grimms’ tales may be read in class, the outside readings are expected to be done by the date indicated at right. Reading the work on time is essential to discussion

1 st
Week
Intro and Osiris, Isis, and Horus, Historical Background 12-15,
“Osiris, Isis, and Horus,” 15-21
2 nd
Week
Gilgamesh, Historical Background,
Gilgamesh , chapters 1-3,
Gilgamesh , chapters 4-8,
Greek myths commentary
“Ages of Man”
3 rd Week
“Demeter and Persephone”
“Labors and Death of Heracles”
The Illiad , Intro
Prologue to The Illiad
The Illiad , ch. 1-4
4 th
Week
The Illiad , ch 5-8 & Epilogue
Jason and the Golden Fleece Intro.
Prologue to Jason and Ch. 1, 2, 3
Jason and the Golden Fleece Ch. 4, 5, 6
Medea , Intro & Prologue
Medea , Ch. 1, 2, 3
5 th
Week
Medea
Intro,
, Ch. 4, 5, 6
“Pyramus and Thisbe”
The Aeneid
The Aeneid Ch. 1, 2, 3
The Aeneid
6 th Week
Ch. 4, 5, 6, 7
The Ramayana Intro & Ch. 1, 2, 3
The Ramayana Ch. 4, 5, 6
Reports/Group demonstrations
The Creation Cycle
“The Taming of the Sun”
26-27
28-37
37-57
80-88
90-92
93-99
100-105
106-123
124-127
128-141
141-155
159-169
170-185
185-200
204-212
213-228
229-241
247-253
255-260
260-271
271-287
296-309
309-321
351-358
360-365
9/23
9/25
9/28
9/28
9/29
9/30
10/ 1 & 2
10/5
10/6
10/7
10/8
10/9
10/12
10/13
10/14
10/15
10/16
10/19
10/20
10/21
10/22
10/23
10/26
10/27
10/28
10/29
11/4
11/5

7th
Week
Beowulf , Historical Background
Beowulf Ch. 1, 2, 3
Beowulf Ch. 4, 5, 6
King Arthur , Historical Background
8 th
Week
King Arthur , Prologue & Ch. 1, 2, 3
King Arthur , Ch. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Myths of Northern Europe, Creation, Death, Rebirth
“The Death of Balder”
“The Theft of Thor’s Hammer”
9 th
Week
381-386
386-400
400-416
418-421
421-433
434-453
458-466
467-473
475-477
Sigurd, the Volsung , Historical Background
Sigurd, the Volsung , ch. 1, 2, 3
Sigurd, the Volsung , ch. 4, 5, 6, 7
“The Creation of the Universe & Ife”
Origin of Life and Fire
Quarrel Between Sogbata and Sogbo
“Gassire’s Lute” Historical Background and Story
“Bakaridian Kone” Historical Background
“Bakaridian Kone” Ch. 1, 2, 3
“Bakaridian Kone” Ch. 4, 5, 6, 7
“The Americas”
“The Creation” Background
“The Creation”
478-480
480-491
492-504
510-514
515-517
518-520
521-526
528-530
530-543
543-565
The Children of the Sun, Historical Background
“The Children of the Sun”
Wanadi, the Creator, Historical Background
“Wanadi, the Creator”
The Creation Background
“The Creation”
The Creation Cycle, Historical Background
“The Creation Cycle”
Quetzacoatl, Historical Background
“Quetzacoatl”
568-569
570-571
571-573
574-575
576-577
578-579
580-593
595
596-599
600-601
602-608
609-610
610-613
The Woman Who Fell from the Sky, Historical B.
“The Woman Who Fell from the Sky”
Sedna, Historical Background
“Sedna”
625-626
627-633
Raven and the Sources of Light, Historical Background 634
“Raven and the Sources of Light” 635-636
637-638
638-641
11/9
11/10
11/12
11/13
11/16
11/17
11/18
11/19
11/20
12/7
12/8
12/9
11/30
12/1
12/2
12/3
12/4
12/4

Caught by a Hair String, Historical Background
“Caught by a Hair String”
Reports/Group Demonstrations
Reports/Group Demonstrations
Reports/Group Demonstrations
Reports/Group Demonstrations
Reports/Group Demonstrations
Reports/Group Demonstrations
10 th
Week
Final Exam Review/Oral portion of Final
Final Exam Review/Oral portion of Final
Final Exam 11:30-1:30 Room 107
643-644
644-652 11/29
11/30
12/3
12/4
12/5
12/6
12/7
12/10
12/11
12/10