CLAS-C205-01 CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY
SPRING 2009
PROFESSOR DAMIAN FLEMING
CLASS MEETING: T R 4:30-5:45 PM CM 148
OFFICE HOURS: T R 12–1PM; 3–4PM (or by appointment)
Office: CM 133 (in Eng. Dept.)
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Office phone: x0192
Email: flemingd@ipfw.edu
COURSE WEBSITE: http://users.ipfw.edu/flemingd/mythS09.html
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An introduction to Greek and Roman myths, legends, and tales,
especially those that have an important place in the Western
cultural tradition.
Approved by Arts and Sciences for the Cultural Studies (Western
Tradition) requirement. If you are required by placement
examination to take ENG P131, ENG R150, or W130, it is
recommended that you complete that requirement before enrolling
in this course.
This course fulfills the Area IV General Education requirement
(Humanistic Thought)
REQUIRED TEXT (AVAILABLE AT IPFW BOOKSTORE):
Classical Myth, by Barry B. Powell (5th ed.)
ISBN: 0-13-196294-9
Always bring the text to class; it is necessary for informed discussion;
failure to bring your text to class is equivalent to an absence (and
you better check out the attendance policy).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Daily attendance and vigorous participation in class fueled
by close reading of all assignments
2. Frequent, but relatively short, written assignments
3. Frequent Quizzes testing reading comprehension
4. Midterm and Final examination
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
This course is based in active participation; as a result, attendance
in class is essential. More than two unexcused absences will
drastically affect your grade:
On you third absence: total participation grade becomes 0%
On your fourth absence: You are no longer part of this class:
final grade: F
Excused absences (medical/family *emergencies*) require
immediate documentation.
Unexcused absences are things like non-life threatening illness,
car trouble, general sleepiness, and non-emergency doctor
appointments.
Excessive lateness will count as an absence.
Regardless of cause, you are responsible for all work missed
during absences, including changes to the class schedule
announced in class.
SCHEDULE OF PARTICIPATION:
In addition to being encouraged to participate regularly in all class
discussions, students will be assigned specific days on which they
MUST participate, by speaking at least once during the class
period. See course schedule below for details.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (TYPED RESPONSES):
Engrave the following on your brain:
I do not accept any late work
Grade for late work: 0%, returned without comment
Computer mishaps are not an acceptable excuse.
This is the 21st century. Save frequently.
Give yourself plenty of time and leeway to get your work
done and to deal with bumps in the road should they occur.
Pretend, at least for this class, that you are operating in the
real world.
EXAMS AND QUIZZES:
We will have a midterm and a cumulative final based on the
textbook readings and material covered in class. In the first half of
the term we will also have quizzes testing basic comprehension of
the night’s reading assignment. Such quizzes will be discontinued
in the second half of the term IF student discussion and
participation reaches a level which renders them burdensome.
GRADING:
Participation:
10%
30%
Typed Responses:
Exams and quizzes:
Quizzes
Midterm and Final
GRADE SCALE:
A
AB+
B
B–
C+
95–100 Outstanding Scholarship
90–94
87–89
84–86 Superior
80–83
77–79
10%
50%
C
C–
D+
D
F
74–76 Average
70–73
65–69
60–64 Lowest passing quality
below 60
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented
disability, you may be eligible to request accommodations from the
office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Students
with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations and
should have equal access to learning. If you have any questions or
you believe you need accommodations, contact the SSD office,
Walb Union 113, Phone/TTD: 260 - 481 - 6657
http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd/
Keep in mind that accommodations are not retroactive so it is best
to register as soon as possible so that timely arrangements can be
made.
FOR ALL STUDENTS: No retroactive accommodations can be
made. If you feel that you have an issue which may affect your
ability to succeed in this class, you must come see me before
you’ve defaulted on the class. Hopefully, any issue can be
resolved, but no issue can be resolved after the fact.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
USING ANOTHER PERSON’S WORDS OR IDEAS WITHOUT
ATTRIBUTION IS PLAGIARISM.
Plagiarism will earn you an F for the course, and possible
expulsion from the University. If you borrow an idea or quote from
another author, you must cite where you found the material. If you
have any questions about citing sources, please **ASK** before
your turn in an assignment. I am happy to help, or visit the
Writing Center. http://www.ipfw.edu/casa/writing/)
CONCERNING TEXT-MESSAGING IN CLASS
Text-messaging during the class period will result in a failing grade
for the course
SCHEDULE:
**NOTE: This schedule is subject to change; missing class is NOT an
excuse for not knowing about changes to the schedule (see above:
attendance).
The Bold Capital letters refer to who is required to participate that date.
WK 1
T 13 Intro to class
R 15 Intro to Myth (Ch 1)
WK 2
T 20 Ch 2 Context of Myth
R 15 Ch 3 Development of Myth
WK 3
T 27 Ch 4: Creation
R 22 Ch 5: Mortals
WK 4
FEB
T3
R5
WK 5
T 10 Ch 7 Male Gods
R 12 Ch 8 Female Gods
WK 6
T 17 Ch 9 Fertility Demeter
R 19 Ch 10 Fertility Dionysius
C
D Typed Response Due
WK 7
T 24 Fertility Continued
R 26 Ch 11 Myths of Death
A
B
WK 8
T3
R5
C
A
B
Creation continued
Ch 6 Zeus and Hera
Typed Response Due
C
D
A
B
Death and Midterm review
MIDTERM Exam
SPRING BREAK
WK 9
T 17 Ch 12 Heroic Myth Gilgamesh
D
R 19 Ch 13 Perseus
A
Typed Response Due
B
C
WK 10
T 24 Ch 14 Heracles
R 26 Ch 15 Theseus
WK 11
APRIL
T 31 Ch 16 Crete
R 2 Ch 17 Oedipus and Thebes
WK 12
T7
R9
WK 13
T 14 Ch 19 Trojan War
R 16 More Trojans
D
A
WK 14
T 21 Ch 20 Fall of Troy
R 23 Ch 21 Odysseus
B
C
WK 15
T 28 Ch 22 Aeneas
D
R 30 Ch 23 Legends of Rome
Final Exam:
Oedipus continued
Ch 18 Jason
Thursday, May 7, 4–6 PM
B
C
D
A
Typed Response Due
Typed Response Due
Typed Responses: EXPLICATION
The writing assignments for this course will be focused on close reading of
the passages of primary texts found in our text book. Primary texts are the
direct quotations from ancient works of literature (rather than the
summary provided through out by our text book author). Focusing on
these passages will help us appreciate the role that individual authors and
their cultural context play in the creation of myth.
The assignment for each response will look like this:
Explicate ONE of the following passages. Your essay MUST contain the
following information:
Identify the work it's from, the author, the rough time period.
Explain what is it saying, how does it fit in with the immediate
context (identify the speaker, other important characters if relevant),
how does it contribute meaning to the work as a whole? (some
essential summary can be okay here). Finally – what importance
does it have for your general study of myth? That is, why, of all the
passages from the work that could have been reproduced in your
book, was this one chosen?
All papers MUST answer all of these questions. Outstanding papers
will answer all of these questions in smooth, concise, polished prose,
with additional quotations where necessary.
Include the passage you are explication at the top of your paper
(single spaced, in smaller font if extra space is needed).