World Mythology Project

 

S. Henderson

Spring 2008

 

Deadline: Thursday, January 24

 

Directions:

1.      You will be assigned a set of myths.

2.      From that group, you will select FOUR to read and analyze.

3.      For each myth, you will turn in:

·        A one- or two-paragraph summary of the myth in your own words.

·        A one-paragraph discussion of what you know about the culture from the myth (i.e. whether the culture was patriarchal or matriarchal and what the culture valued)

·        An explanation of the reasons you believe the culture preserved and passed on this myth (what purpose did it serve?)

·        What archetypes did you see in the myth?

4.      Then compare all four myths:

·        What category would all four fit into?

·        What are the similarities between the stories? (Be as specific as possible.)

5.  Turn in a bibliography of your sources, listed in alphabetical order by author’s name.

 

For books:

            Hamilton, Edith.  Mythology. New York: New American Library, 1969.

 

For websites:

http\\www.mythology.com.  Sept. 25, 1999.

 

For encyclopedias:

“Whales.” World Book. 1995.

“Middle Ages.” Encyclopedia Brittanica Online. Sept. 30, 2001.

 

For magazine articles:

Case. John. “Divorce in American Families.” Time. Oct. 17, 1990: 15-28.

 

 

Set 1

  • Genesis 1-3 (Hebrew)
  • Enuma Elish (Babylonian)
  • From Ginnungagap (Norse)
  • Coatlique (Aztec Indians) 
  • The Creation of the Universe (China)

 

 

Set 2

  • Deucalion and Pyrrha (Greek)
  • Genesis 6-9 (Hebrew)
  • Gilgamesh (tablet 11, the story of Utanapishtim) (Sumer/Babylonian)
  • Sedna (Native American)
  • Manu and the Great Fish (Hindu) 

 

 

Set 3

  • Heracles (Greek)
  • Romulus and Remus (Roman)
  • Indra and the Dragon (India)
  • Gassire’s Lute (Africa)
  • Lodge Boy and Thrown-Away (Crow Indian)

·        The Boyhood Deeds of CuChulainn (Celtic)

 

 

Set 4

  • Osiris, Isis, Horus (Egypt)
  • The Theft of Idun’s Apples (Norse)
  • The Taming of the Sun (Polynesia)
  • Raccoon and the Deceived Blind Men (Native American)
  • Coyote versus Duck (Native American)

 

 

Set 5

  • Telepinu (Middle East)
  • The Death of Balder (Norse)
  • Yi the Archer and the Ten Suns (China)
  • Amaterasu (Japan)
  • The Quarrel between Sagbatu and Sogbo (Africa)
  • Raven and the Sources of Light (Native American)