HONR 269C Mythology
Wednesday, 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Dr. Victoria Urubshurow, Lecturer in University Honors
Mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth--penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words. (Joseph Campbell)
Mythology examines in what sense myths are "true." Considering myths as bodies of information that reveal where and how to find meaning in the world, this course considers both cultural and psychological perspectives. Mythical themes and persons appear in several types of story including legend, poetry, drama, dream, and ritual. Three existential themes provide the framework in which a deeper understanding of the nature of myth is sought: The Quest, Sacrifice, and Personal Transformation. Students will actively participate in class discussion, write two short papers, and take a final essay exam. Lectures are supplemented by occasional films viewed in class.
Readings:
Heinrich Zimmer, The King and the Corpse: Tales of the Soul's Conquest of Evil
David Adams Leeming, The World of Myth: An Anthology
A book of readings including excerpts from the work of Mircea Eliade, Joseph Campbell,
Carl Gistav Jung, SorenKierkegaard, Herman Hesse, as well as selections from Euripides, the Bible, and the Homeric Hymns
CORE--Humanities
Photos from HONR269C, Mythology
Fall 1999
