Spring 2023 Greek Myth CSULB Department of Classics

.pdf

School

California State University, Long Beach *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

101

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

pdf

Pages

Uploaded by MinisterMeerkatMaster825

CSULB Classics Program Classics 101 Spring 2023 Greek Mythology GE, 3 Units C2, Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, and Languages other than English Tuesday and Thursdays: 11:00-12:15 PM DESN Room 112 Instructor: Dr. Diana Librandi Black-figured amphora representing the Judgment of Paris https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/246723 Welcome to Classics 101! This is an introductory course to Greek mythology, its heroes, monsters, gods, and sagas. Mythology is the study of myth. But what is a myth? What makes myths different from other stories? Why did ancient Greek poets recite and write down episodes from the myth? Why did artists paint and sculpt mythical scenes? What can myths tell us about ancient Greek society and culture? These are some of the questions we will consider throughout the semester. We will familiarize ourselves with prominent myths from ancient Greece (while occasionally looking at other ancient civilizations) and some of the methodologies used by scholars to interpret them. From the adventures of the Homeric heroes to the cursed house of Oedipus, from the saga of Orestes to the labors of Heracles, ancient myths invite us to 1

reflect on what it means to be a human being not only in antiquity but also in modern times. Through a close scrutiny of ancient texts, artifacts, and modern scholarship on Greek myth, we will gain insights into ancient Greek ideas about life, death, love and sexuality, family, power, and religion while bringing them into conversation with contemporary issues. Learning Goals Upon completion of this class, students will be able to ● identify mythical characters and draw connections between stories, themes, and issues associated with them ● examine the relevance of ancient myths for contemporary issues related to the human existence ● recognize significant scholarly approaches to the interpretation of myth ● compare and contrast literary texts and material evidence from different time periods ● reinforce critical thinking and skills to select and organize information from literary and philosophical texts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prerequisites and Advice for Success in this Class The informal prerequisites for success are a willingness to learn, to get out of one’s comfort zone, and to reach out to me if you need help or support in your learning process. At CSULB, in GE Foundation courses, "you will develop and improve fundamental academic skills that are critical to success in college" and "provide you with the basic essential skills of a college-educated person including written communication and oral communication in the English language, critical thinking, and mathematics/quantitative reasoning." Deadline Extensions and Special Accommodations (BMAC): Each student can use a one-time 48-hour extension for one discussion post OR for the short paper, no questions asked. You are required to notify me via email about your intention to use the one-time extension. It is your right to have further extensions for documented needs. Students who require special accommodations for lectures, exams, and assignments should contact BMAC staff as soon as possible. BMAC staff will work with students to identify a reasonable accommodation. For more information visit https://web.csulb.edu/divisions/students/dss/ Below you will find a few pieces of advice to succeed in this class. (Are you completing these tasks/trying these learning strategies with some consistency? Check-list below!) Attend and/or watch lectures. Take notes on the slides posted in advance . If you miss class, catch up with the readings, watch lecture recordings, and reach out to me via email or during office hours. We can go over key points/unclear concepts again. Ask questions about anything which is unclear/you want to know more about. My expertise is a resource for you and I am here to help you learn. Consider disorientation and oversights as an opportunity to learn. Be patient with your learning process. Reach out to me if you feel you’re missing something about concepts, assignments, readings. Familiarize yourself with BeachBoard, check News items, and the readings posted. 2

Familiarize yourself with the resources available for you, such as tutoring services and writing center appointments. Check out this link: https://www.csulb.edu/sites/default/files/groups/student-affairs/2021_dsa_departmentprograms_h andout_textonly_ada.pdf Complete the readings early on. Annotate them and bring questions/comments to class. Use the collaborative Google Doc on BeachBoard to ask questions and share your insights on passages/concepts that are interesting, challenging, confusing, etc. Mark your personal calendar ahead of the semester for lectures, quizzes, exams, and due dates. If you can’t make a deadline, reach out and ask for an extension at least one day in advance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructor : Diana Librandi, Ph.D. (she, her, hers) Email: diana.librandi@csulb.edu Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I will do my best to reply within 48 business hours, though often it will be quicker. Office Hours : Office hours are for students! We can go over concepts that are not clear or discuss assignments; you can ask for clarifications or further resources; or we can simply discuss your academic interests and future career goals. We can also talk about how rewarding and challenging studying the ancient world can be. Perhaps you’d like to take other courses in Classics or read further about classical antiquity. I can advise in this regard. Where and When? On Zoom by appt. Personal Zoom room: https://csulb.zoom.us/my/dianalibrandi . Do not hesitate to send me an email with a few options and we’ll schedule a suitable time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assigned Readings, Bibliographic Resources, and Guidelines for Discussion. Readings : The textbooks below will need to be purchased/rented/borrowed from the library. Assigned readings will be posted as PDFs on our BeachBoard/Content section and should be completed before class. This will allow you to acquire knowledge gradually and approach quizzes and exams with ease. Please use our Collaborative Google Doc available on BeachBoard/Content to ask questions and share your notes and insights about the texts we read. I will also post optional additional readings. However, you will not be tested on optional readings but just on the material covered in lecture (slides) and assigned readings. Every week you will read an average of 50 pages, at times much less. Textbooks: Required (available online and in the bookstore, a used copy in good condition is usually less than $5). Other translations of these plays are available for free online. If you’d rather not purchase the required textbooks, I would recommend this website: https://johnstoniatexts.x10host.com/ . Please note, however, that I will use the translations by Fagles for Sophocles and Col lard for Aeschylus in lectures, quizzes, and exams. ● Sophocles, The Three Theban Plays: Antigone; Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus , trans. by R. Fagles, Penguin Classics, 2000. Penguin Random House link: here ISBN: 978-0140444254 AVAILABLE ON RESERVE AT THE LIBRARY: Reserve (Reference) - 3 hours PA4414.A2 F3 1984 3

you can check it out for 3 hours at a time; password for checkout: myth101 ● Aeschylus, Oresteia , new trans. by C. Collard, Oxford World’s Classics, 2009. Oxford UP link: here ISBN: 978-0199537815 AVAILABLE ON RESERVE AT THE LIBRARY: Reserve (Reference) - 3 hours PA 3827.A7 C58 2002 Optional Textbooks: Helen Morales, Classical Mythology , A Very Short Introduction , Oxford 2007 Barry Powell, Classical Myth , 9th edition, Oxford 2021 You can use these textbooks to build on lecture material. They both present clear indexes that allow you to find topics easily. Trigger Warnings and Guidelines for Inclusive Discussion In our meetings we aim to create a judgment-free environment, where we strive to never make assumptions about gender, race, gender pronouns, sexual orientation, and life experiences. Because the class will represent a diversity of individual beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences, every member of this class must show respect for every other member of this class. We all have a responsibility not to be offensive to each other, or to participate in, or condone harassment or discrimination of any kind. It is important to be aware that our readings can be graphic and our discussion of sensitive topics such as death, violence, and trauma may be triggering. I encourage you to discuss with me potential modifications to the course material in accordance with your particular sensitivities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Course Grading Standards Percent Range Letter Grade Description 90-100% A Excellent: Exceeds standard (receives A) within course requirements; produces superior written work; perfect attendance, scores 90+% and over on quizzes, midterms and finals; participates regularly in class discussions and activities. 89-80% B Good with Growth Potential: Exceeds standard (receives A and B) in course requirements; almost-perfect attendance, scores minimum of 80+% on quizzes, midterms and finals; produces written work requiring minimal editing and re-writes; participates regularly in class discussions and activities. 79-70% C Satisfactory with Growth Encouraged: Approaches standard (receives mostly B and C) in most course requirements; attends class regularly, scores minimum of 70+% on quizzes, midterms and finals; produces written work requiring editing and re-writes; participates occasionally in class discussions and activities. 65-70% D Barely Passing: Well below standard (receives mostly C and D) in most course requirements; attends class less-than regularly, scores minimum of 69% on quizzes, midterms and finals; produces written work requiring extensive editing and re-writes; participates rarely in class discussions and activities. 64% and Below F Unsatisfactory: Seriously below standard (receives mostly D and F) in most course requirements; attends class less-than regularly, scores less than 60% on quizzes, midterms and finals; 4

produces written work requiring extensive editing and re-writes; never or rarely participates in class discussions and activities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Course Grade Breakdown Attendance and Participation : Your punctual attendance and consistent participation is essential for your success in this class. I strongly encourage you to ask questions and to comment on the material we engage with: raise your hand and chime in. Lectures, slides, and in-class discussion will be fundamental tools for your studying. I will post slides on BeachBoard/Content. While I will not keep track of your attendance. However, your attendance and participation is essential to succeed in this class. Assignments, Tests, Exams Please note that unsubmitted assignments will receive 0 points. A 0 has a strong impact on your overall grade. Please make your calculations, plan wisely, and strategize accordingly. % Due Date Weekly Quizzes Under Quizzes on BeachBoard every Friday until 11:59 pm, there will be a quiz on the material covered in that week (both Tuesday and Thursday) with 15 multiple choice, true/false, multiple select questions. The quiz will last 15 minutes and there will be two attempts. The quizzes with two lowest grades will be dropped at the end of the semester. Therefore, no make-up quizzes will be offered. The quizzes are NOT open-note or open-book. Please comply with CSULB code of conduct and academic integrity. FAQs: How will quizzes be graded? What will the quizzes be about? See FAQs section below. 15 % Every Friday with some exceptions. Please check the weekly schedule below and mark your calendar. Reflection Posts and Discussion Questions 2 Reflection Posts (300 words minimum) : In the posts you will comment on a question, short passage, or an image. You should consider these posts as an opportunity to practice for the short paper you will submit later in the course. 2 Discussion Questions (50 words minimum) : Your discussion questions will be based on the readings assigned for that week. You may want to consider the task of formulating your own questions as an opportunity to pivot our discussion towards an issue, text, or artifact you believe is thought-provoking. FAQ: How will reflection posts and discussion questions be graded? See FAQs section below. 20 % Please check the weekly schedule below for due dates and mark your calendar. Short Paper (1000-1250 words) Detailed instructions to complete this assignment and grading rubric will be available on Beachboard. The Writing Center offers tutoring services to help students improve their writing! Make an 20 % 5

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version