Mythology and Folklore

Greek mythology in western art and literature

With the rediscovery of classical antiquity in Renaissance, the poetry of Ovid became a major influence on the imagination of poets and artists and remained a fundamental influence on the diffusion and perception of Greek mythology through subsequent centuries.^[2] From the early years of Renaissance, artists portrayed subjects from Greek mythology alongside more conventional Christian themes. Among the best-known subjects of Italian artists are Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Pallas and the Centaur, the Ledas of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and Raphael's Galatea.^[2] Through the medium of Latin and the works of Ovid, Greek myth influenced medieval and Renaissance poets such as Petrarch, Boccaccio and Dante in Italy.^[1]

In northern Europe, Greek mythology never took the same hold of the visual arts, but its effect was very obvious on literature. Both Latin and Greek classical texts were translated, so that stories of mythology became available. In England, Chaucer, the Elizabethans and John Milton were among those influenced by Greek myths; nearly all the major English poets from Shakespeare to Robert Bridges turned for inspiration to Greek mythology. Jean Racine in France and Goethe in Germany revived Greek drama.^[2] Racine reworked the ancient myths — including those of Phaidra, Andromache, Oedipus and Iphigeneia — to new purpose.^[3]

The 18th century saw the philosophical revolution of the Enlightenment spread throughout Europe and accompanied by a certain reaction against Greek myth; there was a tendency to insist on the scientific and philosophical achievements of Greece and Rome. The myths, however, continued to provide an important source of raw material for dramatists, including those who wrote the libretti for Handel's operas Admeto and Semele, Mozart's Idomeneo and Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide.^[3] By the end of the century, Romanticism initiated a surge of enthusiasm for all things Greek, including Greek mythology. In Britain, it was a great period for new translations of Greek tragedies and Homer, and these in turn inspired contemporary poets, such as Keats, Byron and Shelley.^[4] The Hellenism of Queen's Victoria poet laureate, Alfred Lord Tennyson, was such that even his portraits of the quintessentially English court of King Arthrur are suffused with echoes of the Homeric epics. The visual arts kept pace, stimulated by the purchase of the Parthenon marbles in 1816; many of the "Greek" paintings of Lord Leighton and Lawrence Alma-Tadema were seriously accepted as part of the transmission of the Hellenic ideal.^[5] The German composer of the 18th century Christoph Gluck was also influenced by Greek mythology.^[1]

American authors of the 19th century, such as Thomas Bulfinch and Nathaniel Hawthorne, believed that myths should provide pleasure, and held that the study of the classical myths was essential to the understanding of English and Americal literature.^[6] According to Bulfinch, "the so-called divinities of Olympus have not a single worshipper among living men; they belong now not to the department of theology, but to those of literature and taste".^[7] In more recent times, classical themes have been reinterpreted by such major dramatists as Jean Anouilh, Jean Cocteau, and Jean Giraudoux in France, Eugene O'Neill in America, and T. S. Eliot in England and by great novelists such as the Irish James Joyce and the French André Gide. Richard Strauss, Jacques Offenbach and many others have set Greek mythological themes to music.^[1]

This course outline has been prepared to inform you of all expectations, contents, course requirements, policies, and any other items that will give you the opportunity to achieve and have a positive learning experience. Please consider its framework carefully and share it with your parents. If you do not understand any part of this outline or have specific questions about this course, please see me personally.

I.                    Introduction of Course
Course Goals. The class will approach the study of Wolrd Mythology and Folklore. The overall aim of the course will be to acquire a broad familiarity with Myth and Folklore texts and contexts. Along the way we will engage in a number diverse activities: short lectures, in-class discussions, informal and formal writing, student presentations, casting exercises, short quizzes, database inquiries, and video viewings. Just how the balance of goals and activities will work out in the end depends on the unique interests, tastes, and talents of the class, but by the end of the course the class should have a deeper and more fulfilling understanding of the plays read and discussed. The class is aligned to achieve and maintain competence on California State high school standards and Common Core State Standards (http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/elaresources.asp).

II.                  Course Outline
Wolrd Mythology and Folklore students read extensively from vernerated translations of multi-cultural myths that focus on content while perserving the aesthetic value and didactic application. The student will be provided with genre specific texts and will exchange them upon completion through the textbook center. (Curriculum to be complemented by technology and advanced teaching techniques with related practice in test preparation, grammar, vocabulary, journal development, sustained reading, critical thinking/reading/writing, analogy application, and subjective and objective comprehension assessments).

      III.                  Materials
Students are expected to bring adequate supplies to class each day: a three-ring binder (e.g., 5 dividers: agenda/homework, grammar, vocabulary, writing, and miscellaneous), paper, and pen/pencils. Please check the digital calendar daily to prepare adequately for supplies and assignments (http://www.kennethmhill.com/shakespeare/calendar ).

IV.               Grading and Evaluation
Students will be graded on a standard percentage scale. The following chart will help:
                A+= 98-100%      A = 93-97%         A- = 89.5-92%
B+= 88-89%         B = 83-87%         B- = 79.5-82%
                C+= 78-79%         C = 73-77%         C- = 69.5-72%
                D+= 68-69%        D   = 63-67%        D- = 59.5-62%
                F= Fail

        V.          Late Work and Make-up Work
Make-up work will be accepted up to the number of days the student was absent, but only if it is an excused absence. Make-up work will not be accepted for class/school suspensions or for truancies.    Students must set up a time with me to make up the test either during lunch or after school. Realize that often scores that are reflecting a blank score will be calculated as a zero until the assessment is completed. The teacher elects the write to post zeros for assignments that are not completed. The blank or zero will be adjusted when the student completes the incomplete assignment. For homework not turned in the day it is due, with the above exceptions, there will be a one day grace period at 10% reduction. If the student fails to turn in the homework after this one day grace period, then the student will receive a zero for the missing assignment.

Students: Please check your infinite campus grade daily to manage your grade. It is the students RESPONSIBILITY to discuss the missed work with the teacher within two days of their returning to class. I will not remind you of your missed work.

VI.               Attendance / Tardy Policy
Attendance is important and is directly related to success in this class. The school tardy lock out policy (addressed in the student handbook) and the district attendance policy will be in effect in this class. Tardy policy: 3^rd offense = detention; 5^th offense = Saturday school; 8^th offense = opportunity room; 11^th offense = Saturday school;14^th offense = opportunity room

VII.      Academic Integrity
Any student found exchanging answers or plagiarizing (whether by giving or receiving) will receive a zero on that assignment. The student’s parent/s and the assistant principal may also be notified of this offense.

VII.             Classroom Standards
1. Be ready to turn in your homework at the beginning of class.
2. Be in your seats, ready to work, when the tardy bell rings.
3. Come prepared.
4. Be considerate and courteous to teachers and peers.
5. Raise your hand and wait to be recognized by teacher before speaking.
6. Be responsible with food or drink in class.
7. No grooming supplies.
1. Be responsible with technology.
*In the event a student has continued problems in meeting the expectations, he/she will be placed on a disciplinary action plan leading to communication and cooperation with all stakeholders to achieve effective cooperation.

VIII. Final Thoughts
Remember that each of you starts out with a grade of an A. Your ability to maintain this grade will depend upon your willingness to work hard and your commitment to receive the best education possible. Please feel free to invest a few minutes outside of class to make contact with me if you need help or have questions. My door is open. If parents want to contact me, the easiest and most efficient way is through email. I will try to respond to emails within 24 hours.

Canyon High School
“The Future Begins Here”

– MISSION STATEMENT –
Our mission is to develop responsible citizens who have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for either beginning post-secondary education or entering the workforce.

– LEARNING OUTCOMES –
CANYON GRADUATES WILL BE . . .
I.      CRITICAL THINKERS WHO:
· Actively engage in asking essential questions and weighing critical evidence
· Employ critical thinking strategies to analyze and interpret information and solve problems creatively
· Access and analyze a variety of resources effectively

II.     EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS WHO:
· Write with clarity, speak with purpose, and read with comprehension
· Successfully listen, interpret, and synthesize information
· Proficiently present ideas using technology

III.   CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS WHO:
· Understand that problem-solving takes initiative and may require several attempts to find an effective solution
· Identify and implement resources to analyze problems and use innovative strategies to solve them
· Understand and practice conflict resolution skills

IV.   ACADEMICALLY COMPETENT INDIVIDUALS WHO:
· Use the tools of learning to access knowledge across the curriculum as well as in everyday, social situations
· Read and comprehend written material and write in a logical and coherent manner
· Use technology and other resources to organize, analyze, and present data

V.    LIFE-LONG LEARNERS WHO:
· Prepare and adapt to a global job market with ever-changing technology
· Develop goals and use effective learning strategies for post high school self-improvement
· Understand and appreciate the importance of continued personal growth and development through the pursuit of healthy lifestyles, civic responsibility, and cultural awareness

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