THE COLLEGE OF THE AIR -- NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
FALL 2001 – 9 pages in length – You must have all 9 pages!
Professor William C. Williams, English Faculty, Nassau Community College
Telephone: (516) 572-9817
e-mail: williaw@sunynassau.edu
World Wide Web: http://www.bigfoot.com/~jataka
COURSE LECTURES: Lectures for this course are broadcast on radio station WHPC-FM (90.3 FM). Dates and times for each lecture broadcast will be available through the College of the Air office. Audio tape copies of these lecture broadcasts are available to you from the College of the Air. You must contact the College of the Air office directly to collect these audio tapes (1-516-572-7883). COLLECT YOUR OWN COPIES OF THESE TAPES AS YOU WILL NEED TO REVIEW THE CONTENT OF EACH TAPE SEVERAL TIMES.
TEXT: JOSEPH CAMPBELL. THE POWER OF MYTH. New York: Doubleday, 1988. (ISBN 0-385-24774-5) This text should be available in the Nassau Community College bookstore. It is also widely available in commercial bookstores as well. You can also order it from the World Wide Web site www.amazon.com or other Internet bookstores. BE SURE TO USE ONLY THE ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THIS TEXT.
VIDEOS: JOSEPH CAMPBELL. TRANSFORMATIONS OF MYTH THROUGH TIME. Copies of these video tape lectures are available to you (through site license) from the College of the Air. You must contact the College of the Air office directly to collect these video tapes, telephone 572-7883.
====================================================== FORMAT: There are three parts to this course:
1) There are course lectures by Professor William C. Williams, broadcast over WHPC-FM (90.3 FM) and available on audio tape from the College of the Air office. The general focus for these lectures is a wide range view of myth and folklore, the "big picture" so to speak.
2) There are video tape lectures by Professor Joseph Campbell. Professor Campbell is perhaps the best respected, and certainly the most widely recognized late 20th century scholar of myth and folklore in America. His course lecture series Transformations of Myth through Time has as its focus specific, descriptive ideas related to myth and folklore from many different traditions and historical periods. The video tape lectures you will view for this course were selected and edited from hundreds of hours of lectures by Professor Campbell. The videos you will see were prepared by scholars from across America for the PBS Adult Learning Service. This service is the first nationwide effort to provide coordination and focus for adult learning through television.
3) Your text, The Power of Myth, records, almost in transcript form, conversations between the investigative journalist Bill Moyers and Professor Campbell. The text was completed just before the death of Professor Campbell. It provides further insight into the importance of mythology and the excitement and adventure offered by the study of myth. It also gives wonderful glimpses into the mind of a "mythologist", as well as showing the workings of highly creative and scholarly minds. The Power of Myth was a popular six part television series. The large format version of this book (about. 8 1/2" x 11") is available in our college bookstore. FOR OUR COURSE, ONLY USE THE LARGE (ILLUSTRATED) VERSION OF THIS TEXT.
====================================================== REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE COURSE:
1. Study and review each audio tape lecture.
2. Study and review video tape lectures by Professor Campbell.
3. Write answers to questions given to you related to the audio tape lectures.
4 . Write answers to questions given to you related to the video tape lectures by Professor Campbell.
5. Write answers to questions given to you related to your text, The Power of Myth.
MORE ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: I have prepared a single question for you to answer related to each audio tape lecture and each video tape lecture. I have also done this for each sectional division I have created for your text The Power of Myth. The questions present ideas for you to reflect upon. You will need to thoroughly investigate audio tape lectures, the video tape lectures and the text in order to answer the questions.
ASSIGNMENTS DETERMINING YOUR GRADE FOR THE COURSE: Your final grade for the course will reflect your grades on two separate assignments. Both of these assignments must explore question related to your text, The Power of Myth, the video tape lectures by Professor Campbell, Transformations of Myth Through Time, and the audio tape lectures by Professor Williams. Complete information about each of these two assignments is given below. REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON ALL ASSIGNMENTS.
THE FORMAT FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENTS: To be accepted, each of your two separate assignments must total at least 150 lines in length. Part One of each of the two separate assignments must be at least 50 lines in length. Part Two of each of the two separate assignments must be at least 50 lines in length. Part Three of each of the two separate assignments must be at least 50 lines in length. The margins of each page must be no greater than one inch top, bottom, left, and right. If you work on a computer, your type size must be no greater than 12 pt. Be sure to only use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper. BE SURE THAT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ARE ON ALL ASSIGNMENTS.
As this is an advanced college course, it is assumed that you are familiar with basic grammar and spelling. Any assignment containing more than five errors related to grammar and spelling will receive the grade of "F". Grades for short assignments will be reduced. If you don't feel confident about English grammar, the text by Hughes, Silverman, Wienbroer called Rules of Thumb is highly recommended. It was prepared for students at Nassau and is available in our College bookstore. If you feel you have problems with grammar that you cannot work out yourself, contact our English Department Writing Center, Building Y. If you telephone 572-7185, they will help connect you with the Writing Center.
VERY IMPORTANT DETAILS AND TIMETABLE FOR ASSIGNMENTS:
Both of your two different assignments is in three parts.
PART ONE OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 1,2,3,4,5,6 related to your text, The Power ofMyth. The total minimum length for part one is 50 lines.
PART TWO OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 related to the video taped lectures by Professor Campbell. The total minimum length for part two is 50 lines.
PART THREE OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 of my questions related to the audio tape lectures by Professor Williams. The total minimum length for part three is 50 lines.
This first assignment is due MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2001.
PART ONE OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 7,8,9,10,11,12 related to your text, The Power ofMyth. The total minimum length for part one is 50 lines.
PART TWO OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 related to the video taped lectures by Professor Campbell. The total minimum length for part two is 50 lines.
PART THREE OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 of my questions related to the audio taped lectures by Professor Williams. The total minimum length for part three is 50 lines.
This second assignment is due MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2001.
=============================================================== FINAL GRADES OF "I" (INCOMPLETE): You may only receive the final grade of “Incomplete” if I have received at least all of your first assignment and if you have received a passing grade on the averaged grade for all three parts of that first assignment. Also, in order to receive the final grade of “Incomplete” for the course at least the first assignment must actually be received by me no later than December 10, 2001. Otherwise, your final course grade will be “F”. Once the grade of "F" has been recorded it cannot be changed. BE SURE I RECEIVE AT LEAST YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 10. If you do receive the grade of “Incomplete” for the course you may complete your missing assignments so that they are actually received no later than Monday, May 6, 2002. However, no revisions will be allowed on any assignment received after Monday, DECEMBER 10, 2001. If you receive an Incomplete for the course and I receive your assignments after December 10, 2001 those late assignments will be graded but will not be returned.
===============================================================
HOW TO SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS: WARNING -- NO MATTER HOW YOU SUBMIT ASSIGNMENTS, THEY CAN GET LOST. BE SURE TO KEEP A COPY OF EVERYTHING UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR FINAL COURSE GRADE.
YOUR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS CAN ONLY BE SENT TO ME BY MAIL TO:
PROFESSOR WILLIAM C. WILLIAMS
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ONE EDUCATION DRIVE
GARDEN CITY, NY 11530
(Be sure to allow at least five to seven days for postal delivery.)
HOW TO CONTACT ME BY TELEPHONE: MY OFFICE TELEPHONE NUMBER IS (516) 572-9817. Messages can be left for me at that number anytime. WHEN YOU LEAVE A MESSAGE BE SURE TO SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY. SPELL YOUR LAST NAME AND SAY THAT YOU ARE A STUDENT IN ENGLISH 220. LEAVE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AND BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE ABOUT WHY YOU ARE CALLING. If I have not called you back within about five business days, it probably means that there was a problem with the answering machine or that I could not decipher your message, so please leave another one. Once again, when you leave a message, give as much detail as possible about why you are calling. If you do not already own one, I strongly encourage you to install a telephone answering. Messages will not be returned on Fridays, weekends, during College holidays or after the close of the semester.
HOW TO CONTACT ME BY E-MAIL: You may e-mail me at any time at the e-mail address williaw@sunynassau.edu
GRADES: There are six grades for this course--three for assignment one and three for assignment two. Your final grade for the course will be based solely on the grades on your two assignments. Your assignments must be focused directly on the specific questions, must be of at least the minimum required length and must be received as required. Assignments not related to the questions, late assignments, and short assignments will have their grades reduced. Assignments containing more than five grammatical errors of any kind will be not pass. Assignments received in October receiving a grade lower than "C" may be revised so long as revisions are actually received no later than DECEMBER 10, 2001. Assignments received in December cannot be revised. If you feel you have problems with English style/usage you should purchase the text Rules of Thumb by Hughes, Sliverman, Wienbroer (available in the College Bookstore) and contact our Writing Center, Building Y. The telephone number for the Writing Center is 1-516-572-7195.
This semester there will be no research paper or exams for this course. You are encouraged to supplement your studies by using the facilities available to you at Nassau Community College. We have an extensive collection of books and audio-visual materials related to mythology and folklore available in our college library.
LATE PAPER GRADE REDUCTIONS: Assignments received after OCTOBER 15 but before DECEMBER 10, 2001 will receive a grade deduction of one-half letter grade. Papers received after DECEMBER 10, 2001 will receive a grade reduction of one full letter grade. ALL ASSIGNMENTS AND ANY REVISIONS MUST BE ACTUALLY RECEIVED NO LATER THAN MONDAY DECEMBER 10, 2001 IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED TOWARD YOUR FINAL GRADE.
GRADE REDUCTIONS FOR SHORT ASSIGNMENTS: 1-5 lines short -- one grade reduction; 6-10 lines short -- two grade reduction; 11-15 lines short -- three grade reduction; 16 or more lines short -- four grade reduction.
COURSE WITHDRAWAL: If you wish to withdraw from the course, you must inform me no later than December 1, 2001. You will need to obtain a "Drop/Add" form by mail from me or in person from the College of the Air office. Once you receive the form you must take it immediately to the Registrar for processing. Remember that just having a signed "Drop/Add" form does not withdraw you from a course. You must take the signed form to the college Registrar for processing. REMEMBER TO TELEPHONE ME IF YOU WITHDRAW FROM THE COURSE. Otherwise I may not know that you have done this and your final course grade may not be a "W".
======================================================== A REMINDER ABOUT THE FORMAT FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENTS: To be accepted, each of your two separate assignments must total at least 150 lines in length. Part One of each of the two separate assignments must be at least 50 lines in length. Part Two of each of the two separate assignments must be at least 50 lines in length. Part Three of each of the two separate assignments must be at least 50 lines in length. The margins of each page must be no greater than one inch left and right. If you work on a computer, your type size must be no greater than 12 pt.
======================================================= HERE IS COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT (DUE OCTOBER 15, 2001) INCLUDING ALL OF THE QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ANSWER TO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT:
REMEMBER THAT:
PART ONE OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 1,2,3,4,5,6 related to your text, The Power ofMyth. The total minimum length for part one is 50 lines.
PART TWO OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 related to the video taped lectures by Professor Campbell. The total minimum length for part two is 50 lines.
PART THREE OF YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 of my questions related to the audio taped lectures by Professor Williams. The total minimum length for part three is 50 lines.
This first assignment is due MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2001.
===================================================== HERE ARE THE SECTIONS OF YOUR TEXT THE POWER OF MYTH AND QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED RELATED TO IT FOR ASSIGNMENT ONE, DUE OCTOBER 15, 2001. I have divided the text into sections as listed below.
NOTE: THE PAGE NUMBERS IN THE "SECTIONS" BELOW ARE KEYED TO THE LARGE FORMAT ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE TEXT. PAGE NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT IN THE SMALLER, NON-ILLUSTRATED VERSION.
QUESTION 1 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION A: "Introduction" and "Editor's Note". THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: What does the origin of this book tell you about the fragility of learning and knowledge, as well as the obstacles to exploration and learning?
QUESTION 2 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION B: PAGES 3-20. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: How are mythologies and the "wisdom of life" related?
QUESTION 3 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION C: PAGES 21-35. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: How does this section of the text help your understanding of the connections between mythology and religion?
QUESTION 4 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION D: PAGES 36-51. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: What archetypes from this section do you feel are most important? Why do you think this is so?
QUESTION 5 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION E: PAGES 52-67. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: Explore some of the connections noted in this section of the text between mythology, poetry and entertainment.
QUESTION 6 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION F: PAGES 68-86. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: What are some of the things you learned from this section of the text about how very un-primitive people so called "primitive" people really are?
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED IN ASSIGNMENT ONE DUE OCTOBER 15, 2001 RELATED TO THE VIDEO TAPE LECTURES BY PROFESSOR JOSEPH CAMPBELL, FROM THE SERIES TRANSFORMATIONS OF MYTH THROUGH TIME
QUESTION 1 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED INTRODUCTION: THE HERO'S JOURNEY -- THE WORLD OF JOSEPH CAMPBELL. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Do you think that Professor Joseph Campbell is a 20th century Lord Elgin? Explain your answer. (NOTE: In order to fully explore this question you will need to review Professor Williams' lecture broadcast titled “Myth/Religion/Why Greece?” and “Salesmen and Greek Myths”.)
QUESTION 2 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 1 -- IN THE BEGINNING: ORIGINS OF MAN AND MYTH. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Examine reasons for the need for myths in prehistoric times.
QUESTION 3 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 2 -- WHERE PEOPLE LIVED LEGENDS: AMERICAN INDIAN MYTHS. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Discuss Professor Campbell's warning that "to avoid hollow ideology, myths must be in accord with environment, society, self, and the sacred."
QUESTION 4 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 3 -- AND WE WASHED OUR WEAPONS IN THE SEA: GODS AND GODDESSES OF THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: How do you think our society would be different if the primacy of the Female as God had not been replaced by the Male? Explore your answer with as many specific examples as possible.
QUESTION 5 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 4 --PHARAOHS RULE: EGYPT, THE EXODUS, AND THE MYTH OF THE OSIRIS. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Discuss whether or not you feel that mythological traditions that are non-Biblical (non Judaeo-Christian) can have influenced the origin and development of Judaeo-Christian religions. If not, why not? If so, how and why?
QUESTION 6 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 5 -- THE SACRED SOURCE: THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE EAST. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Do you believe that the basic images forming mythologies of all known traditions and cultures could be the same? While examining this, explore your understanding of archetypes.
QUESTION 7 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 6 -- THE WAY TO ENLIGHTENMENT: BUDDHISM. THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Do you find Buddhism an appealing tradition for you? If you had been born into a Buddhist family, do you think that by now you would have converted to the spiritual, religious tradition you currently profess?
======================================================= HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED RELATED TO THE LECTURES BY PROFESSOR WILLIAMS TO BE ANSWERED IN ASSIGNMENT ONE, DUE OCTOBER 15, 2001.
QUESTION 1 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED WHAT IS MYTH? .THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: What is your own personal definition of myth and of folklore? As you answer this question, be sure to carefully explain why you use each of the words used in your definition.
QUESTION 2 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED THE MYTH OF EVIL . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: If there were no evil, unhappiness or suffering, do you think mythology and folklore would continue to exist? Explain your answer.
QUESTION 3 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED MYTHS WE LIVE BY . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Explore a myth that you live by. How strongly do you believe in this myth? What, if anything could make you release yourself from your belief?
QUESTION 4 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED MORE ON THE DARK SIDE . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Discuss any beliefs in a hero/villain -- "good guy"/"bad guy" that have reversed themselves within your lifetime.
QUESTION 5 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED WE KNOW AND WE DON'T KNOW . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Should any thinking or intellectual investigation be controlled or halted? What would it be? How would you structure such control to be sure that you don't "throw out the baby with he bath water"?
QUESTION 6 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED INTERPRETATIONS AND HALF-TRUTHS . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: How do you think that different interpretations of a myth could radically alter the meaning/message of the myth?
QUESTION 7 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED MYTH/RELIGION/WHY GREECE? .THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: If we had not been "sold" Greek mythology over the last 200+ years, what other mythology do you think we might have "bought"? Explain your answer.
======================================================= HERE IS COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT FOR THIS COURSE (DUE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 10, 2001).
REMEMBER THAT:
PART ONE OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 7,8,9,10,11,12 related to your text, The Power ofMyth. The total minimum length for part one is 50 lines.
PART TWO OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 related to the video taped lectures by Professor Campbell. The total minimum length for part two is 50 lines.
PART THREE OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT must explore in 50 or more lines questions 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 of my questions related to the audio taped lectures by Professor Williams. The total minimum length for part three is 50 lines.
This second assignment is due no later than MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2001.
=================================================== HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS FROM YOUR TEXT THE POWER OF MYTH WHICH NEED TO BE ANSWERED IN 50 OR MORE LINES TO COMPLETE PART ONE OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT:
QUESTION 7 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION G: PAGES 87-108. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: What are the religious ideas from this section of the text that are most interesting to you? Why do you think this is so?
QUESTION 8 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION H: PAGES 109-129. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: How has what you studied in this section of the text influenced your concept of "hero"?
(There is no Section "I")
QUESTION 9 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION J: PAGES 130-163. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: How has what you studied in this section of the text influenced your concepts of "psychology"?
QUESTION 10 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION K: PAGES 166-183. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: If you are female, how do you think your fundamental experience of the world would differ if you were a male? If you are male, how do you think your fundamental experience of the world would differ if you were female?
QUESTION 11 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION L: PAGES 184-206. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: How has what you studied in this section of the text influenced your concepts love and the human bonding called marriage?
QUESTION 12 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE TEXT I HAVE LABELED SECTION M: PAGES 207-230. THE QUESTION FOR THIS PART OF THE TEXT IS: How could what you have studied in this section of the text fundamentally change the way you see and are in your life and in the world?
============================================================= HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE VIDEO TAPED LECTURES BY PROFESSOR CAMPBELL WHICH ARE TO BE ANSWERED IN FIFTY OR MORE LINES TO COMPLETE PART TWO OF YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT.
QUESTION 8 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 7 -- FROM ID TO THE EGO IN THE ORIENT: KUNDALINI YOGA PART I . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: How does the content of this lecture help your understanding of mythology as something living, related to life and the world as we know it?
QUESTION 9 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 8 -- FROM PSYCHOLOGY TO SPIRITUALITY: KUNDALINI YOGA PART II . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: How does the content of this lecture influence your understanding of the following: male, female, male/female, energy, power, consciousness, life?
QUESTION 10 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 9 -- THE DESCENT TO HEAVEN: THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: How does the content of this program affect your concepts and beliefs related to birth and death?
QUESTION 11 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 10 -- FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: THE MYSTERY RELIGIONS OF ANCIENT GREECE . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: How does the content of this lecture affect your concepts of fact, symbol, metaphor?
QUESTION 12 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 11 -- WHERE THERE WAS NO PATH: ARTHURIAN LEGENDS AND THE WESTERN WAY . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: How does the content of this lecture influence your concepts related to the background mythologies in European tradition and culture? If you have not been exposed to these specific European traditions in the past, what do you believe was the reason for this?
QUESTION 13 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 12 -- A NOBLE HEART: THE COURTLY LOVE OF TRISTAN AND ISOLDE . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: Love is an often recurring theme (motif) in myths. Why do you think this is so? What mythological stories dealing with love are most interesting to you? Why do you think this is so?
QUESTION 14 IS RELATED TO THE PART OF THE VIDEO TITLED UNIT 13 -- IN SEARCH OF THE HOLY GRAIL: THE PARZIVAL LEGEND . THE QUESTION FOR THIS VIDEO TAPE LECTURE IS: What is your "Holy Grail"? Has it changed in any way because of what you have learned in this course?
=============================================================== HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE AUDIO TAPED LECTURES BY PROFESSOR WILLIAMS WHICH ARE TO BE ANSWERED IN FIFTY OR MORE LINES TO COMPLETE PART THREE OF YOUR SECOND COURSE ASSIGNMENT:
QUESTION 8 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED SALESMEN AND GREEK MYTHS . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: If you wanted to sell a previously unknown, unpopular myth, how would you do it?
QUESTION 9 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED MORE ABOUT IGNORANCE -- DELIBERATE AND OTHERWISE . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Do you feel that we in the West learned more about Classical Greece because their myths and traditions were "better" than those of other cultures? Have you held other similar beliefs? Explain your answers.
QUESTION 10 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED OEDIPUS -- A MYTH OF ALL TIMES . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Create a mythic story attempting to explain/justify free will.
QUESTION 11 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED INDIA -- LIVING MYTHOLOGY . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: If you or your family are not native to the Indian subcontinent, do you think that you could now fully embrace their beliefs, cultures, myths and traditions? If you are a native of that region, do you believe that you can fully embrace American beliefs, cultures, myths and traditions? Explain your answer.
QUESTION 12 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED TIBET, USA . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Now that you know that the Tibetan heritage is available as near to you as New York City, do you want to actively pursue involving yourself with this tradition? If so, why? If not, why not?
QUESTION 13 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED STAR WARS . THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Discuss any film known to you other than Star Wars where you believe living mythology is actively associated with the plot and theme. Present specific examples of how mythology is used in the film. (Avoid films where myth is the obvious theme: Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules, etc.)
QUESTION 14 IS RELATED TO THE LECTURE TITLED THE MYTHIC HEART. THE QUESTION FOR THIS LECTURE IS: Perhaps at the root of all learning and knowledge is the search for wisdom. “Wisdom” from some cultural perspectives might be called “Enlightenment”. From what you have explored this semester, find key elements of your exploration that point you toward paths of greater wisdom and enlightenment. Discuss your understand of what this path is for you.
=============================================================== TITLES OF THE AUDIO TAPED LECTURE TOPICS: All audio taped lectures for this course are broadcast on WHPC-FM, 90.3 FM. Dates and times for each broadcast are available through the College of the Air office, telephone: 572-7883.
PROGRAM 1. WHAT IS MYTH? (tape 1, side a)
PROGRAM 2. THE MYTH OF EVIL (tape 1, side b)
PROGRAM 3. MYTHS WE LIVE BY (tape 2, side a)
PROGRAM 4. MORE ON THE DARK SIDE (tape 2, side b)
PROGRAM 5. WE KNOW AND WE DON'T KNOW (tape 3, side a)
PROGRAM 6. INTERPRETATIONS AND HALF-TRUTHS (tape 3, side b)
PROGRAM 7. MYTH/RELIGION/WHY GREECE? (tape 4, side a)
PROGRAM 8. SALESMEN AND GREEK MYTHS (tape 4, side b)
PROGRAM 9. MORE ABOUT IGNORANCE -- DELIBERATE AND OTHERWISE
(tape 5, side a)
PROGRAM 10. OEDIPUS -- A MYTH OF ALL TIMES (tape 5, side b)
PROGRAM 11. INDIA -- LIVING MYTHOLOGY (tape 6, side a)
PROGRAM 12. TIBET, USA (tape 6, side b)
PROGRAM 13. STAR WARS (tape 7, side a)
PROGRAM 14. THE MYTHIC HEART (tape 7, side b)
(NOTE: Rarely some sets of tapes are numbered differently -- 1a, 2b, 3a, 4b, 5a, 6b, etc. The content of the tapes remains the same. Also, sometimes a student is sent an earlier version of one of the first few tapes. On that earlier version, a research paper is noted as being required for the course. There is no research paper required for the course. All of the course assignments are listed above. If you happen to receive a copy of the tape on which a research paper is mentioned, don't worry. Everything else on the tape is the same as on later versions of the lecture.)
(NOTE: Please be careful about making sure that your assignments are at least the required minimum length. In counting the number of lines, be sure not to count lines that re-list the question, etc. Only lines of your actual answers to the questions are counted as being part of the minimum length for each assignment.)
SPECIAL NOTICE: BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS COURSE OUTLINE I HAVE CREATED A TEST THAT WILL SHOW ME WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE DONE THIS. THE TEST IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEFORE YOUR NAME ON THE FIRST PAGE OF ASSIGNMENT ONE ADD THE WORDS:
SPECIAL EXCITEMENT
BEFORE YOUR NAME ON THE FIRST PAGE OF ASSIGNMENT TWO ADD THE WORDS:
ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS
IF YOU DO NOT ADD THE WORDS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE TO YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT THE GRADES ON YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT WILL BE REDUCED ONE-HALF LETTER GRADE. IF YOU DO NOT ADD THE WORDS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE TO YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT THE GRADES ON YOUR SECOND ASSIGNMENT WILL BE REDUCED ONE-HALF LETTER GRADE. THIS GRADE REDUCTION WILL BE IMPOSED EVEN IF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS ARE RECEIVED ON TIME.
ONE FINAL NOTE: YOU MAY ONLY REVISE YOUR OCTOBER ASSIGNMENT IN EXPECTATION OF A HIGHER GRADE IF THE ORIGINAL GRADE ON THE ASSIGNMENT WAS BELOW “C”. Grades below “C” are “C-, D+, D, D-, F.”
TAPE RECORDS/PLAYBACK MACHINES. Some students in the past have complained that they cannot easily understand the words on one or another of the audio tapes. The tapes themselves are of “master, broadcast quality”. That means that the quality of sound is of the kind of superior quality required for radio broadcast. The tapes you receive for this course are copies of these “master, broadcast quality” tapes. If you have trouble understanding the words on some of the tapes, the problem probably lies with your tape playback equipment. If not, contact the College of the Air for replacement copies of your tape(s).