Introductions
August 24 – Course introductions, expectations
August 26
VIEW (in class): Moyers / Campbell, episode 1 (“The Hero’s Adventure“)
Myths
August 31
Reading:
Cohen, “Theories of Myth“
September 2
Reading:
Bidney, “Myth, Symbolism, and Truth”
“An Introduction” and “The Players” (in Gaiman)
September 7 – NO CLASS (Labor Day)
Reading:
“Before the Beginning, and After,” “Yggdrasil and the Nine Worlds,” “Mimir’s Head and Odin’s Eye,” and “The Treasures of the Gods” (in Gaiman)
September 9
Reading:
“The Master Builder” and “The Children of Loki” (in Gaiman)
Segal, “Myth and Science”
September 11 (Friday) – Extra Credit
“Borrowed Memory: Why We Remember What We Never Lived”
Peace Garden (adjacent to Clarke Hall), 9:00am – 9:20am
September 14
Reading:
“Freya’s Unusual Wedding” and “The Mead of Poets” (in Gaiman)
Eliade, “The Structure of Myths“
September 16
Reading:
“Thor’s Journey to the Land of the Giants” and “The Apples of Immortality” (in Gaiman)
Parsons, “The Interpretation of Dreams”
September 21 – NO CLASS (Yom Kippur)
September 23
Reading:
“The Story of Gerd and Frey” and “Hymir and Thor’s Fishing Expedition” (in Gaiman)
Dadosky, “Eliade and Girard on Myth”
September 28
Reading:
“The Death of Balder,” “The Last Days of Loki,” and “Ragnarok: The Final Destiny of the Gods” (in Gaiman)
September 30
Reading:
“Unit I: Deities, Demideities, Dogmas and Icons for a New Land” (in Leeming & Page)
October 5
Reading:
“Unit II: New World Mythical Monsters and Fabulous Creatures” (in Leeming & Page)
October 7 – Writing workshop (no new reading)
October 12 – NO CLASS (Fall Break)
October 14
Due: Part 1. Myth paper (emailed, by 5:00 pm)
Reading:
“What We Know” (Mazur)
October 19 – Conversations
October 21 – Conversations
Rituals
October 26
View (in class): Holy Ghost People
Reading:
Miner, “Body Ritual Among the Nacerima“
October 28
Reading:
Grimes, “Reinventing Ritual”
Bell, “Theories” [sent via email]
November 2
Reading:
van Gennep, “Rites of Passage” (excerpt)
November 4
Reading:
Turner, “The Ritual Process” (excerpt)
November 9
Reading:
Bellah, “Durkheim and Ritual”
November 11
Due: Part 2. Ritual paper (emailed, by 5:00 pm)
Reading:
McClymond, “Of Fists and Feathers”
November 16 – Conversations
November 18 – Conversations
November 23 – NO CLASS (I’ll be out of town)
November 25 – NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)
November 30 – Writing Workshop (no new reading)
Recommended: Dalton, Mazur, and Siems, “Homer the Heretic and Charlie Church: Parody, Piety, and Pluralism in The Simpsons“
December 2
Reading:
Roof, “Blood in the Barbecue“
Albanese, “Requiem for Memorial Day”
December 8 (Tuesday)
Due: Part 3. Final paper (emailed, by 5:00 pm)
