Week 10 Syllabus: March 11

IN JOSEPH CAMPBELL’S MONOMYTH, THE HERO’S most important transformation comes during “initiation.” Having undergone departure, and at some point while encountering difficulties prior to to his major conflict (or final battle), the hero must undergo some type of transformation. Without this change, the hero will not be able to successfully defeat the monster, or accomplish his task, in the hero journey. Often, this transformation is symbolic, and takes the form of a symbolic “death and rebirth.” Odysseus must journey to the land of the dead, or the Underworld, where all dead reside. This is his his literal and figurative “low point” in the journey. While there, the ghosts he encounters will give him advice on what makes life worth living. Keep careful notes on their advice to him…he will need it!

TUESDAY, March 12

• Starting with independent reading, SSR.

• After collecting homework, quiz on book ten.

• Watching a scene that depicts book 10. We will watch:

  • This clip from Assante’s The Odyssey: meeting Circe on Ogygia

• Moving into book eleven, in which Odysseus journeys into the Underworld.

• HW: Read the next four pages in book 11, up to and including Odysseus’ conversation with his mother, Anticlea.

• Also watch this second clip: from Percy Jackson, the encounter with Charybdis.

WEDNESDAY, March 13

• Working on a “ghost” worksheet and completing a bit of research on the ghosts that Odysseus encounters. We will start by taking notes on Elpenor, Anticlea, and Achilles.

• We will then listen to the end of book eleven, wherein Odysseus meets various women (ghosts).

• HW: Finish reading book 11. In the last third of the chapter, Odysseus meets fellow soldiers who died either in battle at Troy, or at home returning from Troy. What lesson should Odysseus learn from these ghosts?

FRIDAY, March 15

• SSR.

• After being assigned ONE dead, Greek hero to research, you will use the following resources to begin gathering information about your assigned ghost.

  • START HERE. The Encyclopedia Britannica will have solid background on all of these Greek ghosts.

  • The Gale in Context’s “World History” database is another good place to start. They have background information on each ghost.

  • The Theoi Project is a good resource for scholarly details (scroll down to find search feature on this one)

  • Myth Index has some basic background.

  • The Met has a collection of Greek and Roman art.

  • You can find more art on Artstor, and visual version of Jstor.

  • National Archeological Museum of Greece for statues and older art

  • Books. Yes, believe it or not, books still exist. And here’s a couple of resources that may help, including Arts & Humanities and The Encyclopedia of Religion

  • Finally, Tufts University has an excellent database that will include where your assigned figure appears in Greek sources.

• HW: Reading book 12 for homework over the weekend.