Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2021 - HUM 102W D900

Classical Mythology (3)

Class Number: 4427

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 8 – Dec 7, 2021: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Surrey

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 9, 2021
    Thu, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
    Surrey

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to the central myths of the Greeks and Romans. The course will investigate the nature, function, and meaning of myths in the classical world and their considerable influence on western civilization. Students with credit for HUM 102 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course introduces students to ancient Greek and Roman mythology. We will read about the Achaeans’ war on Troy and the longed for, but sometimes fateful, homecoming of Greek heroes; Aeneas’ wanderings from Troy in search of a new land; the monstrous legacy left behind by Oedipus’s ‘fateful choices’; the maddening jealousy of Medea and her revenge on husband and children; and finally, the bodily transformations of nymphs, satyrs, and humans as they are consumed by their passions and desires. In delving in the stories of gods, goddesses, lovers, heroes, and warriors from the ancient world, we will discuss the way in which these myths functioned in the socio-cultural context of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, and engage with the nature of myth as a fundamental construct of human societies. While focusing on the classical world, the course will address the legacy of these mythologies in our times and the literary and cultural patterns that still make them resonant with contemporary readers.


Grading

  • Participation 10%
  • Paper 1 15%
  • Paper 2 20%
  • Discussion on Canvas (3 units x 4%) 12%
  • Creative Assignment 6%
  • Exam 1 15%
  • Exam 2 22%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

  1. Homer, Iliad and Odyssey; and Virgil, BOX SET. Tr. R. Fagles. Penguin 2009
    ISBN-13: 978-0147505606         
    (Alternative translations: R. Lattimore for Iliad and Odyssey in print; Peter Green for Iliad and Odyssey also available online at the SFU library; Fagles for the Aeneid is also available as e-book)     
  2. Sophocles, Oedipus the King. In The Theban Plays. R. Fagles. Penguin, 1984
    ISBN-13: 978-0140444254
  3. Euripides, Medea. In Medea and Other Plays. Tr. Philip Vellacott. Penguin, 1963
    ISBN-13: 978-0140441291 (Alternative translation: J. Davie) (e-book also available)
  4. Ovid, Metamorphoses. Trans. E.J. Kenney Oxford, 2008
    ISBN-13: 978-0199537372   (e-book also available)

 


Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2021

Teaching at SFU in fall 2021 will involve primarily in-person instruction, with approximately 70 to 80 per cent of classes in person/on campus, with safety plans in place.  Whether your course will be in-person or through remote methods will be clearly identified in the schedule of classes.  You will also know at enrollment whether remote course components will be “live” (synchronous) or at your own pace (asynchronous).

Enrolling in a course acknowledges that you are able to attend in whatever format is required.  You should not enroll in a course that is in-person if you are not able to return to campus, and should be aware that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations, including in the context of remote learning, are advised to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as early as possible in order to prepare for the fall 2021 term.