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Mythology

Course Overview

This semester-long elective allows students to take an indepth look at the incredibly fascinating and strangely enduring world of mythology. Instead of focusing on the myths of one culture or another, we will take on the role of comparative mythologists, tracing mythological similarities across cultures and continents. However, that does not mean we won’t take some time to explore the myths of particular regions. We will engage with these mythologies by reading classical texts; completing creative projects both individually and collaboratively; and doing research on student-selected topics. Course objectives include: exploring mythology as a worldwide phenomenon and analyzing the way myths have shaped the modern psyche; becoming familiar with mythological archetypes and their role in modern culture and literature; learning how to conduct comparative analyses of literary texts, both via discussion and in writing; engaging in academic discussion and improving both formal and informal interpersonal communication; effectively conducting Internet research and organizing findings into intriguing presentations; and learning to work independently and collaboratively on both short and longterm projects, utilizing effective organizational and communication techniques.