1. ENGLISH 273 ONLINE WEEK 1 Creation Stories and Epics

2. MYTH “Story” “We need a story to see in the dark….Stories are the means by which we see reality. Without a story it would appear as if we lived in an ureal world. Without a story we cannot live. Without a story we cannot have community….Without a story life would make no sense. The story that is foundational to our life provides us with the basis for our perceptions and for our faith.” –John H. Westerhoff III

3. ETIOLOGICAL MYTHS A story explaining why things are the way they are. Features of the natural world Founding of a nation or people Traits of people or animals Origin of cultural practices or traditions

4. SIRE’S WORLDVIEW QUESTIONS What does the text argue about the nature of reality? What does the text argue about the nature of the universe? What is the nature of humanity? What is the basis for morality? What is the meaning of history?

5. CREATION STORIES TIMELINE circa 2200-2000 B.C.E ealy Summerian poems about Gilgamesh circa 1600 Old Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh circa 1500-1000 Rig Veda circa 1200 Enuma Elish, and compilation of Standard version of Gilgamesh circa 950 Genesis

6. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EPIC Heroes—universal & national importance Grand stage; Set in past Involvement of supernatural forces Within larger story; “In Medias Res”—in the middle of things Voyage & Battle Invocation of Muses & statement of theme

7. ORAL NATURE: REPETITION & EPITHETS Began as oral poetry: Repetition: helps poet remember large chunks & set motifs of the story (travel, battle, eating, anything that gets repeated a lot in a story). Helps audience keep track of what is going on. Epithets: name + descriptor Gilgamesh the wild bull Enkidu, my friend, the swift mule…panther of the wilderness Humbaba the terrible

8. THE ILIAD

9. WHAT WE’RE SKIPPING: BOOKS 2-17 Greeks losing badly to Trojans led by Hector Agamemnon sends Odysseus, Aias, Phoenix to Achilles Ships on fire; Patroclus fights in Achilles’ armor Fight over Patroclus’s body/Achilles’ armor

10. EPIC/HOMERIC SIMILE Definition: A drawn out, elaborate “as … so” comparison. Pg 157, lines 202-218 Pg. 160, lines 314-323