Mythic/Modern Comparison

Mythology. Sat, Mar 12th, 2011 at 5:02 pm

During our first week we have moved through the basic hero’s journey and read books I and II of Ovid’s Metamorphosis. By this point you should be comfortable with reading/journaling the two works; if you are having trouble please drop me a line.

Your assignment—due Monday, March 21st—is as follows:

• Read through chapter 1 of Hero with a Thousand Faces and book III of Metamorphoses
• Write an extended comparison between a myth and another work (of any period, medium, or genre). In this essay you should (1) prove that the two works are similar either in theme or structure and (2) explain how the newer work alters the theme or structure of the myth to attain a different result.

To prepare for your essay, try to recall other works that have a similar plot or message as you read book III of Ovid (or look through your notes on previous books). If you have trouble making a connection, find a myth you enjoy and break it down into its most basic structure. For example, we will read “Pyramus and Thisbe” ((The story goes that two lovers are separated by a wall (and families that don’t want them to be together) so they decide to meet under a mulberry tree one night. Our fair maiden goes first, dropping her white scarf on the way. In a twist only possible in Ovid, a lion (freshly bloodied from a meal) drops by to gnaw on the scarf (or use it as a napkin). Our young lad sees the lion and bloodied scarf and, heart-broken, kills himself on the spot. Our impatient maiden returns, sees her beau dead, and kills herself with the same knife.)) in book III. We can break that down into “boy and girl in love but separated, die of tragic irony.” You should be recalling Romeo and Juliet, as Shakespeare ripped off the story for his play, but that connection isn’t all that interesting. How about Shrek? He and Fiona are physically together but separated by a dark secret. This would make a more interesting comparison/contrast because the structure is similar (that’s the comparison bit) but the ending and moral are different (the contrast).

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