Introduction
Folktales are stories made up by the common people, who tell them over and over again until they become well known. They were told as entertainment when the day's work was over. "Rip Van Winkle" was a Dutch folktale long before Washington Irving wrote it.
Legends are similar to folktales, but they are based on historical events or real characters. Davy Crockett and Johnny Appleseed are two American legendary characters.
Myths are people's attempt to understand the universe as they see it. Now we understand much of our universe, but we continue to study mythology because the ancients have given us so many fascinating stories whose characters have enriched our language and our imagination.
Legends are similar to folktales, but they are based on historical events or real characters. Davy Crockett and Johnny Appleseed are two American legendary characters.
Myths are people's attempt to understand the universe as they see it. Now we understand much of our universe, but we continue to study mythology because the ancients have given us so many fascinating stories whose characters have enriched our language and our imagination.
Major Gods and Goddesses
Realm - Greek name (Roman name) - Symbol(s)
King of gods and ruler of mankind - Zeus (Jupiter) - Thunderbolt/Eagle
God of sea, horses, and earthquakes - Poseidon (Neptune) - Trident/Horse/Bull
God of underworld - Hades (Pluto) - Helmet of invisibility
Goddess of hearth and home - Hestia (Vesta) - Fireplace/Home
Queen of gods and wife of Zeus - Hera (Juno) - Peacock/Cow
God of war - Ares (Mars) - Vulture
Goddess of wisdom, war, and weaving - Athena (Minerva) - Owl/Olive Tree
God of sun, music, poetry, and medicine - Apollo (Apollo) - Lyre/Laurel/Dolphin
God of love and beauty - Aphrodite (Venus) - Dove/Swan
Messenger god; God of commerce, travelers, and thieves - Hermes (Mercury) - Winged Sandals
Goddess of moon and hunting; Patroness of maidens - Artemis (Diana) - Bow & arrow/Deer/Cypress
God of fire; Forger of armor - Hephaestus (Vulcan) - Fire/Volcano
King of gods and ruler of mankind - Zeus (Jupiter) - Thunderbolt/Eagle
God of sea, horses, and earthquakes - Poseidon (Neptune) - Trident/Horse/Bull
God of underworld - Hades (Pluto) - Helmet of invisibility
Goddess of hearth and home - Hestia (Vesta) - Fireplace/Home
Queen of gods and wife of Zeus - Hera (Juno) - Peacock/Cow
God of war - Ares (Mars) - Vulture
Goddess of wisdom, war, and weaving - Athena (Minerva) - Owl/Olive Tree
God of sun, music, poetry, and medicine - Apollo (Apollo) - Lyre/Laurel/Dolphin
God of love and beauty - Aphrodite (Venus) - Dove/Swan
Messenger god; God of commerce, travelers, and thieves - Hermes (Mercury) - Winged Sandals
Goddess of moon and hunting; Patroness of maidens - Artemis (Diana) - Bow & arrow/Deer/Cypress
God of fire; Forger of armor - Hephaestus (Vulcan) - Fire/Volcano
MYTHOLOGY WEBQUEST
Heroes
Stories we read include the following:
Perseus - With help from the gods, Perseus is able to defeat the Gorgon Medusa. Be careful - there are many movies about this myth, you will be tested on what we READ in class not the movie's interpretation.
Theseus - To free his kingdom from a horrible penitence, Theseus volunteers to be a sacrifice. He instead gets help through the labyrinth in order to battle the Minotaur.
Jason and the Argonauts - Jason is sent on a quest to find the golden fleece in order to regain control of his kingdom from his usurper cousin Pelias. With the help of a sorceress, Medea, and the goddess Hera, Jason is able to complete impossible tasks and return victorious with the golden fleece.
Hercules - Many people are familiar with the Disney version of this story. Be aware however that the Disney version is drastically changed from the version we read. Hercules is extremely strong physically, but he also impulsively responds to his emotions. He is always very apologetic for his actions. In order to make up for a wrong he would seek out punishment. The Twelve Labors of Hercules are a result of this.
Perseus - With help from the gods, Perseus is able to defeat the Gorgon Medusa. Be careful - there are many movies about this myth, you will be tested on what we READ in class not the movie's interpretation.
Theseus - To free his kingdom from a horrible penitence, Theseus volunteers to be a sacrifice. He instead gets help through the labyrinth in order to battle the Minotaur.
Jason and the Argonauts - Jason is sent on a quest to find the golden fleece in order to regain control of his kingdom from his usurper cousin Pelias. With the help of a sorceress, Medea, and the goddess Hera, Jason is able to complete impossible tasks and return victorious with the golden fleece.
Hercules - Many people are familiar with the Disney version of this story. Be aware however that the Disney version is drastically changed from the version we read. Hercules is extremely strong physically, but he also impulsively responds to his emotions. He is always very apologetic for his actions. In order to make up for a wrong he would seek out punishment. The Twelve Labors of Hercules are a result of this.
Assignments
- Mythology Webquest
- Gods/Goddesses Chart
- Perseus Reading Questions
- Theseus Reading Questions
- Perseus & Theseus Review
- Jason Reading Questions
- Hercules Reading Questions
- Jason & Hercules Review
Vocabulary List 1
1. abhor (v) 11. pined (v)
2. ambition (n) 12. piteous (adj)
3. desolation (n) 13. quest (n)
4. elixir (n) 14. ravished (v)
5. exile (n) 15. reconciled (v)
6. expedition (n) 16. semblance (n)
7. frenzied (adj) 17. solitude (n)
8. futile (adj) 18. usurper (n)
9. invincible (adj) 19. vengeance (n)
10. oracle (n) 20. wretched (adj)
2. ambition (n) 12. piteous (adj)
3. desolation (n) 13. quest (n)
4. elixir (n) 14. ravished (v)
5. exile (n) 15. reconciled (v)
6. expedition (n) 16. semblance (n)
7. frenzied (adj) 17. solitude (n)
8. futile (adj) 18. usurper (n)
9. invincible (adj) 19. vengeance (n)
10. oracle (n) 20. wretched (adj)
Vocabulary List 2
- astonish (v) 11. impulse (n)
- conspicuously (adv) 12. ingenious (adj)
- covert (adj) 13. intervene (v)
- deliberate (adj) 14. ludicrous (adj)
- devise (v) 15. penitence (n)
- devoted (adj) 16. pestilence (n)
- divert (v) 17. plunder (v)
- embody (v) 18. respite (n)
- exonerate (v) 19. subdue (v)
- expiate (v) 20. undaunted (adj)
The Odyssey
Part One: The Wanderings of Odysseus
Book 1: A Goddess Intervenes
Part Two: The Homecoming
Book 16: Father and Son
Book 1: A Goddess Intervenes
- The poet introduces Odysseus, a successful warrior who, after conquering the city of Troy, has wandered the seas for many years. Now he wants only to return safely to his home and family.
- Odysseus has met King Alcinous and begins telling him of his adventures since leaving Troy. He relates the tale of the Lotus Eaters and his encounter with the brutal Cyclops, a son of the sea-god Poseidon. Odysseus continues to tell his tales in Books 10-12.
- Odysseus and his crew travel to the underworld, where Tiresias warns Odysseus against stealing the cattle of Helios, god of the sun. According to the prophecy, if Odysseus raids the cattle, he will lose his ship and crew and return home only after many years alone at sea.
- Odysseus and his men return to Circe's island, where she advises him on how to get past the bewitching Sirens and the horrible sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis. He successfully evades the Sirens but does not escape the monsters without losing some of his men.
Part Two: The Homecoming
Book 16: Father and Son
- Sent safely on his way by King Alcinous, Odysseus reaches Ithaca. The goddess Athena disguises him as an old man so that he may surprise the evil suitors who are courting his wife, Penelope. Odysseus greets Eumaeus, his faithful swineherd, and Telemacus, his own son, returned home after many years abroad.
- Disguised as a beggar, Odysseus returns to his home.
- Not recognizing the beggar as her husband, and weary from grief and waiting, Penelope proposes an archery contest to the suitors, with marriage to her as the prize. Still disguised as an old man, Odysseus beats them all in the contest.
- With Telemachus and Eumaeus at his side, Odysseus sheds his disguise and does battle with the suitors, showing them no mercy.
- Hardened by years of waiting, Penelope is not convinced that this man is really her husband. She tests him, playing a trick that only Odysseus would recognize. Odysseus passes the test, and husband and wife are reunited.
Assignments
- Trojan War Webquest
- Reading Questions in book
The Odyssey Interactive Timeline:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline_2/
Vocabulary List 1
- adversary (n) 11. indifferent (adj)
- appalled (v) 12. insidious (adj)
- ardor (n) 13. muster (v)
- assuage (v) 14. prodigious (adj)
- bereft (v - past tense) 15. profusion (n)
- consultation (n) 16. squall (n)
- dispatch (v) 17. surpass (v)
- embark (v) 18. teeming (adj)
- fathomless (adj) 19. valor (n)
- guile (n) 20. whim (n)
Vocabulary List 2
- anguish (n) 11. implacable (adj)
- bemusing (adj) 12. incredulity (n)
- contempt (n) 13. lithe (adj)
- contending (v) 14. maudlin (adj)
- dissemble (v) 15. renowned (adj)
- embossed (adj) 16. restitution (n)
- equity (n) 17. revulsion (n)
- folly (n) 18. shrouding (v or n)
- glowering (v) 19. suffice (v)
- impudent (adj) 20. tremulous (adj)
Vocabulary List 3
- abject (adj) 11. demeanor (n)
- abominably (adv) 12. dilapidated (adj)
- abysmal (adj) 13. disconcerting (adj)
- adversity (n) 14. foreboding (adj)
- aloof (adj) 15. harried (adj)
- archaic (adj) 16. inquisitive (adj)
- arduous (adj) 17. intuitive (adj)
- cavort (v) 18. ponderous (adj)
- condescending (adj) 19. revelry (n)
- contrition (n) 20. travail (n)
Vocabulary List 4
- adept (adj) 11. intricate (adj)
- aspire (v) 12. inundate (v)
- assimilate (v) 13. lucid (adj)
- chide (v) 14. meander (v)
- despicable (adj) 15. posthumous (adj)
- escalate (v) 16. repugnant (adj)
- exorbitant (adj) 17. sardonic (adj)
- expedient (n) 18. superfluous (adj)
- feign (v) 19. surly (adj)
- grievous (adj) 20. tenacious (adj)
The Epic
epic - long narrative poem
epic hero - a larger-than-life figure who undertakes great journeys and performs deeds requiring remarkable strength and cunning
epic setting - includes fantastic or exotic lands
archetypes - all epics include archetypes - characters, situations and images that are recognizable in many times and cultures. Examples: buried treasure, loyal servant
epic themes - reflect universal concerns. Examples: courage, homecoming, loyalty
epic hero - a larger-than-life figure who undertakes great journeys and performs deeds requiring remarkable strength and cunning
- helped and harmed by gods
- embodies ideals and values that culture considers admirable
- victorious
epic setting - includes fantastic or exotic lands
archetypes - all epics include archetypes - characters, situations and images that are recognizable in many times and cultures. Examples: buried treasure, loyal servant
epic themes - reflect universal concerns. Examples: courage, homecoming, loyalty
The Language of Homer
epic simile - a long simile (compare using like or as) - goes on for several lines
epithet - a brief descriptive phrase used to characterize a particular person or thing. Example: Odysseus is often called "raider of cities"
allusion - reference to a famous person, place, or event
epithet - a brief descriptive phrase used to characterize a particular person or thing. Example: Odysseus is often called "raider of cities"
allusion - reference to a famous person, place, or event
Create-a-myth
Myth
Deity
Create a god/goddess that has some part in your myth. You must include the following:
Another Character
Your myth should contain another character. This could be a mortal or another deity. You must include the following:
name
Creature
Your myth must also contain a creature of your own creation. You must include the following:
**Combine all of the given information into a creative and imaginative narrative (short story) that contains these elements:
Remember to include ALL of the criteria mentioned above. Your myth should be two (2) to three (3) pages in length. It should be typed, double-spaced, with Times New Roman size 12 font and one-inch margins.
**Your myth must contain a COVER PAGE including the following:
- Write a myth that explains something in nature or in life and how it came to be. Your subject can be something that has been around for a very long time or it can be something fairly new.
- OR - You may write a hero story in the style of the ones we read.
Deity
Create a god/goddess that has some part in your myth. You must include the following:
- name
- physical description
- symbol(s)
- powers
- personality/characteristics
Another Character
Your myth should contain another character. This could be a mortal or another deity. You must include the following:
name
- physical description
- symbols - if it is another deity
- powers - if it is another deity
- personality/characteristics
Creature
Your myth must also contain a creature of your own creation. You must include the following:
- name
- physical description
- personality/characteristics
**Combine all of the given information into a creative and imaginative narrative (short story) that contains these elements:
- setting
- characters
- plot
- theme/explanation
Remember to include ALL of the criteria mentioned above. Your myth should be two (2) to three (3) pages in length. It should be typed, double-spaced, with Times New Roman size 12 font and one-inch margins.
**Your myth must contain a COVER PAGE including the following:
- title
- drawing of your deity, other character, or creature (or all of them)
- your name, class period, and date
Mythology "Love Myth" Project
- Choose ONE of the assigned myths.
- Read the myth.
- Create a graphic organizer of plot.
- Explain what makes it a myth.
- Create an additional visual.
- Present to class.
- Explain why you chose that project.
Myth choices:
- Pyramus and Thisbe
- Ceyx and Alcyone
- Orpheus and Eurydice
- Pygmaion and Galatea
Mythology Final Project
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Create a board game based on some aspect of Greek mythology. This could be a game about the Greeks' concept of the Underworld, the twelve labors of Hercules, the major gods and goddesses, or The Odyssey. Note all the elements that you want to include in the game by writing a detailed rulebook, then design and produce the necessary accessories: board, cards, dice, spinners, game pieces, etc. The project will be graded on the amount of knowledge that you present, the creativity of your project, and all mechanics of good writing.
- Draw a comic strip about one of the Greek heroes and tell his story through art. Your comic strip must have a minimum of 10 frames.
- Create a PowerPoint presentation on the Olympian gods and goddesses, the Trojan War, or choose four (4) Greek myths that we have NOT studied in class. Tell what happens in each myth and what is the message or moral learned from each of them. Make a chart that shows all the information on each myth. You will have to make a bibliography of your research sources a slide on the PowerPoint. The project will be graded on the amount of knowledge that you present, the creativity of your project, and all mechanics of good writing.
- Create a newspaper that the Greeks gods might have read. You will need to include popular sections just like a real newspaper: sports, world news, local news, entertainment, comics, advice column, etc. Make sure that the contents of your newspaper reflect all of your knowledge of Greek mythology.
- You are a famous reporter and have been given an exclusive panel interview with three different Greek gods or heroes from mythology. What juicy information would your readers want to know? What questions would you want to ask? How and where would this interview take place? You are to write your interviews as a television script and do a video to be shown in class.
- Create a diorama: In a shoe box, depict what you thought was the most important scene from one of the myths we read. On a separate sheet of paper you must explain why you chose that scene and depicted it the way you did.