Download Key Elements of Mythology What I Know What I have Learned: "God

Introduction to
Greek
Mythology
Notes Packet Due Date:
Grade:
+ _______ / 75
Name: _____________________________________ Block: _________
Key Elements of
Mythology
What I Know
What I have Learned:
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"God made man, because he liked to hear a story." So say the Africans, and the rich variety of
worldwide mythology proves that God chose wisely!
Myths are stories that are based on tradition. Some may have factual origins, while others are
completely fictional. But myths are more than mere stories and they serve a more profound purpose in
ancient and modern cultures. Myths are sacred tales that explain the world and man's experience. Myths
are as relevant to us today as they were to the ancients. Myths answer timeless questions and serve as
a compass to each generation. The myths of lost paradise, for example, give people hope that by living
a virtuous life, they can earn a better life in the hereafter. The myths of a golden age give people hope
that there are great leaders who will improve their lives. The hero's quest is a model for young men and
women to follow, as they accept adult responsibilities. Some myths simply reassure, such as myths that
explain natural phenomena as the actions of gods, rather than arbitrary events of nature.
The subjects of myths reflect the universal concerns of mankind throughout history: birth, death, the
afterlife, the origin of man and the world, good and evil and the nature of man himself. A myth taps into
a universal cultural narrative, the collective wisdom of man. An excellent illustration of the universality
of these themes is that so many peoples who have had no contact with each other create myths that are
remarkably similar. So, for example, cultures worldwide, from the Middle East to the distant mountains
of South America have myths about great floods, virgin births, and the afterlife (more examples of these
archetypal themes are in the Myths & Archetypes section of the website).
Unlike fairy tales, myths are not always optimistic. True to the nature of life, the essence of myths is
such that they are as often warnings as promises; as often laments as celebrations. Many myths are
instructive and act as a guide to social norms, taking on cultural taboos such as incest, fratricide, and
greed.
Myths are also pervasive in the arts and advertising, for a very simple reason. From film to cars to
perfume, advertising uses visual metaphors to speak to us. While artists of every generation reinterpret
myths, the same basic patterns have shown up in mythology for thousands of years. A name, phrase, or
image based on a familiar myth can speak volumes to those who have been absorbing these mythic
tales since birth. When we hear the expression, "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" or when we see a
television commercial featuring a wooden horse full of soldiers, we recognize the reference to Odysseus,
who tricked the Trojans into admitting an army into their city this way.
When Jacqueline Kennedy referred to her husband's tenure as a new Camelot, we understand that she
meant it was a golden age, like that of King Arthur. When the Greek government dubbed a campaign to
rescue ethnic Greeks from behind the walls of the Iron Curtain "Operation Golden Fleece," we
understood that they were invoking an ancient name to communicate that these people belonged to
them. Each generation of storytellers adds another layer of fact and fiction to the myths, such that the
themes and characters of myths are timeless, and endlessly relevant, as they are reinvented and
reapplied to the lives of each new generation.
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Gods and Goddesses
Directions: As we read a few Greek Myths, keep track of the following Gods and Goddesses. Write
down profile/characterization information about who they are, who their wives, children, etc. are,
as well as draw a picture for memory sake.
God/Goddess
Profile
Zeus
Hera
Athena
Poseidon
Helios
Phaeton
Arachne
Minerva
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Picture
Zeus and Hera Questions
1. Outline the three generations of deities described in this story.
2. What prophecy worried Cronos?
3. Why do you think that the gods sometimes married their own brothers or sisters?
4. Why do you think Greek mythology begins with stories of gods overcoming other gods?
5. What Key Elements of Greek Mythology do you recognize in this myth?
Athena Questions
1. Why is Athena’s miracle considered better than the one Poseidon performs?
2. What valuable contributions did Athena make?
3. Conflicts:
Do you think the conflict between people is good, bad, or merely human?
4. What Key Elements of Greek Mythology are present in this myth?
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The Chariot of the Sun God
Questions
1. What kind of characteristics MUST the god of the sun have in order to perform his duties?
2. What warning does the story of the Chariot of the Sun God present to the Greek people?
3. What lessons (that’s more than one) did Helios learn from Phaeton’s death?
4. How does this myth fit in with the Key Elements of Greek Mythology?
The Weaving Contest
1. What flaws does Arachne have?
2. How do Minerva and Arachne dedicate their work to the Gods/Goddesses?
3. Why might “The Weaving Contest” be a nature myth?
4. What Key Elements of Greek Mythology are present in this myth?
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Phaeton
Arachne
Describe the lessons that
Ancient Greek children/people
would have learned from
Phaeton’s myth.
Describe the lessons that
Ancient Greek children/people
would have learned from
Arachne’s myth.
How do they
compare?
Conclusions Drawn
1. How can you briefly state the similarity between Phaeton and Arachne?
2. Why would Ancient Greeks use stories like Arachne and Phaeton to teach behavior?
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Gods/Goddesses Activity
Directions: Write an email as one of the Gods or Goddesses we have studied to another God or
Goddess we have studied. Be sure you do the following:
1. Create aunique email addresses for both your God/Goddess and the one you are writing to
(appropriate for school of course). When you do this, realize that you need to completely
become your God or Goddess. Your email address should reflect his/her personality!!!
2. Create a “Subject,” which would be like a title for your message.
3. Write to the God/Goddess you are writing to about his/her actions. Create at least one wellwritten paragraph. Write about what he/she has done, what conflicts he/she has faced,
what he/she should have done, should have learned, should tell others, etc. What you write
about is up to you, but must be focused on the God/Goddess and his/her actions from the
stories we have read. Review your notes and the story to help you.
4. Language: Be sure that you are creating a very specific “voice” for your God/Goddess. The
writing shouldn’t sound like how you speak or write. These Gods/Goddesses are not 9th
grade teenagers from Bath, NY, so you need to be sure that he/she sounds exactly like the
character. In order to do this, think about the story about the God/Goddess you are and
what kind of characterization information the myth has presented on the character. Was
the character childish? Intelligent? Wise? Helpful? Protective? Motherly? Fatherly?
5. Start by writing your rough draft below first, and then write your final copy in the email
worksheet on the next page.
Rough Copy:
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6.
To
From
Subject
Message:
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Literary Terms to Know:
Epic:
Epic Poem:
Hero Myth:
Elements of a Hero Myth:
Hero Myths: myths that show people how to behave. Heroes are role models for appropriate
values and behaviors.
Characteristics of a Hero:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Group Activity
Create a new hero (super or otherwise). On a poster, include the following:
1. Your hero’s name.
2. A picture of your hero.
3. A list of facts about why he is a hero. Use your notes on heroes here. Include all
necessary information, such as what makes him royalty, why he has been
separated from his family, what extraordinary strengths he has….)
4. Be prepared to share with the class.
Example
Whopper Jr. Burger Boy
1. Born into Royalty: Born into the royal family, Whopper.
Hence the name, Whopper Jr.
2. Separated from family: Born from the planet, Burger
King, he was orphaned from his parents after a deathly
battle against the evil “Cardiac Arrest.”
3. Unusual Abilities: Able to scarf hundreds of burgers,
without a drink, in order to save the rest of his people
from the evil “Cardiac Arrest.”
4. Extraordinary Strength: Can carry his large gut around
on his scrawny, stick legs.
5. Valuable Traits: Very kind gentleman. Fights evil in order to protect his own people.
He also displays honor and courage for avenging his parents’ deaths.
6. Kills Monsters with Special Weapons: Kills “Cardiac Arrest” with his hungry appetite.
7. Goes on a Quest/Journey: Must leave home in order to fight “Cardiac Arrest” in the
land of McDonald’s.
8. Goes to Underworld: On his travels to the land McDonald’s, Burger Boy stops in the
Underworld to ask the prophet, “Pickles,” how to best defeat his arch-nemesis.
9. Unusual death: Burger Boy does not die. He lives on, but now had diabetes.
10. Flaw or weakness: Burger Boy is awfully attracted to the frosty milkshakes, which
cause him to have brain freezes. His brain freezes put him at risk of being taken
over by “Cardiac Arrest.”
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A QUEST is…
1.
2.
a.
b.
c.
b.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.
a.
b.
c.
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
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The Trojan War
Directions: Listen the following lecture and watch movie clip of
the Trojan War. Take notes that you can use for the Unit Exam.
Lecture:
Homer (Is he the man, the myth, or the legend?):
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Regarded as the greatest poet of all time. Did he exist?
-
Wrote _________________________________________________________________
-
Popular theory is that he existed:
-
o
Born ____________________________________________________________
o
He was a bard – which means ________________________________________
o
_________________________________________________________________
He may have been a myth:
o
Theory #1: ________________________________________________________
o
Theory #2:________________________________________________________
o
Theory #3: ________________________________________________________
The Trojan War:
-
Not a real event (at least not as Homer wrote it).
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Battle between __________________________________________________________
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10 year war. ___________________________________________________________
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Greeks fought in neighboring towns to Troy, defeating them as they went.
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Death: ________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Odysseus – ____________________________________________________________
The Trojan Horse: Movie Notes
-
What was it? What did it look like?
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How did the Greeks use the horse to get into Troy’s walls?
-
Once inside Troy, how did the Greeks fight and kill the Trojans?
-
In your opinion, how successful was the Trojan Horse? Why, why not?
** We will pick up from this story here: Odysseus’s “hero quest” home.
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