Download Medieval Period

World Mythology
Dr. Jamir
2015
SEMESTER I/MIDTERM OVERVIEW
Our exam is Tues., Dec. 15 8:30-10:30am. The room assignment is A-1.
The exam will consist of two parts.
Part I will consist of the following question types: true or false, matching, multiple
choice, and short answer.
Part II will be a timed essay in which you will be asked to analyze one or more pieces of
literature we have discussed this semester.
You should bring pencil, pen, and several sheets of lined notebook paper.
World Mythology
Dr. Jamir
2015
TEST 1 GUIDE
Titles and authors
 Mythology by Edith Hamilton
(“Introduction to Classical Mythology,”
“The Trojan War,” and “The Fall of
Troy”)
 The Essential Odyssey by Homer/translated
by Stanley Lombardo
 Introduction to The Essential Odyssey by
Sheila Murnaghan
 O Brother, Where Art Thou?, dir. by the
Coen brothers
Historical figures/authors
 Homer
 Virgil
 George “Baby Face” Nelson
 Tommy or Robert Johnson
Literary terms, genres, and devices
 myth
 epic
 epic hero (=legendary hero)
 Homeric simile
 transposition
Major Places
 Ithaca
 Troy (Ilium)
 Underworld/Hades
 Oygia
 Island of the Cyclopses
 Island of the Phaecians (Scheria)
 Aeaea
 Aeolia
 the South (1930s, the Great Depression)
Some major Characters (*You should have
a more complete list in your notes.)
 Odysseus
 Alcinous
 Priam
 Penelope
 Paris
 Telemachus
 Aphrodite
 Antinous
 Hector
 Eumaeus
 Helen
 Eurycleia
 Menelaus
 Tiresias
 Agamemnon
 Ulysses Everett
McGill
 Achilles
 Pete
 Patroclus
 Delmar
 Polyphemus
 “Penny”/Penelope
 Athena
 Vernon
 Zeus
 Big Dan
 Poseidon
 Calypso
 Circe
 Nausicaa
Key Concepts
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journey
war
time
power
gender
physical appearance
status
family
loyalty vs. betrayal
secrets
disguise
cunning
storytelling
rituals
prophecy
death
World Mythology
Dr. Jamir
2015
TEST 2 GUIDE
*For Postmodernism, see the PPT posted to Aug. 18.
**For Sci-fi and Stephenson, see the PPT posted to Nov. 16. (This PPT also contains information
about Sumerian history and gods.)
Titles and Authors
 Ragnarok by A.S. Byatt
 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
 “Yellow Woman” by Leslie Marmon Silko
 excerpts on Native American mythology
 handout “Enki and Ninmah”
Literary terms, genres, and devices
 Oral tradition (orature)
 Trickster figures
 postmodernism
 transposition
 Science fiction terms (cyberpunk, etc.)
 Neo-noir
 Portmanteau
 Stylized topography
 Use of visual aids
 Acronyms
 (Intentional) misspellings
 Slang and jargon
 P.O.V.- third-person shifting
(*Sometimes, the p.o.v. gets selfreflexive/meta-fictional.)
Key Concepts
Characters from Ragnarok
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Family
Beliefs
Time/aging
War
Deception
Imagination
Nature
Apocalypse/the end of times
Language
Technology
Trickery
Privatization
Corporatization
Urbanscape/urban life
Religion
Identity and individuality
Gender
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The thin child
The thin child’s mother
The thin child’s father
Odin
Frigg
Baldur
Hodur
Hermodur
Loki
Thor
Fenris
Jormungandr
Hel
Characters from Native American pieces
 Yellow Woman
 Silva
 Coyote
 Badger
 The white man
 Wakjankaga
 Rabbit
 Bear
 Vulture
Settings
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Scandinavia
Yggdrasil
London, England
The pueblo
Los Angeles
Mesopotamia
Sumer
Reality
The Metaverse
The Raft
Port Sherman, Oregon
***Characters for Snow Crash should be in your notes.***