The Nature of Myth:

• go to Powell's web site (Ch. 1): click here (pay attention to the terms at the back of the chapters)

Creation Myths

• basic questions for the initial creation (not applicable to all):
  • Who are the original beings and what is the primary matter in the account?
  • How or by what mechanism does creation occur?
  • Who is the creator and what is the nature of the world that was created?
  • How are the other deities created?
  • What questions does the story answer and on what occasions is the story told or retold?
• basic questions for the creation of mortals (not applicable to all):
  • Who is the creator of humans?
  • How or by what mechanism does creation occur?
  • What material(s) is(are) used in the creation of humans?
  • How are humans different from other animals?
  • Why are humans created (i.e. what role/purpose do they play in creation)?
  • What questions does the story answer?
  • Flood myth: why, who survived?
• know the following:
  • Dogon: Amma, Jackal, Nummo, Earth
  • Norse: Niflheim, Ginnungagap, Muspelheim, Ymer (or Ymir), Odin, Vili, Ve
  • Greek: Chaos, Gaea, Eros, Uranus, Titans, Cronus, Rhea, Cyclopes, sickle, Aphrodite, Giants, Erinyes, Zeus, Typhoeus, Prometheus, Epimetheus, Pandora, Deucalion, Pyrrha, Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days. Powell's web site, Ch 4: click here & Ch 5: click here
  • Iroquois: Sky woman, the sorcerer, Waterfowl, Beaver, Turtle, Sky woman's daughter, Bud, Sapling
  • Mesopotamian: Tiamut, Apsu, Ea, Marduk. Powell's web site, Ch 4: click here
  • Hindu: Brahma, Narayan(a), Boar form, kalpa (term)
  • Hebrew: God, Adam, Eve, Serpent
  • Mayan: Sovereign Plumed Serpent (also called Heart of the Sea and associated with Maker, Modeler, Bearer, Begetter), Heart of Sky (also called Hurricane)
  • Big Bang: Singularity, vacuum, explosion/inflation, light (later microwaves), crystals, darkness, matter

Myths of the "Olympian" gods: Zeus, ... (Powell, Ch 6)

• Key Names & Terms: Zeus, aegis, xenia, Moerae, Graces, Ganymede, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, anthropomorphism, Qo-wi-ja, animals/powers associated with Zeus, Hera, & Poseidon
• go to Powell's web site (Ch 6): click here (pay attention to the terms at the back of the chapters)

Myths of the Olympian gods: Male Deities

• Powell, Chapter 7
  • Key Names & Terms:
    • birth: Leto, Hera, Zeus, Delos, Apollo
    • oracle: Telephusa, Delphi, Pytho, Pythia
    • loves: Cassandra, Sibyl at Cumae, Daphnê, Coronis, Asclepius
  • Powell's web site (Ch 7): click here

Possible Essay Questions

Source material for all three prompts: Ch 2 from Leonard, Ch 4-7 from Powell, pdf for Norse.

• Prompt: We recently covered in class how myths share some similarities with science, with history, and with "social contracts." For 2-3 of the myths relating to the creation of humans which we have covered in class, demonstrate how the myths could be considered "social contracts" for that time and place [exclude marriage of Zeus & Hera and marriage of Deucalion and Pyrrha since these were covered in Paper 1.].


• Prompt: We recently covered in class how myths share some similarities with science, with history, and with "social contracts." For 2-3 of the myths relating to the creation of humans which we have covered in class, demonstrate how the myths could be considered "good science" for that time and place.


• Prompt: Examine the relationship between humanity and the 'gods' in the three of the creation myths covered in Powell and Leonard's books. [FYI: make sure you cover three different cultures; make sure you use examples from both Powell and Leonard and the pdf if covering the Norse myth]