Dear Mythologists,
On Wednesday, October 16, we start winding down our considerations of ancient myth with the Argonautica of Apollonius (a.k.a. Jason and the Golden Fleece). Written in a different era from the Iliad and the Odyssey (four centuries after) and in a different locale (the city of Alexandria in Egypt), the Argonautica will naturally provide a different take on heroes and heroism. The poem is also a prequel of sorts to the Iliad and Odyssey, and once again shows how poets will jockey for position within the larger world of Greek myth.
Please do the following:
(1)
Read the Apollodorus handout on the Argonautic expedition, distributed
October 4. As he has done previously, Apollodorus will provide
us with a helpful overview of the entire myth and leave us free to savor
the fuller version by Apollonius.
(2) Read Argonautica books 1 and 2. As we noted when exploring Iliad
1, the first book of any epic is crucial to understanding the aims and
intentions of the author. Apollonius' book 1 is no exception.
(3)
Finally, take some notes on anything that seems relevant as you read,
and bring these notes to class. I AM GOING TO TURN THE BULK OF THE
DISCUSSION OVER TO YOU, to see what you make of this poem. After reading
Hesiod, Euripides, and Homer in terms of the "What? Why? and How?" of
myth, you ought to be able to hold an extended conversation amongst each
other about these features in Apollonius.
Please let me know if you have questions.
DC
No comments:
Post a Comment