Academic Catalogs

ENGL A176: World Mythology

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Top Code 150300 - Comparative Literature
Units 3 Total Units 
Hours 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Course Credit Status Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee No
Basic Skills Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable No
Grading Policy Standard Letter (S), 
  • Pass/No Pass (B)
Associate Arts Local General Education (GE)
  • OC Humanities - AA (OC1)
Associate Science Local General Education (GE)
  • OCC Humanities - AS (OSC2)
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
  • Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)
  • CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

Read, analyze, and write on myths and the literature based on mythic traditions. Examine the philosophical, cultural, mythic, religious, and/or historical elements related to these texts. Formulate and produce written analysis of assigned work. Enrollment Limitation: ENGL A176H; students who complete ENGL A176 may not enroll in or receive credit for ENGL A176H. ADVISORY: ENGL C1000. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Explain significant historical, philosophical, cultural and aesthetic influences of mythic literature, including defining traits and major themes.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Read and demonstrate an understanding of no fewer than 4 long works of mythic literature, supplemented by either more long works or enough shorter works or excerpts of works to constitute an introductory survey course.
  • 2. Identify and examine the philosophical, cultural, mythic, religious, and/or historical elements that are represented in mythic literature or that provide a background context for mythic literature.
  • 3. Learn to read closely in order to recognize and interpret the literary devices and writing styles evident in individual texts of mythic literature. Appreciate how these elements make each work a representation of an individual authors artistic sensibility, of a particular set of circumstances, and/or of a larger group of literature.
  • 4. Examine the influence of different gender, economic, cultural, racial, and/or ethnic groups on mythic literature.
  • 5. Recognize how individual works of mythic literature reflect and comment on moral, social, and aesthetic issues.

Lecture Content

Definition of Myth: Stories that explain the unexplainable and cause the reader to question: Who am I. What do I believe. How Should I live my life. Functions of Myth:      Mystical – Transcendence Sociological – Maintain Social Order  Pedagogical – Teach, Guide  Cosmological – Adapt to cosmological changes  Kinds of Myths:           Creation Myths  Hero Myths  Fertility Myths  Forms of Myths:          Primitive Fiction  Drama  History  Ritual  Religion  Science  Principle Archetypes:   Hero  Anti-Hero  Shadow  Trickster  Mythic Theories:           Hesiod, Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell  Representative Myths in relation to literary themes, devices, types and forms in  Relation to contemporary Literature:  Middle East  Greece and Rome  British Isles and Northern Europe Other Selected Regions

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Lecture (02)
  • DE Live Online Lecture (02S)

Instructional Techniques

Lecture and application of ideas, discussion, instructor feedback on written papers and discussion, peer feedback.

Reading Assignments

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Writing Assignments

Write a minimum of 3000 words (15 pages, 12 pt. double.spaced typed) about mythic literature: (a) a minimum of 2000 words (10 pages) of the writing must  be in the form of  analytical  essays,  (b) the other writings may be in the form of tests requiring primarily short and/or long essay responses, journal writings, creative modeling of the literature, written notes outlining oral presentations, written scripts for film/video presentations, or other types of writings that demonstrate an understanding of the literature.

Out-of-class Assignments

.

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Written essays and examinations.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Write a minimum of 3000 words (15 pages, 12 pt. double.spaced typed) about mythic literature: (a) a minimum of 2000 words (10 pages) of the writing must  be in the form of  analytical  essays,  (b) the other writings may be in the form of tests requiring primarily short and/or long essay responses, journal writings, creative modeling of the literature, written notes outlining oral presentations, written scripts for film/video presentations, or other types of writings that demonstrate an understanding of the literature.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Rosenberg, Donna. World Mythology, 3rd ed. Illinois: NTC Publishing Group, 2003 Rationale: -

Other Resources

1. Translations: Anonymous, The Epic of Gilgamesh Homer, The Illiad and The Odyssey Virgil, The Aeneid Other representative world myths