Jung argued that myths recur across cultures

Classical mythology analytic paper.

•4-6 pages, double-spaced

•12 pt. Times New Roman font (this is no longer MS Word’s default font!)

•1” margins

it’s vital that you understand that this is an analytic paper, NOT a research paper or book report. I actually discourage you from using outside sources/library sources. Try to base your ideas on the readings, lectures, and other course materials. The topics are deliberately open so that you can explore your own ideas within the topic to fit your interests. The topics also have some accompanying questions: you should not simply respond to all of the questions posed in the topic; they are there simply to help get your ideas turning.

The following texts are to be utilized for the essay:

•Euripides. (1990). Ten plays. (M. Hadas, Trans.). Bantam Books. [ISBN: 978-0553213638]

•Hesiod. (1993). Works and days; Theogony. (S. Lombardo, Trans.). Hackett Publishing. [ISBN: 978-0872201798]

•Homer. (2000). The essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey. (S. Lombardo, Trans.). Hackett Publishing. [ISBN: 978-0872205406]

•Ovid. (1994). The metamorphoses of Ovid. (D. Slavitt, Trans.). Johns Hopkins University Press. [ISBN: 978-0801847981]

•Sophocles. (2009). Antigone, Oedipus the king, Electra. E. Hall (Ed.). (H. D. F. Kitto, Trans.). Oxford University Press. [ISBN: 978-0199537174]

Topic to draft essay around.

Jung argued that myths recur across cultures and times because they are narrative and iconic manifestations of psychological archetypes which are themselves universal across times and cultures. Choosing a mythic pattern other than the flood story, give a narrative paradigm ( pattern) from at least two sources from our assigned readings that you think might qualify as instantiations of such an archetype. What do the stories have in common? How are they different? Account for both the similarities and the differences. Some things to consider:

•Try to think about your narrative paradigm broadly. In other words, the flood pattern is pretty specific; thinking more broadly, how might certain hero stories show similarities, even if the heroes themselves are different from one another? Is there something common to mortals and their relationships with the gods? Can you identify any consistent lessons or patterns in this human-divine relationship? What about more abstract issues, such as oracles, or infant exposure?

•Don’t forget to craft a careful and specific thesis statement around which you build your argument. This essay is not a place simply to list similarities and differences between books. Examine the issue and provide analysis to prove your central argument