Classics 15
Second Paper

Length: 5 to 6 printed, double-spaced pages

Date due: Wednesday, December 14

Choose ONE of the following topics. Your paper must include substantial material from the latter part of this course.

1. Monsters. Compare and contrast the various monsters which gods/goddesses and heroes/heroines have to contend with. Try to find significant patterns and significant departures from the usual patterns.  

2. Cannibalism. Neither the Greeks nor the Romans were cannibals, as far as we know, yet cannibalism is a frequent motif in Greco-Roman myths. Discuss myths in which humans or gods are ingested, look for patterns, and speculate on why such stories became part of the tradition.

3. Parents and Children. In a surprising number of Greek and Roman hero-myths, the relations between parent and child are distorted, strained, or bizarrely transformed. Discuss various myths and try to point out interesting and significant patterns.

4. Exile. Heroes and heroines often must undergo a period of exile from their place of birth. The circumstances of this exile vary quite a lot. Discuss various myths and the variations which they display.

If you wish to propose your own topic, you must submit a written proposal to the instructor no later than Wednesday, November 30.

Be sure to:

• Number the pages of your paper.
• Give your paper a clear specific title (i.e., not just "Myth Paper").
• Staple the pages of your paper.
• Proofread the paper carefully.