World Mythology - Monday, April 7th - 2nd Period

[atreideslioness]

"We're going back around the world," Ghanima announced without preamble as the students arrived, "Back to Europe, and slightly north, past England and its stodgy weather to the madmen of Ireland.  If you need a good story, there's no better land for myth than Éire."

"Now, the mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology," she said, smiling.  "Although many of the manuscripts have failed to survive, and much more material was probably never committed to writing, there is enough remaining to enable the identification of four distinct, if overlapping, cycles: the Mythological Cycle, The Ulster Cycle, the Fenian Cycle and the Historical Cycle. There are also a number of extant mythological texts that do not fit into any of the cycles. Additionally, there are a large number of recorded folk tales that, while not strictly mythological, feature personages from one or more of these four cycles."

Hopping off her desk, Ghanima wandered up to the board to begin writing.  "The three main manuscript sources for Irish mythology are the late 11th/early 12th century Lebor na hUidre which is in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, the early 12th century Book of Leinster in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, and the Rawlinson manuscript B 502 (Rawl.), housed in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. Despite the dates of these sources, most of the material they contain predates their composition. The earliest of the prose can be dated on linguistic grounds to the 8th century, and some of the verse may be as old as the 6th century."

"Other important sources include a group of four manuscripts originating in the west of Ireland in the late 14th or early 15th century: The Yellow Book of Lecan, The Great Book of Lecan, The Book of Hy Many, and The Book of Ballymote. The first of these contains part of the earliest known version of the Táin Bó Cúailnge, or "The Driving-off of Cattle of Cooley", and is housed in Trinity College. The other three are in the Royal Academy. Other 15th century manuscripts, such as The Book of Fermoy also contain interesting materials, as do such later syncretic works such as Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (The History of Ireland) (ca. 1640), particularly as these later compilers and writers may have had access to manuscript sources that have since disappeared."

Recapping her marker triumphantly, she turned back to the class to wave it at them.  "Now!  When using these sources, it is, as always, important to question the impact of the circumstances in which they were produced. Most of the manuscripts were created by Christian monks, who may well have been torn between the desire to record their native culture and their religious hostility to pagan beliefs resulting in some of the gods being euhemerized. Many of the later sources may also have formed part of a propaganda effort designed to create a history for the people of Ireland that could bear comparison with the mythological descent of their British invaders from the founders of Rome that was promulgated by Geoffrey of Monmouth and others. There was also a tendency to rework Irish genealogies to fit into the known schema of Greek or Biblical genealogy.  When in doubt, subdue the enemy by subversion of their mythos.  If you make them into you, you have fewer problems with uprisings and the like. " 

"That, however, is another class, and one probably taught by Aly."

Turning back to the board, she began writing again.  "Now, it was once unquestioned that medieval Irish literature preserved truly ancient traditions in a form virtually unchanged through centuries of oral tradition back to the ancient Celts of Europe. Kenneth Jackson famously described the Ulster Cycle as a "window on the Iron Age", and Garret Olmsted has attempted to draw parallels between Táin Bó Cuailnge, the Ulster Cycle epic, and the iconography of the Gundestrup Cauldron. However, this "nativist" position has been challenged by "revisionist" scholars who believe that much of it was created in Christian times in deliberate imitation of the epics of classical literature that came with Latin learning. The revisionists would indicate passages apparently influenced by the Iliad in Táin Bó Cuailnge, and the existence of Togail Troi, a very early Irish adaptation of the Aeneid found in the Book of Leinster, and note that the material culture of the stories is generally closer to the time of the stories' composition than to the distant past. A consensus has emerged which encourages the critical reading of the material." 

Today, however, we are looking at one of the best known of all Irish stories, Oidheadh Clainne Lir, or The Tragedy of the Children of Lir," she said.  "The Celts often mixed heros and gods all into one big pile of mythological fun, so it can often be difficult to sort out what is myth, fairy tale, hero tale, or folklore." 

"Looking over the two handouts of the story, I'd like you to pair up and discuss why this particular story is usually classified as myth by scholars, and if you see any parallels to other myths we've studied.  Begin."

"Oh, and for those of you last week who actually turned in the homework?"  Ghanima gestured to a basket sitting on her desk.  "Please have your promised cookies.  Enjoy!"

[OOC:  Please wait for the OCD to wander by has take a seat.  Go for it!  No teal deer were harmed in the making of this production.  *headdesk*]

Comments

Sign-In

[atreideslioness]

With your most Epic icon!

Re: Sign-In

[dark_slippy_thing]

Valentine

Re: Sign-In

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt Halliwell

During the Lecture

[atreideslioness]

As you do!

Re: During the Lecture

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt didn't want to be in class, but he was there, studiously avoiding making eye contact with anyone.

Re: During the Lecture

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel was paying very careful attention to the handouts and not sneaking the occasional peek at anyone else in the class.

Re: During the Lecture

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah didn't want to be here. She wanted to be back in her room, laying down because her head was killing her.

However, she hated seeing Johnny so worried about her, so she had somehow convinced him that she was alright to go to class. Right now, though, she wasn't sure that had been such a good idea. She ached and whatever her mom had done last night had helped, but now it seemed to be wearing off and she was exhausted.

She had faltered a little when she saw Wyatt, but since the scary clothes and facial hair seemed to be gone, she had continued walking in and took her usual seat. After all, logically, she knew that it hadn't been him... but yeah.

She was trying to focus on taking notes, while every so often looking up to give glances at people to make sure they were... well, she was concerned.

Re: During the Lecture

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt risked a quick glance up at Savannah as she came in. He could tell she was hurting, which started the guilt anew.

Re: During the Lecture

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel discretely TK'd a note over to Savannah.

You guys did good. You okay?

Re: During the Lecture

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

If there was anything going on with her classmates, Hoshi was completely oblivious to it. She took lots of notes, as usual.

Re: During the Lecture

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael was paying his usual attention, even if his sister was getting rather more of it than usual.

Re: During the Lecture

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine," Isabel said.

Re: During the Lecture

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

For the most part Billy was taking notes, but he was also noticing that some of the other students seemed out of sorts."

During the Lecture: BUSTED

[atreideslioness]

"Oh for the love of..." Ghanima snapped, putting down her marker and looking at the assembled students. "That is quite enough."

"Miss Evans, Miss Levine, Mister Halliwell, and Mister Guerin! Is there something the four of you feel you should share with the rest of the class, or shall I dismiss you early today?" she asked, voice cracking like a whip through the space. "I would so hate to keep you from anything important."

Re: During the Lecture: BUSTED

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael looked back at her, unfazed.

"It is important, yeah. But I'll finish talking to my sister later."

Re: During the Lecture: BUSTED

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah flinched and then looked at the teacher guiltily. "I apologize, Ms. Altreides. Wyatt and Isabel were just telling me that after my fall from the cliff that I should have gone to the clinic and not have been stubborn enough to come to class."

She started gathering her things up. Her emotions were a little chaotic, so her head was hurting again.

"I apologize for disrupting the class and will be heading to the clinic post haste."

Isabel and Wyatt had enough issues. They didn't need to get into trouble on top of everything.

Pair Up!

[atreideslioness]

Have fun!

Re: Pair Up!

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was studying the handouts and re-reading the story. She waited for a partner, but was not actively seeking one out.

Re: Pair Up!

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael glanced around for a partner.

Talk to the TA

[atreideslioness]

Once he arrives.

Re: Talk to the TA

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

Here he is! He has not yet succumbed to senoritis.

Talk to Ghani

[atreideslioness]

For she is here for the chatting!

Re: Talk to Ghani

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"You know I have to hand it to you. Most people don't even bother to learn the mythology of other countries. And here you are knowing the mythology of an entire other planet."

OOC

[atreideslioness]

The world never ends on a Monday, it just feels like it does.

Re: OOC

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

*facepalm*

I apologize for the emo of my girl.