STATE YOUR THESIS OR KEY QUESTION * APPLY RELEVANT THEORIES/METHODS * EXAMINE/COMPARE CASE STUDIES * REVEAL SIMILARITIES/DIFFERENCES OR PATTERNS/VARIATIONS * SHARE (insightful) CONCLUSIONS
Technical requirements:
* 12 double-spaced pages, Time 12 font, Word file, 1-page Notes/References + 1 page Bibliography (must contain articles and books; and only 2-3 academic website, if necessary. A paper without a relevant Bibliography or websites only cannot be accepted). The key ideas and your conclusions must be highlighted in boldface.
The project proposal is structured around three main thematic areas
Universal Archetypes and Themes: The first aspect of the research involves a detailed study of the archetypes and the themes which are found in the hero’s journeys across different cultural settings. With reference to Joseph Campbell’s monomyth, the study intends to explore and identify common themes, including the call to adventure, the crossings of thresholds, trials and challenges, and eventually, the hero’s transformation. Through studying the archetypal elements of folktales from various cultural settings, the study seeks to identify those base human experiences and values that are common to all.
Types of Heroic Stories: The second thematic area focuses on identifying various kinds of heroic stories from folklore such as epics, legends, and myths. Every type of story depicts a specific cultural vision and the society’s attitude towards heroism and human existence, unveiling how people perceive these concepts. By using comparative analysis of these stories, this research aims to uncover the different ways in which heroes are shown, praised, and respected within different cultural backgrounds.
Cultural Significance of Mythological Creatures: The study’s third part focuses on cultural significance of mythological creatures which acted as central characters in the folktales. Generally, such creatures concretize the cultural anxieties, beliefs, and expectations as well as being the very symbols that are admired by people old and young alike. Through the examination of how different cultural contexts present and interpret mythical creatures, the research intends to discover the hidden cultural patterns and values which are the basis of these narratives
Content requirements:
(1) You must deliver a comparative paper on the topic approved by the Instructor, and based on your earlier submitted proposal.
(2) Choose three most relevant case studies (myth or folklore related stories, media including); each should be from three cultures/traditions.
Suggestion: select one familiar to you or from your heritage, another from the culture you want to know more about; and the third from the English-speaking narrative world as the most transcultural and widespread storytelling media these days. This way you can cover the dear/familiar, the intriguing/unfamiliar and the language of the global (media) communication.
(3) Make sure you have the clear Conclusions, which stem from your comparative analysis.
NB! Requirements — mandatory: three sections or layers
* 1/3 of the course paper must be based on the application of the theories and ideas of this course: choose the most relevant, interesting to you, or methodologically useful for you analysis.
* 1/3 of the paper must bring in theories and ideas from any other reliable academic sources, which you must also effectively employ in your analysis. (Recommended: the sources I prioritize; or any other you discover on your own. Note: great books cannot be “dated” — the earlier studies may be more profound than the recent ones).
* The final 1/3 must be your own findings and conclusions — your input as a researcher, potentially your published article or Master’s thesis). See below the “best practices” to enhance your own contribution.
