1.) Write two myths dealing with heroes.
If you pick this set of tales, you will be writing two stories about heroes (a term that includes divinities who act heroically, heroeswho are partially divine or even heroes who are totally human – and do not forget the tricksters). If you decide on this choice for your paper, the guidelines that follow are a bit different: you may pick two heroes we have studied in this class OR you may invent two of your own heroes
This is what you need to consider first:
Heroes often have character traits that are larger than life. Both their flaws and strengths may be beyond those of ordinary folks. Heroes also go on quests – to fulfill their destiny/find a treasure/learn answers to questions/rescue others from danger – the reasons depend on the hero/context/function of the tale. Heroes may or may not survive at the end, and they may even resort to magic or trickery if it helps them succeed. These are some of the lessons we have learned – keep these lessons in mind.
*IF you choose to write about two heroes we have already studied, you MUST keep their character/nature/cultural background EXACTLY as it has been depicted in the tales. You cannot change THEM – in other words, you cannot give Thor the wisdom to learn from his own failures if he is one of your choices. What you MUST change, however, is the context – bring your two heroes out of the time/place from which they came and into the 21st century. They will still have the heroic nature and characteristics from the past, but you are setting them far outside their “comfort zone” to do whatever you have called them to do.
What sort of task or quest will you give them? How will they behave and why? You will weave these two tales, from beginning to the end, keeping in mind that your hero’s lack of familiarity with our world and our ways may present some interesting challenges. Each tale is to be approx. 3 pages long.
*IF, on the other hand, you choose to invent two heroes of your own, you will create those characters according to the type of heroic figure you intend them to represent. THEN…you will transport each character back to a specific time/place and civilization that we have already studied. You are NOT setting the stage in this case – you are inserting into an actual context and culture a figure from a totally different reality. You will need to be clear about where/when that is, as long as it comes from the material for this class. Your heroes will each then have to deal with existing circumstances, beliefs, peoples, etc. They may be outside their own “comfort zone” because you have created them and then placed them in that spot.
What will they do there? How will they demonstrate their heroic qualities and fulfill their duties as heroes? Will their behaviors be understood by those around them? Will they be acknowledged as heroic?
Remember that each one of them will be in a separate tale – each tale is to be at least 3 pages long, with a beginning, middle and end that fits with the theme you have chosen.
