For this discussion, please post 1-2 well-developed paragraphs on one or more of the following prompts:
Make an interesting observation or ask a question to launch or extend a conversation, focusing on this week’s assigned material. You might consider comparisons to other myths we’ve discussed previously.
There is a lot about the stories of Pandora and Persephone that modern audiences find problematic, to say the least. What is your response to these stories? Or, can you think of traditions or practices that are very normal to us now that another culture, perhaps a later one, might find just as offensive?
The god Cronus (also spelled Kronos) is associated with time. What do you make of what he does to Uranus? What might that mean, symbolically?
What do you make of the conflict between Prometheus and Zeus? Why do you think Prometheus tried to trick Zeus in the first place, and why do you think Zeus responded the way he did? How does this seem to characterize Zeus as a god?
Clearly, people have always disagreed over how Prometheus should be viewedas a forerunner to Christ or as a more Satanic figure, to summarize the early Christian controversy over this figure. How do you characterize Prometheus? Was he more savior or troublemaker?
We live in a world now in which the wilderness seems to be rapidly disappearing. To what extent do we fear the wilderness, do you think? How similar or different are our “wilderness” fears, compared to those of the ancient Greeks?
What recent films, video games, or other stories seem to borrow from one or more of the myths you read about this week? How has this more recent version revised the earlier myth, and why, do you think–how is it meant to resonate for a modern audience?
Scavenger hunt! Can you find an image or video clip of a recent use of a mythical archetype or a use of a particular god? In other words, can you show us how we’ve adapted one or more of these myths? For instance, the shoe company Nike takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of Victory. How do you think this helps them sell shoes? If you find a good clip or image, attach it to your post.