Mythogoly essay
Classics 2220 Classical Mythology
The Ohio State University | Spring 2017
Paper #3
ASSIGNMENT
The Aeneid has provoked us to wonder about fate and choice. Does Aeneas live in a fated world or a chosen world?
Wait: do we live in a fated or a chosen world?
The topic of fate and choice is not new to us in Buckeye Myth. Witness: Homer’s Achilles.
As citizens, though, the topic of fate is especially important. Here’s why: the central tasks of a citizen are collective decision-making and voting on behalf of a community’s future well-being. These are choices: we choose Yes or No, Candidate A or Candidate B.
If a citizen’s world is fated, though, then a citizen’s vote is useless.
Question: can there be citizens in a fated world?
The Aeneid provokes many other questions, but for OSU citizen-students, the challenge of fate is an important one.
In this essay, you must answer the question: what is the most important difference for citizen readers between the Iliad and the Odyssey on the one hand and the Aeneid on the other?
As part of its argument, the essay must use at least one of the following pairs of parallel passages as evidence:
the shields: Iliad 18.500-660 and Aeneid 8.790-955
the stags: Odyssey 10.p196 and Aeneid 1.255
the underworld: Odyssey 11 and Aeneid 6
the lovers: Odyssey 23 and Aeneid 4
the empathy: Iliad 24 and Aeneid 12
To develop your argument, think about the observations, provocations, and inspirations we’ve discussed in class. The essay must state its thesis in a short introductory paragraph, followed by a few body paragraphs actually making the argument. As part of its evidence the essay must cite at least one of the pairs of passages above as well as at least three other specific passages from the Iliad, the Odyssey, or the Aeneid. Cite the Iliad with book number and line number (18.500), the Odyssey with book number and page number (10.196), and the Aeneid with book number and line number (8.790). Papers may only use the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid as evidence. Further details in the rubric are below.
Assigned: Fri. Apr. 14.
DUE: Thu. Apr. 27 by 8pm in Carmen’s Dropbox, as a Microsoft Word doc or a pdf.
Penalty for late papers: 1 point per 24 hour period
Option to Collaborate: For this paper, students may collaborate with one classmate to prepare, compose, and turn in one paper. To do this, each student must still turn in his/her copy on Dropbox on-time, but should indicate both their own and their partner’s name on the subject line. For example: “A Necessary Iliad by Margaret MacGregor and Bill Veith”. Each student will receive the same grade, but feedback will be provided only to one of the partners. Students who collaborate with more than one partner will receive a zero.
RUBRIC
Formatting & Length
_____ / 1 Is the paper appropriately formatted?
12-point, Times New Roman font in black
1.5 spacing
1 inch margins
_____ / 1 Is the paper the appropriate length?
1 page
The student’s name and essay title should be on the first line, and the essay itself should start on the second; no additional space should be taken up with headers, dates, etc.
Anything over the page limit will not be considered part of the essay.
Thesis
_____ / 3 Does the thesis
adequately answer the question posed in the assignment,
provide a sufficient reason for that position,
and provide a mini outline of the points the essay will make to argue the thesis?
Supporting Paragraphs
_____ / 2 Argument: do the supporting paragraphs sufficiently argue the thesis?
_____ / 2 Evidence: does the essay use sufficient evidence from the texts, and cite it correctly, to support the argument?
Grammar & Other Mechanics of Writing
_____ / 1 Does the essay use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and is the prose clear?
TOTAL __________ / 10
