ENG 220-GA: Mythology and Folklore, CRN 42932 Brian T.

Murphy
Monday/Wednesday, 11:00 AM–12:15 PM, Bradley Hall, Y-16
G-249 Mon./Wed. 9:45–10:45 AM
Spring 2024 516-572-7718
[email protected]

FINAL PROJECT/RESEARCH PAPER

Due in stages (see below)

Students will complete either an independent creative or scholarly project (topic 4, below) or a traditional
research essay of at least five to seven pages (1250-1500 words minimum), correctly documented utilizing MLA
format, with a Works Cited page (Works Cited and cover page, if used, do not count toward the five- to seven-
page requirement). The paper must be argumentative (persuasive), with a clear, explicit, and assertive thesis
statement, and must use a minimum of five to seven sources, up to three primary sources and a minimum of
three to five secondary sources. Secondary sources must be scholarly criticism or analysis, not summaries,
reviews, or “analysis” from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com;
instead, use the library resources, including the ENG 220 LibGuide and available electronic databases
such as Academic Search Complete, Gale Literature, Literature Resource Center, Bloom’s Literary Reference,
Literature Criticism Online, Humanities Source, Project MUSE—Standard Collection, MagillOnLiterature Plus,
and JSTOR Arts & Sciences I Current Collection to locate appropriate sources. To access the databases from
home, click on the individual database link. Then, when prompted, enter your username (N #) and password
(PIN). Essays must contain quotations from or other references to your sources, and these references should be
used to support your assertions about the text; you must include at least one short quotation, one long—block—
quotation, and one paraphrase, and these sources must be properly documented (utilizing MLA format), and
integrated into your writing smoothly and correctly.

Please refer to the following as well, all online:

Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Incorporating Sources (class handout)
Class Plagiarism Policy (on syllabus), as well as the Nassau Community College policy on Academic
Dishonesty & Plagiarism.
You might also find the following additional resources useful:
Works Cited page (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Avoiding Plagiarism (Houghton-Mifflin web site)
Practice Incorporating Sources into Your Work (Houghton-Mifflin web site)
MLA format (Purdue Online Writing Lab)

Proposal/Topic Selection and Preliminary Thesis: Due Wednesday, 21 February

Whether you are writing a traditional research paper or an alternative final project, you must establish a plan
and a clear thesis before you can begin to put together a focused, well-organized, and purposeful product.
Therefore, as your first step in the assignment, you must develop and submit a clear, well-written, one-page
explanation of the topic you have chosen, your reason for the selection, your focus and opinion, and a clear,
well-written, explicit, and assertive preliminary thesis. This proposal may also include a preliminary idea of the
plan of the paper, its intention or research question. Note: Choose your topic carefully. You will not be allowed
to change your topic once you have made your selection, although you may change your position on the
particular issue and will, presumably, modify your thesis during the process of research and writing. *Note:
Students must obtain prior approval for independent topics; speak to me before or after class or email me to set
up an appointment during my office hours.
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Your proposal must take the following form:
Topic: the specific topic selected from the list provided or one you have developed in consultation with the
instructor.
Rationale: why you have chosen to research and write about this particular topic.
Focus: a narrowed form of the subject, and the issue or debate involved.
Opinion: your subjective opinion on the debate or issue.
Thesis: your opinion, worded objectively.
For example:
Topic: W. B. Yeats’ The Death of Cuchulain
Rationale: We read about Cuchulain in Prof. Anderson’s History of Ireland class last year, and she
mentioned Yeats’ use of Celtic mythology, so I’m curious about it.
Focus: How does Yeats use Irish legends in Cuchulain, and why? What is his intent?
Opinion: I think that Yeats wants to rekindle an interest in Irish tradition and mythology, which were being
ignored in favor of English versions.
Preliminary Thesis: In The Death of Cuchulain, Yeats rewrites Irish legend in order to emphasize the
richness of his native tradition, as a reaction against English dominance in art, politics, and religion.

Topic Choices:

1) Analysis of Another Culture’s Myths/Legends:

Research a body of cultural myths or folklore that we have not extensively covered, perhaps related to
aspects of your personal heritage (for example, African myths, Celtic myths, Italian folklore, Caribbean
legends, Latin American myths, Native American mythology, et cetera). Then narrow and focus your topic
more closely on a specific region or culture and an aspect of cultural myth that interests you. You may
consider focusing on how one culture treats one or more of the following, or on how two cultures
contrast in their versions of them:
Cosmogony and Creation Myths
Flood Narratives
Trickster Tales
Hero Tales and the Heroic Quest
Ragnarök and Apocalypse
For example, you might research how the West African Anansi (trickster spider) stories were brought to and
adapted in the Caribbean. Or you might want to compare African or Afro-Caribbean Anansi Spider stories
with Native American Spider Woman stories or Native American Coyote stories.

Note: If your midterm project was on the same subject, you may not merely submit a revised or expanded
version of your previous work. Instead, you must either select a completely different topic from those listed
below, choose a new, different culture than before, or discuss a different set of myths or legends from the
previous culture. For example, if you previously wrote on the Yoruba creation myth for your midterm
project, you could now focus on Legba, also known as Eshu, the Trickster figure in Yoruba mythology.

2) Case Study of Folklore, Kindermärchen, or Fairy Tales:

Based on the example of the Cinderella Packet, develop an analysis of a folktale, fairy tale, or motif—
other than Cinderella—that exists in multiple versions; for example, Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and
the Beast (including Cupid and Psyche), The Mermaid Wife, Changelings and Fairy Abductions, and others.
Consider the way in which the various versions of the story present a society and its cultural values
and beliefs. What purpose and/or effect do these values and beliefs have, and how do these represent
or reflect the texts’ socio-cultural milieu?

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3) Analysis of Adaptation(s):
Many myths, legends, or fairy tales, in addition to those discussed in class, have been adapted into modern
short stories, novels, plays, even films or graphic novels. Others have been adapted in a manner more free
than that employed for those listed above. These adaptations are generally less “faithful” to the text,
essentially involving a radical transformation or expansion or a complete revision of the original, often
including a shift in setting, both time and place. (Consider Amy Heckerling’s Clueless and its radical,
Suzanne Ferriss might say reactionary revision of Jane Austen’s Emma as an example of this kind of
treatment.) Choose one such text and analyze at least two different modern revisions or adaptations.
How does the modern revision alter or adapt the ancient text, and to what end? That is, not only how
are the texts different, but why? How does each version adapt, revise, or alter the story? What is
changed or left out, and why? How do all of these individual changes contribute to a different
interpretation of the text; that is, what is the significant difference between the versions? And, finally,
how does the socio-cultural milieu of each film inform these differences? See The Compare-Contrast
Essay: High School versus College (as both .docx and .pdf) on the class page in Brightspace, under Readings
and Handouts. Some suggested works (see me if you have others in mind):

• [Anonymous.] Ballads, such as the 13th-century Swedish “Töres döttrar i Wänge,”:

Adapted as Ingmar Bergman’s Jungfrukällan, a.k.a. The Virgin Spring, 1960
Adapted by Wes Craven as Last House on the Left, 1972 (Seriously! See here, for example. See also,
Dennis Iliadis’s remake of The Last House on the Left, 2009).

• Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica, or, The Voyage of the Argo:

Graves, Robert. The Golden Fleece (1944 UK version; aka Hercules, My Shipmate, 1945 US version)
Riordan, Rick. The Sea of Monsters (2006)
Treece, Henry. Jason (1961)
Several film versions, including the classic Jason and the Argonauts (aka Jason and the Golden Fleece)
with effects by Ray Harryhausen, the not-so-classic made-for-television 2000 remake, and (I kid you not)
a 1968 Soviet musical version.

• Beowulf :
Crichton, Michael. Eaters of the Dead, filmed as The 13th Warrior
Gardner, John. Grendel, filmed as the animated Australian Grendel, Grendel, Grendel
Headley, Maria Dahvana. The Mere Wife.
Hinds, Gareth, adapt. and illus. Beowulf [graphic novel]. Cambridge, MA: Candelwick P, 2007.
Weinersmith, Zach, and Boulet. Bea Wolf. [graphic novel for middle-grade readers]. First Second, 2023.
Several other film versions, including the 2007 version and the vaguely futuristic 1999 science fiction
version

• Homer, The Iliad and related tales:

Shanower, Eric. Age of Bronze, Vol. 1: A Thousand Ships. Orange, CA: Image Comics, 2001. (originally
published as Age of Bronze issues 1-9).
---. Age of Bronze, Vol. 2: Sacrifice. Orange, CA: Image Comics, 2005. (originally published as Age of
Bronze issues 10-19).
---. Age of Bronze, Vol. 3 A and B: Betrayal, Parts 1 and 2. Orange, CA: Image Comics, 2007. (originally
published as Age of Bronze issues 20-26, 27-33).
Morrow, James. “Arms and the Woman.” Bible Stories for Adults. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1996. 215-
243.
Numerous movies about the Trojan War

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• Homer, The Odyssey and related tales:
Atwood, Margaret. The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus
Joyce, James. Ulysses.
Lob, and Georges Pichard. Heavy Metal Presents Ulysses.
Georges Méliès 1905 L'île de Calypso: Ulysse et le géant Polyphème
Joel and Ethan Coen’s O Brother, Where Art Thou?

• Ovid, Metamorphoses and Classical Mythology:

Philips, Marie. Gods Behaving Badly. Boston: Little Brown, 2007.
Terry, Philip, ed. Ovid Metamorphosed. London: Vintage, 2001.
Numerous film adaptations of individual myths and legends, ranging from Walt Disney’s The Goddess of
Spring (1934) and the classic Black Orpheus (1959) to Clash of the Titans (1981 and 2010).

• Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur and Arthurian Legends

Too many literary and cinematic adaptions to mention, including about 100 film versions, including
George Romero’s classic (camp) 1981 Knightriders.

• Folklore, Kinder- and Hausmärchen, and Fairy Tales:

Adaptations too numerous to mention, including “Little Red Riding Hood” adapted as Red Riding Hood
(2011) or Angela Carter’s “The Company of Wolves“ in The Bloody Chamber, adapted as a radio play and
then filmed as The Company of Wolves.

4) A topic of your own.

If you wish to write on a topic other than those listed above, or to develop an alternative project (An
illustrated book of Sumerian myths for children?* An animated version, with commentary, of creation as
depicted in the Rig Veda?), you must obtain approval at least one full week in advance of the
Proposal/Topic Selection due date. You must discuss with me your proposed project, its scope, and your
plans; please speak to me before or after class or email me to set up an appointment during my office hours.
*On adaptations for children, see for example D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths and D'Aulaires' Book of
Norse Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, Treasury of Egyptian Mythology: Classic Stories
of Gods, Goddesses, Monsters & Mortals by Donna Napoli and Christina Balit, My First Mythology Tale:
Mahabharata, Krishna, Hanuman, Ganesha, and Ramayana (5 vols. illustrated) from Maple Press, and The
Iliad and The Odyssey by Gillian Cross, illustrated by Neil Packer

Please feel free to communicate any concerns or questions to me; I will be available to meet with any
student who needs assistance or additional instruction.

Annotated Preliminary Bibliography: Due Wednesday, 27 March

You must submit an annotated preliminary bibliography with a minimum of five to seven sources, correctly
cited according to MLA style. This may include up to three primary sources and a minimum of three to five
secondary sources; secondary sources must be scholarly criticism or analysis, not summaries, reviews, or
“analysis” from sites such as e-Notes, SparkNotes, Wikipedia*, 123HelpMe, or Gradesaver.com; instead, use
the library resources, including the available electronic databases mentioned above, as well as Academic Search
Complete, InfoTrac General OneFile, Lexis-Nexis Academic, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Points of View
Reference Center, and CQ Researcher, to locate appropriate sources. To access the databases from home, click
on the individual database link. Then, when prompted, enter your username (N #) and password (PIN). You
may also utilize MRQE.com, The Movie Review Query Engine, but be sure to select only professional, reliable
reviews: New York Times? Probably okay. JoBlo's Movie Emporium? Not so much.

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In addition to a correct citation for each source, you must include a description or summary of the source, at
least one paragraph long, and an explanation of how you foresee incorporating it into your essay. For additional
information on Annotated Bibliographies, see the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)’s Annotated
Bibliographies, as well as “Sample Annotated Bibliography” and “Class and Gender in Cinderella: Annotated
Bibliography.”

Preliminary Draft: Due Monday, 22 April

A finished, typed draft of the completed research essay must be submitted for review, evaluation, and
comments. This should be a complete draft of your research essay, five to seven pages (1250-1500 words
minimum) including a Works Cited page, using a minimum of five to seven sources, including at least three to
five secondary sources This draft is worth 5% of your final grade; failure to bring the required essay will result
in a zero for the assignment.
Note: You do not need to submit the folder containing copies of your sources at this time.

Presentations: Wednesday, 8 May through Monday, 20 May (as needed)

Students will present to the class a summary and explanation of their final project or research essay. Each
presentation must be five to ten minutes long, and, ideally, open-ended, leading into class discussions with
questions, major themes, or topics for further thought. Handouts, visual aids, or multi-media presentations are
not required, but certainly allowed. You must be present on the day you have signed up for to give your
presentation.

Research Paper: Due Monday, 13 May

The final research essay must be submitted, in its folder with all supporting materials: photocopies or
printouts of all sources, Topic Selection and Preliminary Thesis, Annotated Preliminary Bibliography,
Preliminary Draft, outline–if you have completed one–and any other related materials. Be sure to print
out or photocopy all secondary sources, and highlight all relevant passages, whether quoted,
paraphrased, or summarized. Failure to submit a complete folder according to these instructions will be
grounds for failure on the assignment. In addition, plagiarism, either in whole or in part, will result in
automatic failure (a grade of zero) for the assignment. You must also submit a copy via TurnItIn.com.
Failure to submit the complete folder on the due date will result in a zero for the assignment.

ENG220 Final Project.pdf Last Revised Wednesday, January 31, 2024