Journal Entry #2
Monday, September 3, 9:30 p.m.–-11:30 p.m.
I spent these hours going over some things that I missed on the previous quiz. I missed the one of how Oedipus gouged out his eyes with his mother’s/ wife’s hair pin. It is hard to understand how some one could gouge out their eyes due to a grave misfortune. I know it sound weird but wouldn’t not physically hurting yourself make you feel better than when you do. Just food for thought. I also missed the question where he asked who came to Oedipus asking for advice due to the current state of Thebes. It is interesting to see that a priest would consult a king, instead of an oracle, who have the “almighty” gods speak through them. Oedipus’s status to his people must have been at the god-like level if priests were asking for his advice.
I also reread the two stories and it helped me gain a little more insight into the common ground works in the stories. The Narcissus and Echo story and Oedipus Tyrannus are more similar than I thought originally. They both have a reveal of some kind that leads to their downfall and death. Also, they are both confident and headstrong men that did not brag about themselves.
1.) According to the author, what is Classical Mythology?
2.) Do you agree with her reasons for studying classical myths in the 21st century (pp.33–35)?
The reading of Classical Mythology in Context and the questions took up most of my time. I based these question above off my own opinion. I gave my definition of classical mythology and the reasons for studying classical myths in the 21st century. Classical mythology is a collection of myths/stories from the ancient Greeks and Romans that are a point of interpretation. The reception of these myths change due to the times. Also, this is also a reason for studying classical mythology in the 21st century. The experiences in the texts hold a sort of resemblance and impact in are daily activities. Like going to church, preparing dinner, prayer, and social bonding. You could say that most of our activities are because of the texts that have been passed down through the generations. And we, as humans, interpreted the features of the story into our own liking and also while unconsciously going about in our daily lives utilizing them as need fit.
Tuesday, September 4, 11:10 a.m. — 12:30 p.m.
During this class period, Mr. Sandridge posed a question: “ How do we ( or should we) experience/ participate in stories and myths ( beyond just hearing/ reading/ seeing them)? As we began with the Easter story, it was interesting how many of the things we do on a regular basis and on occasions have ties to stories and myth. What really got my attention was the fact that many of the experiences in these stories and myths have become a tradition/ way of life for us. I was thinking how many of us unconsciously reenact many stories in things we do. For example, prepare food for dinner. In class, we related this to the Pilgrims and Indians Thanksgiving dinner. Although, I failed to see how they were related because family dinner is between families. They know each other and have family tie that people who lived in two different worlds could only hope to have. Also, most families may prepare dinner together or may not. And they may eat together or not. This not nearly as clear cut as the Thanksgiving dinner of the Pilgrims and Indians. Although, I did see how dinner was a collaboration of people. (Additionally, I did not know how Thanksgiving was a secular holiday, until this class discussion.)
We ventured into talks about Star Wars knowing that they always leads to hilarious tangents of opinions, idea, and questions. Anyway as we discussed cosplay, conventions, and interactives of Star Wars. I remember Mr. Sandridge saying that “ these three features allow people to be able to imagine and live the story of Star Wars in real life situation. It surprised me how greatly stories impact the minds of both young and old people to put on costumes to attend conventions that interact with them on a physical level. Is there some key element of stories that elicit these significant responses by people? Additionally, is that why a student of his waited until May 4th ( Star Wars Day) to get his license and even based the license number of Star Wars. I did not know that May 4th has such a significance.
As we talked about the Trojan War Cycle, Sandridge made clear that many wars written by poets and artist( for example Hiroatas wrote about the Greek and Persian War, had to reference to some point in the Trojan War. It is because the Trojan war was a common point of foundations for works and stories/myths at the time. That is why works written at the time of the Trojan War usually mentions some aspect of the Trojan War. The Trojan War was like how we date history from B.C. to A.D. Although just for this time period.
The Trojan War started with the marriage between a god and a mortal. I’ve always wondered what “gods” were back in these times. Were they people with high status, animals, nature, etc. Or were the gods actually used to explain occurrences rather than having a actual form. Or maybe they were actually real in those times. Achilles was a demi-god. And I believe his title was because of his very form and possibly the way he carried himself on a daily basis. And one of his parents actually was made out to be a god while the other was a person of low status that no one knew before the marriage. Later, leading to the birth of Achilles. Additionally, when Eris, the goddess of discord, was not invited to the wedding. It made me think of how people tend not to invite exes and people who they know will disrupt to their wedding. And it occurred to me that this action by the wedding couple may have been modeled after stories/myths similar to this. And the results which is the ex, in this case Eris, crashing the wedding. And its ironic that many movies and tv shows have this happening a lot. Although in real life, this very rarely happens.
Mr. Sandridge gives the term “nostalia”, which is the longing to go home. As Odysseus longs to go home after the battle of Ithaca. It was very obvious that Odysseus would be taking the long journey home, even though the seer gave him two fates. Although one was far more prevalent to occur than the other. I kept asking myself in class, why is this so?” But I could not understand why. I kept reasoning that is used to draw in the reader, but that could not be right. Because as I read the story, it is less appealing read if you know what route the main character is going to take. It does not build enough suspense and surprise at all. Or is it to lead the story gradually in one way them reverse it suddenly to the route that is more likely to occur. Anyway it still brings me back to “why.” I feel like it is less “why”, but “how”? Although both questions will be able to get to the answer.
Assignment: Thursday, September 6
- ) What happens after you die?
In the literal sense according to Book 11 of the Odyssey, souls are sent to the Underworld. A place, considered to be under the earth, where souls of the dead reside. The soul when living is within the body. It is separated from the body at the moment of death and is shaped in the likeness of his/her former body. The flesh is left to decay and return to earth. The soul then make sits way to the Underworld by.(The soul continues to reside in the Underworld until further notice, or until the keepers of the Underworld decide to act.)Furthermore, the Underworld is described as “gloomy” and “dark” by the ghosts of the dead that begin springing up due to the blood Odysseus leaves for the blind seer, Tiresias. Death is made out to be a horrible faith to be rewarded to someone. It makes it seem like no one wants to die, which is true. But not everybody can be immortal like the supposed gods.
In this way, after death is considered a resentful and unpassionate place where you spend your days in agony. Some poor souls constantly repeat tasks that are meant not to be completed. Leaving a cycle that goes on indefinitely. For example, Sisyphus perpetually rolls a stone up the hill, although as he reached the point where the stone peers over the hill. The weight becomes to much for him and it tumbles back down the hill. Just for Sisyphus to begin again. It is to say that when you die, you are in a repetitive cycle of events that keep you in a sense of discontent. Additionally, you are always feeling a sense of regret as though you could have done more in your life, or you could have died valiantly, full of cheers. Many characters, such as Agamemnon and Achilles. Agamemnon was killed by his wicked wife, while Achilles died on the battlefield as a poisoned arrow struck his heel. Its seems this Underworld is an equivalent of human currently view Hell as. It is as though we are supposedly going to hell when we die. Or you could say that the place where the souls of the dead is hellish in manner and substance, well if there is substance to the dark nothingness of it.