Class: Monday, November 2nd

The Myth 
* Myth is a constant among all human being in all times. The pattern stories, even details contained in myth are found everywhere and among every one. This is because myth is a shared heritage of ancestral memories, related consciously from generation to generation.

1. Myth may even be part of the structure of our unconscious mind, possibly encoded in our genes. eg. "the Oedipus complex" and "the Electra complex"
2. Myth is a telling of events that happened before written history, and of a sense of what is to come. 3. Myth is the thread that holds past, present, and future together.
4. Myth is a unique use of language that describes the realities beyond our five senses.  It fills the gaps between the images of the unconscious and the language of conscious logic.
5. Myth is the glue that holds societies together; it is the basis of identity for communities, tribes, and nations.  (Hero worship and gender, social, national identity)
6. Myth is an essential ingredient in all codes of moral conduct.   The rules for living have always derived their legitimacy from their origins in myth and religion.
7. Myth is a pattern of beliefs that give meaning to life. Myth enables individuals and societies to adapt to their respective environments with identity and value. ( Joseph Campbell--the power of myth)

Myths tell us about (1) our relationships with each other, (2) our relations with the gods or god (the cosmos), and (3) our relationship to the natural world and all species that inhabit it.

Class today:
1. Read over and add the above information about myths in your notes.
2. In your notes, provide examples of how The Epic of Gilgamesh functions as a myth (meaning.. where do you see evidence of these characteristics in the section of Gilgamesh we read).
3. Answer the following questions and be ready to turn this response into me tomorrow...
How do myths, archetypes, epics, and the oral tradition associate with one another?How do they diverge? Closely examine the characteristics of each major concept and look for common ground in their make up. How do they differ? 
AND
How does HISTORICAL CONTEXT tie into these literary/cultural concepts? 

This is a thinking exercise. You have been presented with a lot of new information and technical components that help you understand these concepts. This exercise is designed for you to start looking at the big picture and how these concepts interact with one another.  Do your best.