Egyptian and Near Eastern Mythology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will focus on the gods and the goddesses, heroes and villains from ancient Egypt and neighbouring lands. Students will explore some of the mythical stories that emerged from the lands of the Nile and Mesopotamia, which predate those found in classical mythology by several thousand millennia. Among the central patterns and themes that will be studied are the creation of the cosmos, the search for immortality, and hero myths in which men confront monsters. The characters we will meet along the way include deities such as Isis and Osiris, the formidable goddess Inanna, and the quintessential Near Eastern hero, Gilgamesh. We will engage directly with these narratives in the surviving literary sources, and in art, which are major source for Egyptian and Near Eastern myths.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• demonstrate familiarity with the central patterns and themes in Egyptian and Near Eastern mythology;
• demonstrate familiarity with mythical narratives of the two regions;
• develop effective critical thinking through the analysis of relevant texts;
• develop effective written and presentational skills;
• develop collaboration skills within the class-room;
• demonstrate social, ethical and cultural understanding.

A class paper, 500 words, 12.5% and follow up essay of 2000 words 50% (due end of week 6), and a take-home exam of 1500 words 37.5% (due in the examination period)

Hurdle Requirement: students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. After five working days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Subject readings will be available on line

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.