Course Description

Course:  English 102.072 (01913), Spring 2002
Meeting times:  TTh 12:30-1:45 p.m.
Classroom:  CP 201

Instructor:  Anthony Ubelhor
Office:  1322 Patterson Office Tower
Office Hours:  MWF, 10:00-11:00 (or by appointment)
Phone:  (859) 257-6993 or (859) 257-7008
E-mail:  aubel2@uky.edu
Home page:  http://ubelhor.home.mindspring.com/

Myths are powerful forms of persuasion. Not only do they teach us how to live and help guide us through the psychological crises of life, but they also bridge our consciousness with transcendent, universal realms, instilling in us a sense of awe, humility, and respect for the mysteries of the universe. In this course, we will examine the relationship between myth and rhetoric. You will learn to write critically about how different types of myths serve different rhetorical purposes. How do societies use mythology to create, preserve, and transmit their cultural values, for example? How do myths teach us important lessons about our role in society and what it means to be human?

Despite its mythological theme, this is first and foremost a class about writing, so we'll devote lots of our time and energy to the writing process, with special emphasis on style, structure, and revision. Your grade will not depend in any way on the positions you take, but it will depend on the effort you invest in openly exploring the issues, analyzing the strength of your own and others' arguments, and refining your own argumentative technique through writing. You can be expected to write four short essays (1-3 pages), two larger papers (4-7 pages), actively participate in the discussions on the class listserv, and participate regularly in workshops, class discussions, and peer reviews. Finally, you will work in groups of three or four to produce a web page on a mythological topic.