TRANSFORMATIONS CLASS DISCUSSIONS
FOR THE TEACHERS The Excellence Through Classics Resource Committee wants to provide you with some resources that you can use in your classroom to help foster a deeper understanding of the myths present in our exam. There is a debate currently occurring in classrooms about how to approach teaching myths that have underlying violence against women in them. Excellence Through Classics acknowledges that the way the D’Aulaires presented their stories erases these violent actions. Many myths about transformations are about how one character (god or human) breaks societal rules and expectations and often acts with hubris. These stories serve as warnings about how not to act in ancient Mediterranian society, like La Llorona of the Southwest, or the Boy Who Cried Wolf for children today. We should remember that the ancient Mediterranian had different rules of conduct than the modern world. So while these stories may have told a Greek boy, a Roman Girl, an Egyptian teenager or a Celtic baby how to act in their world, it does not always tell us how to act in ours. Poetry and mythology can also be seen as a way for the reader to understand and discuss problematic modern situations.
Many of these stories in D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths are to Greek Mythology like the Disney version are to the German Fairy Tales, and some of the darker elements are masked or ignored completely. The Little Mermaid ends on a happy note in the Disney movie while Hans Christian Andersen’s original tale has a darker tone. And not every student is ready to read Hans Christan Andersen's version. You need to be the judge of what your students are ready for. But that does not mean lessons cannot be taken from D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths.
It should be acknowledged that the ancient world viewed women differently than in the modern world. Women are often seen only as commodities to be traded or taken as men wished, instead of fully human. Many stories of transformation have this underlying premise. Even when a woman is the main character, they are still viewed under the idea that women are not deserving of the same rights as a male character.
Below is a series of topics that could be used as journaling prompts or classroom discussions to help your students further understand what is being said in these myths. You should feel free to pick and choose what works best for your students, you are their primary educator and are aware of what is best for the students and your greater school community. We hope however that these topics will give your students a greater understanding of the world that these myths arise from and how we can appreciate them but not put them on a pedestal free from criticism.
QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS:
In connection with all myths Why are Narcissus, Phaethon and Tithonus transformed? Did they do something wrong? Did someone they know do something wrong?
In connection with Eos myth: What happens when you want something and your parents say you can't have it? Do you trust what they have told you and let go of the idea of having that thing? What if you cannot let the idea go and you keep trying to get it? What happens when you finally do get it? Are you actually happy to have it or do you feel some remorse? Do you think Eos was happy?
Why did Zeus withhold information from Eos when granting her a wish? Was it fair to make Tithonus suffer? Who is being punished in this myth?
In connection with Phaethon myth: What ended up killing Phaethon? What got him into such a situation?
In connection with Echo myth: Do you know someone who loves to talk and sometimes goes on and on and on? How do you get them to listen to your stories? Was Echo’s punishment deserved? Who actually was Hera mad at and why could she not punish them?
In connection with Medusa Mythology Exam: There is no one to one word for rape from the Ancient Mediterranean, the Greeks used words like harpage (abduction/theft) bia (an act of violence) and hybris (a crime or outrageous act often involving violence)/ While the Romans have words such as raptus (theft), iniuria (insult) and vitiare (to defile/corrupt), or comprimo (supress), vis (force), stuprum (a violation), and violare (to do violence to). All of these words show a connection not with the Woman’s ability for consent but as a crime against the male relative in charge of protecting the woman (kyrieia/ paterfamilias systems). How is Medusa, Harmonia, Scylla or any of the mythological characters affected by this system?