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CU/LT 270 CELTIC MYTH and LEGEND in EARLY IRELAND IES Abroad Dublin

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CU/LT 270 CELTIC MYTH and LEGEND in EARLY IRELAND IES Abroad Dublin CU/LT 270 CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND IN EARLY IRELAND IES Abroad Dublin DESCRIPTION: This interdisciplinary course offers students an introduction to Irish heroic literature, Celtic mythology and Irish fairy tales and folklore. We will read a selection of early Irish tales from The Mythological Cycle, The Ulster Cycle, The Cycle of Finn and The Historical Cycle, exploring what literary genres our stories fit into, the significance of various recurring themes and symbols, the connections between Celtic mythology and other world mythologies and the origins of Arthurian legends as based upon Celtic prototypes. These stories offer a fascinating insight into the complex world of pre-Christian and early Christian Ireland by painting vivid portraits of life, culture and legends in pagan times. In addition to the literature aspect of this course, we will also explore insular and continental Celtic archaeology and early Irish history, both of which will enable us to place our stories within a tangible, historical framework. We will also examine legends of otherworldly beings that are particular to Ireland, such as the banshee, the leprechaun and the pooka—discussing how, over time, the mythology and pagan beliefs of early Ireland transformed into Irish folklore and superstitions. CREDITS: 3 credits CONTACT HOURS: 45 hours LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION: English METHOD OF PRESENTATION: • Lectures • Seminar discussion • Small group discussion REQUIRED WORK AND FORM OF ASSESSMENT: Please bear in mind that this is a reading intensive course and you must have the required reading completed for the assigned day. • Participation - 10% • Presentation/Discussion leading - 20% • Museum Review and Artefact Biography - 25% • Final Essay - 25% • Final exam - 20% EVALUATION CRITERIA: Oral and written assignments will be evaluated and graded according to the following: Content, Critical Engagement, Clarity, Research, Original Thoughts and Ideas. 1. Content: Clear, concise central thesis presented, line of argument is focused and sustained throughout the presentation/paper. 2. Critical Engagement: Line of argument is fully developed, ideas and points put forward are thoroughly analysed and fleshed out. 3. Clarity: Writing style/presentation is clear and fluently expressed with correct grammar, spelling and punctuation, paper/presentation is well organised and secondary sources are correctly cited. 4. Research: The presentation/paper is well researched and all secondary sources are thoroughly engaged with and clearly referenced. 5. Original Thoughts and Ideas: In addition to engagement with secondary sources, original ideas and independent analysis must be offered. LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the course students will be able to: • Assimilate the connections between Celtic archaeology, mythology and early Irish literature. • Engage critically and analytically with early literary texts and place them within a historical framework. • Discern how Celtic mythology came to form the fabric of Ireland’s folklore. ATTENDANCE POLICY: IES Abroad Dublin courses are designed to take advantage of the unique contribution of the instruction and the lecture/discussion format, regular class attendance is mandatory. Any missed class, without a legitimate reason will be reflected in the final grade. A legitimate reason would include: documented illness or family bereavement. Travel, (including travel delays) is not a legitimate reason. CONTENT: Class Content Assignments Week 1 Introduction to Early Irish Life, Culture, Mythology and Literature From Neolithic to Iron Age Ireland. Who were the Celts? Week 2 Celtic Myth and the “founding” of Fairy Ireland • Heaney - The Mythological Cycle: The Tuatha Dé Danann; The Milesians Come to Ireland. Sun Worship and Druidic Practices in the Celtic World Week 3 Epic and Romance and Building the Irish Hero • Cross and Slover handout -The Ulster Cycle: The Birth of Conchobhar; The Conception of Celtic Women: Warriors, Goddesses, Wives Cú Chulainn. • Heaney - The Birth of Cú Chulainn, The Boyhood Deeds of Cú Chulainn, Cu Chulainn Takes Up Arms, The Wooing of Emer. Required Course-Related Trip: Newgrange Week 4 Romance and Tragedy • Heaney - The Ulster Cycle: Deirdre of the Sorrows. From The Cycle of Finn: Boyhood Deeds of Finn, Finn Joins the Fianna, The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne. Week 5 Required Course-Related Trip: National Museum of Ireland Week 6 Irish Epic: The Táin • Heaney - The Ulster Cycle: Cú Chulainn and Ferdia’s Fight at the Ford, The Weakness of The Celts the Ulstermen; excerpts from Kinsella’s translation of The Táin. • Documentary – The Celts Week 7 The Death Tales • Heaney: The Ulster Cycle - The Death of Connla, The Death of Cú Chulainn Death and the Afterlife • Cross and Slover handout - The Death of Conchobhar Week 8 The Journey into Fairy Land • Heaney - The Mythological Cycle: Midhir and Étain; The Cycle of Finn: The Birth of Finn’s Niall of Nine Hostages Hounds. Reading from Gantz: The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn • Berresford, Ellis – The Love of Fand • Scott – The Kiss (Niall of Nine Hostages) Week 9 Fairy Tales and Legends • Heaney - Mythological Cycle: The Voyage of Bran. The Cycle of Finn: The Birth of Oisín, The Fairy Otherworld Oisín in the Land of Youth. • Film Clip – The Banshee Lives in the Handball Alley Week 10 Fairy Tales and Legends continued • Heaney - The Children of Lír • Documentary – The Burning of Bridget Cleary Week 11 The Seanachaí: Modern Fairies and Folklore • WB Yeats - “The Stolen Child” • John Connolly - “The New Daughter” • Films - Púca agus Péist Week 12 Review and Final Exam Final essays due. Submit via Moodle and hard copy at start of class REQUIRED READINGS: • Berresford Ellis, Peter, The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends. London: Running Press, 2002. • Connolly, John, “The New Daughter,” in Nocturnes. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2005. • Cross, T.P. and C.H. Slover, eds. Ancient Irish Tales. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1996. • Gantz, Jeffrey. Irish Myths and Sagas. London: Penguin, 1982. • Heany, Marie. Over Nine Waves: A Book of Irish Legends. London: Faber and Faber, 1995. • Kinsella, Thomas, trans. The Táin: Translated from the Irish Epic Táin Bo Cuailnge. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. • O’Toole, Fintan. Ireland in 100 Objects. Dublin: Royal Irish Society, 2013. • Scott, Michael, Irish Folk and Fairy Tales, Omnibus Edition. London: Sphere, 2013. • Scott, Michael, Irish Myths and Legends. London: Sphere, 1992. RECOMMENDED READINGS: • Carey, John and John T. Koch. The Celtic Heroic Age: Literary Sources for Ancient Celtic Europe and Early Ireland and Wales. Dublin: Celtic Studies Publications, 2001. • Condren, Mary. The Serpent and the Goddess: Women, Religion and Power in Celtic Ireland. Dublin: New Island Book, 2002. • Daimler, Morgan. Pagan Portals—The Gods and Goddesses of Ireland: A Guide to Irish Deities. Ropley: John Hunt Publishing, 2016. • Dillon, Myles. Early Irish Literature. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1994. • Dunn, Vincent A. Cattle-Raids and Courtships: Medieval Narrative Genres in a • Traditional Context. New York: Garland Publishing, 1989. • Evans Wentz, W.Y. The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, 1911 • Freeman, Phillip. Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2017. • ----------------The Philosopher and the Druids: A Journey Among the Ancient Celts. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008. • Gilles, William. “Arthur in Gaelic Tradition.” Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 2 (Winter 1981), pp. 47-72. • Green, Miranda. Animals in Celtic Life. London: Routledge, 1992. • -----------------. Bog Bodies Uncovered. London: Thames and Hudson, 2015. • -----------------. Celtic Goddesses: Warriors, Virgins and Mothers. London: British Museum Press, 1995. • -----------------. The Gods of the Celts. London: Sutton, 2011. • Haywood, John. The Historical Atlas of the Celtic World. London: Thames and Hudson, 2001. • Jacobs, Joseph, ed. Celtic Fairy Tales. London: Senate Press, 1994. • Kearney, Anne. Lovers, Queens and Strangers: Strong Women in Celtic Mythology. Dublin: A&A Farmer, 1999. • Lysaght, Patricia. The Banshee: The Irish Supernatural Death-Messenger. Dublin: The O’Brien Press, 1986. • Vermont: Inner Traditions Press, 1996. • Mallory, JP. In Search of Irish Dreamtime: Archaeology and Early Irish Literature. London: Thames and Hudson, 2016. • McCaffrey, Carmel and Leo Eaton, In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English. Chicago: New Amsterdam Books, 2002. • Moffat, Alistair. The Sea Kingdoms: The History of Celtic Britain and Ireland. London: Harper Collins, 2002. • O’Leary, Philip. “Choice and Consequence in Irish Heroic Literature.” Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 27 (Summer 1994), pp. 49-59. • -----------------. “Jeers and Judgements: Laughter in Early Irish Literature.” Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies 22 (Winter 1991), pp. 15-29. • Rolleston, T.W. Celtic Myths and Legends. London: Senate, 1994. • Thomson, David. The People of the Sea: Celtic Tales of the Sea-Folk. London: Canongate, 2001. • Yeats, William Butler, ed. Fairy and Folk Tales of Ireland. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe Ltd., 1973. • White, Carolyn. A History of Irish Fairies. Cork: Mercier Press, 1976. • Williams, J.E. Caerwyn. The Irish Literary Tradition. Patrick K. Ford, trans. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1992. • Williams, Mark. Ireland’s Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish Myths. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2016. .
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