Topic: French Epics and Legends
Comments: I read The Song of Roland in (in French!) in my French literature to 1800 class last semester. I really like the story and would love to write about it and how it compares to the Legends of Charlemagne.
Possible Stories: The Song of Roland and the Legends of Charlemagne. I might try to look for other ones, too!
Sample Story Comments: Since I’ve already read The Song of Roland, I looked over the Legends of Charlemagne, and the stories seem really cool. I’m really interested to read and learn more!
Bibliography:
Sample Story: The Song of Roland
Author: Unknown
Translated by: Charles Scott Moncrief
Year: 1919
Topic: The Sun in Mythology
Comments: I was inspired by the Egyptian sun-god Ra, and I want to explore the role of the sun in other parts of the world. The sun is such a crucial part of our lives (obviously), and I think it’s really cool to see the different personalities and roles the sun takes on in various cultures.
Possible Stories: “The Secret Name of Ra” is a story from Egyptian mythology that would be a good place to start!
Sample Story Comments: I really enjoyed reading “The Secret Name of Ra.” I’d like to find similar stories from other cultures to compare and contrast them.
Bibliography:
Sample Story: The Secret Name of Ra
Book: Egyptian Myth and Legend
Author: Donald Mackenzie
Year: 1907
Topic: Drugs in Mythology and Folklore
Comments: While trying to come up with another topic, I stumbled upon the Persian tale “The Hemp-Smoker’s Dream,” which kind of made me laugh at first. It made me wonder if there might be other inclusions of drug use in other cultures.
Possible Stories: “The Hemp-Smoker’s Dream” is the first one I’ve seen that has direct references to drug use, though I know Alice in Wonderland is often noted to be influenced by drug use.
Sample Story Comments: I found the story to be what I expected: somewhat silly and a little convoluted. I liked it though, as it made me laugh. The ending was probably my favorite part as I can completely imagine that happening.
Bibliography:
Sample Story: The Hemp-Smoker’s Dream
Book: Persian Tales
Translated by: D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer
Year: 1919
Topic: Foxes around the world
Comments: Since I am obsessed with foxes, I thought I would consider them as one of my possible topics. They are often featured in Aesop’s fables, but I know that there are many species of foxes around the world, including my favorite, the Fennec fox. I’d like to see if there are more stories involving foxes outside of fables.
Possible stories: I found a Latvian mythological fox called Plathubis and read a summary of the myth on Wikipedia. I couldn’t find a definitive source anywhere on the web for this story, but I’d really like to be able to do more with this story. I also read “The Talking Silver Foxes” from Chinese mythology.
Sample Story Comments: I really liked the moral the Latvian story conveyed about not killing things for sport, but to instead use all of an animal when you kill it, as that is my belief on the subject. I also really liked the Chinese story, even though the foxes were kind of crazy, other-worldly creatures in it.
Bibliography:
Sample Story: The Talking Silver Foxes
Book: The Chinese Fairy Book
Edited by: R. Wilhelm
Translated by: Frederick H. Martens
Year: 1921
Your chosen topics are super fun! The Drugs in Mythology and Folklore caught my attention too. I'm fascinated with the drug culture from now to two thousand years ago. I really do think it has shaped and influenced many aspect of art and everyday life. I also think French epic and storytelling is so beautiful and descriptive. I would be really interested in learned and exploring more on that topic.
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