And a special thanks to Rio

I also wanted to thank Rio for all of his services. If it weren't for your pencast each period, the days I was sick would have been much harder to catch up on. Thank you for all of your personal service to the class like helping us set up our blogs and all the images and definitions you portatrayed throughout each class. You are a supremely well organized human being, I can't believe you did all of this for mythologies while going to school at the same time. So thank you Rio for all of your hard work and dedication!

Good night and thank you

"We are at the end of our enquiry, but as oftern happens in the search after truth, if we have answered one question, we have raised many more;" (Frazer 685)


I have been completely enlightened through mythology. The fact that my peers are so intellectual and smart envokes my spirit. I can't tell you how mesmerized I was while reading these blogs. Completely surprised and proud to be in this generation of people. The calibur of the use of the mind boggles mine.
As far as mythology, I agree with MaryShaun that I will never look at tree without seeing a beautiful woman inside. Each winter I will feel the pain Ceres as she craves her daughter. Upon seeing my reflection in the water I will not look too long in fear of dying as Narcissus. And everytime I hear myself in the mountains I will think of Echo and mourn for her loss.
Dr. Sexson, thank you for sparking my brain alive with imagination again. Myth maybe false, but it gives me a part of my mind i thought I lost as a child and nothing is more truthful than that. As you so eliquently put it,

"life is not a problem, life is a mystery."

and with that I say, "And Taylor lived happily ever after." The end.... until Shakespeare next semester

What myth am I?

"Often he regards his shadow or reflection as his soul, or at all events as a vital part of himself, and as such it is necessarily a source of danger to him. For if it is trampled upon, struck, or stabbed, he will feel the injury as if it were done to his person;" (Frazer 185)

I have no specific myth that relates to my life. Because I am my own myth. The perfect representation would be beginnings as ends. Right now all I want out of life is to retire in Bozeman and ski. Thats one of my first memories, skiing. I want my end to be my beginning. I relate to stories from Ovid such as storytelling like the Daughters of Minyas to challenging my peers like the pierides. Its all a myth lived out in each of us. Always and forever in our souls.

Final Questions

Questions for the final exam
1) What is the only thing permanent?
Change
2) What is modern version of Pan & Apollo?
Tenacious D
3) Archetype is the old stuff
4) What false idol brought snow-Pygmalion to life?
John Madden
5) At the beginning there was the _____ & at the end there was the _____
flood & flood
6)How did John get away from (Steven) the Cyclops?
His said his name was no man
7) What can be said about all ends?
They are all beginnings
8) What two parts did Corrin say were about the same?
The heart & the groin
9) In Tristan's final presentation, the african tribe he talked about did not have knowledge they had
-oral traditions
10) In John Orsi's final presentation, what did he compare the writing process to?
Loss of virginity
11) James Joyce compares himself to what mythological personage?
God
12) Eating raw flesh of one dismembered is what?
Omophagia



* On top of this, read afterword in Ovid. The final chapters in Eliade's Myth and Reality especially focusing on pg 155, 199, 172, and 177

Read Corrin, Ashley and Sally's blog as well as everyone elses 

Term diddly erm paper

Henderson the Rain King

            Upon finishing my reading of Henderson the Rain King I discovered several mythological themes throughout the book. Henderson, trying desperately to go back to his own Illo Tempore and his relation to being a hero on an adventure.

            Within the first part of the book Henderson describes being in an age of madness. He no longer enjoys his life and is not in touch with reality. "There is a curse on this land. There is something bad going on. Something is wrong" (Bellow 38). Convinced that he must go on a journey and find what it is that is plaguing him so. I would compare this to trying to go on an adventure to become a hero. He is trying to exercise his own creative powers in his own beginning to fix what his life has become. Africa is the answer to him.

            I found Henderson to be in "Dream Time" throughout the entire book. He feels he has a job to do. During the first chapter he is in Africa he states, “and I felt I was entering the past--the real past... The prehuman past" (Bellow 46). He then states his connection between nature and himself, becoming his own supernatural being.

            Upon reaching the first tribe Henderson immediately notices the connection between the cattle and their owners. Cattle are mythological beings in themselves. He allows the thought of the cattle being relatives to those who own them. Henderson is so overwhelmed with what he has discovered he is sure he has left the real world stating, "And I'm still not convinced that I didn't penetrate beyond geography" (Bellow 55). Beginning his journey to recreate what his own supernatural being did, going back to his own "sacred time."

            The start of Henderson's own recreation is discovering the frogs that have poisoned the water supply. This was his task, he was sure of it. Saving these people was his journey's purpose. Discovering at this point Henderson is extremely strong; he proves this by wrestling Itelo. He defines himself as a hero at this point, or so he thinks.

            Henderson is deeply crushed when his plan to kill the frogs backfires and he ends up leaving the tribe in even worse condition then when he arrived. I could not help but compare his actions to Hercules and Achelous. Henderson takes on a role as Hercules with characteristics of a hero. I believe cutting off the water supply completely compare to ripping off Achelous' horn leaving the land sterile. Later, he brings much rain to Dahfu's tribe which represents the Horn of Plenty.

            The next stop on Henderson's journey brings him to Dahfu. Again, reacting on impulse and wanting so much to be a hero he moves Mummah. He again sees a chance to go back to the beginning and make things right in his world. What Henderson seems to not understand is that the world cannot be changed, only relived.

             "This may be interpreted as a promise that in time we would be delivered from blindness and understand. On the other hand, it may also mean that with time we will understand our own enormities and crimes, and that sounds to me like a threat" (Bellow 162). Henderson goes on the quest to try and fix something that he wants, but he is fighting what will show him the truth.  Dahfu tries to show him how to embrace the truth of the world. Henderson is a becomer but wants to be a be-er but is trying so hard to fight the reliving of times and to not be another person but something more. "I mean that depth where I have always belonged" (Bellow 193)

            Dahfu teaches Henderson many things while he is staying with the tribe. You can tell Henderson accepts many new things that he didn't before through Dahfu's intelligence. "the flesh influencing the mind, the mind influencing the flesh, back again to the mind, back once more to the flesh" (Bellow 236). Henderson is beginning to understand that life is a continuing circle that cannot change, however he still believes it can.

            Upon meeting Atti, Henderson goes back to resistance of reality. Dahfu is trying to teach Henderson that life involves becoming something more than what you are. He tries to get Henderson to embrace the Lion, to become like the lion. In order to be, you must become. Henderson never really grasps on to the concept resulting in his fear of change.

            After Dahfu's death Henderson is given the chance to start a new life. One as the king and hero he always wanted, the purpose of his journey. However, he realizes that he wants to go back to where he started. His supernatural journey ends up taking him back to the beginning, just like the rest of us. On the brighter side, his journey resulted in a manifestation of something new, strong, and significant which means he did go back to a "sacred time." He relived what he needed which created the hero in himself. Henderson finally accepts that the beginning is the end, “Ages of longing and willing, willing and longing, and how have they ended? In a draw, dust and dust” (Bellow 285).

           

simpsons much?

I was recently attempting to go to sleep when watching an episode of the Simpsons. I had not realized how mythological this show was. The particular episode I watched was about Homer going to the chili cookoff. He ends up trying some chili made by Chief Wiggum made with insane peppers from mental patients in the forests of such and such. Homer ends up going on a spiritual quest in his mind. He then runs into a coyote who tells him he needs to find his soul mate. The coyote voiced by Johnny Cash mind you. However, what struck me funny was not the spiritual journey but after Homer comes to. He explains how all the things around him are what he saw in his fantasy. The pyramid being some stairs nearby to the coyote being a dog. It just struck me that if we look at things a different way... we can see them not for what they appear but what they can become.

sublime experience

"Again the performer enters into details, and cries, ‘He killed the crawling snake. It is a sin.’ In a moment the last word is caught up, and all the people cry ‘It is a sin.’ As they shout, the performer lays his hand upon the calf. The sin is transferred to the calf." (The Golden Bough)

I was sparked with the discussion a couple of classes ago about Tristans south park blog. The line at the end "I am happy something can make me feel so sad." No one realizes it but Matt Stone and Trey Parker are geniuses. A great apocalytic episode is when hamsters try taking over the world. Relating to the then recent movie Cloverfield. Anyways, enough with my tangent on south park. Butters quote sparked my mind however, how would it feel not to feel? The points of our lives that are most important to us are the points that we remember through what we were feeling. Your emotions are what you live for. Its like when you ask a person how their vacation was, and they respond with all the things that went wrong. It was a sublime experience but these are all the things that didn't go according to plan. Several years down the road, they don't remember their vacation from scuba diving, they remember that George left his wallet at home and couldn't get on the plain. Then there was a massive snow storm that caused the plain to not take off for three hours. Ask them what they ate.... they won't remember. Its anger, sadness, happiness, etc.. in extreme that make us remember how much we love life.

book V

 "But Diana was not merely a patroness of wild beasts, a mistress of woods and hills, of lonely glades and sounding rivers; conceived as the moon, and especially, it would seem, as the yellow harvest moon, she filled the farmer’s grange with goodly fruits, and heard the prayers of women in travail." (The Golden Bough Chp 7 pg 3)

Minerva, Muses, Pegasus: Minerva goes to the Muses to see a new marvel beneath Pegasus' hoof.

The Pierides: Sisters who challenge the Muses to the art of song.

Ceres & Proserpina: Prosepina is kidnapped by Pluto who received Cupids blow as Ceres searches for her.

Arethusa & Alpheus: Arethusa who was once a Nymph, lusted for by Alpheus is turned to a spring by Diana but still ends up mingling with Alpheus.

The Pierides-again: Upon losing to the Muses these sisters are turned into Magpies.

a perfect ganesh (3 clues to mythology)

I had the pleasure of seeing my mother in the most recent black box theatre presentation of A Perfect Ganesh you would all learn a great deal about mythology by seeing this show... Its not for the light of heart... so be warned. What I learned related to mythology,
#1. Two women go on a quest for self- healing

#2. They find themselves all too deeply

#3. They relate their personal losses in similarity from the god, Ganesh....

There is so much more... you must see the show to appreciate all the mythology... it will be worth your while

bad days are bad

"In these evil spirits primitive man sees the cause of many if not most of his troubles, and he fancies that if he can only deliver himself from them, things will go better with him." (Frazer 524)

I think all of my bad days are relatively the same. Usually it starts out with waking up late, getting somewhere and having everyone around you irritate you. When at work, every customer seems like the dumbest person in the world. You just wish they would all understand how crappy customer service is. Hearing the same complaints over and over and over again. You just want to snap. Luckily, I no longer work in customer service so my bad days are for the most part retired. If I do have a bad day, its usually resulting in something I did to myself and I'm just looking for others to blame. I try to be as positive as I can resulting in a decrease in bad days.

book IV

The Daughter of Minyas- Rebels of Baccus' reign, tell stories whilst a great celebration happens.

Pyramus & Thisbe- A version of "Romeo and Juliet."

Mars, Venus, Vulcan & the Sun- Mars & Venus are performing adultery, the son sees, tell Vulcan who traps them in a net only to show the other gods their shame.

Athamas & Ino- Athamas kills their son while poisened, Ino then jumps off a cliff with the boy only to be prayed for by Venus resulting in their transformation into gods.

Cadmus & Harmonia- Cadmus is transformed to serpent caressing his wife, Harmonia, she then is transformed to a snake as well.

Book III

Actaeon- A hunter who sees the goddess Diana naked, soon becomes the hunted.

Semele- ANOTHER of Jove's mistresses persuaded by Juno to Jove to "embrace Saturnia" which leads to her bolted death but her unborn child is taked and kept safe in Jove's thigh.

Tiresias- The man/woman who decides the sex of Baccus (Semele's kin)  to be man, Juno gets mad (surprise surprise) and Jove lessens his punishment to be making him blind but with the power to see into the future.

Narcissus & Echo- The "Brad Pitt" of the time not interested in Echo who dies of a broken heart but is still heard in the mountains due to Juno's curse.

Pentheus- He who questions Baccus strays away and tries to spy only to end up sparagmos by his Theban women.

Book II

"Sometimes it is the souls of the dead which are believed to animate trees." The Golden Bough p. 114

Here are some reflections from book two of Metamorpheses.

• Phaethon- In short, he demands his fathers chariot and causes amuck in the skies as well as the earth eventually leading to his untimely death.

• Heliades- Phaethons sister who weep his death and become trees at his grave.

• Cycnus- Phaethons kin transformed to a swan despite Joves murdurous bolt.
• Callisto- Another of Jove's virgins who gets pregnant and banished and to a bear by Juno. What a bitch!
• Battus- The man who betrays Mercury and is turned to the "telltale" stone.

Ovid book 1

• The Creation- There is nothing and then a god creates the world.
• The Four Ages- Gold: Everything is perfect, Silver: 4 seasons began, Bronze: People began cruelty, Iron: Bad thoughts took the mind of humans such as murder and so on and so forth.
• The Giants- Giants roamed the land and tried to take the skies.
• Lycaon- The man who prevoked Jove to destroy the human race.
• The Flood- Basically Jove floods the whole earth due to Lycaons attempt to assasinate him.
• Deucalion & Pyrrha- The "Adam and Eve" of the new world.
• Python- A great serpent killed by Phoebus.
• Apollo and Daphne- Cupid shoots Apollo and he falls in love with Daphne, who would rather be a tree than be with him I suppose.
• Io & Jove- Jove decides he wants Io so he rapes her and then (how gentlemanly) turns her into a cow then gives he to his wife Juno.
• Syrinx- A nymph in a story Mercury tells Argus.
• Io & Jove- Io turns from heifer to goddess.
• Phaethon- A peer of Io's son, his father is the sun whom he would like to meet... but we will explore that story in the next book.

Sara's blog

I chuckled quite frequently while reading Sara Landry's blog about her and her brother. I can't help but think of the force a little four year old had to shatter a door. Thats crazy. You must of had some crazy emotions flowing through you girl. I also have noticed a lot of peoples first memories are when they are around four. Interesting... perphaps I will look into that.

"I had a dream" & reflections on chp 7 M&R

I've finally had a dream. Bizarre but I suppose thats what everyone says. I used to tour with a theatre company and we went through about 3 lead actors while I was in the company. My dream involves the 1st of these 3 actors. Mind you, this man was married with children and about 12 years my senior. I know why I dreamed of him and any woman can't deny they would have had a school girl crush as well, he looked just like Johnny Depp. Enough Said. In the dream I am back on tour as my current self, he is not in the company any longer but we happen to be staying in the same hotel. He comes into my hotel room while I am sleeping and whispers "sweet nothings" into my ear. I'm sure he was saying something but my real self does not remember. He then begins to softly kiss my neck, I tell him to stop and he leaves. I then go into the bathroom and find boils on my neck where he kissed... the end. I was hoping to find a quote in the golden bough about adultery but had no luck.

Chp 7 reflections

Chapter 7 in Myth and Reality is all about memories and forgetting. I'm very glad I don't live in India because I had a slew of recollections while talking about everyone elses memories. I suppose that means I'm ignorant. But I'm happy I will not be put into slavery or put to death because of that ignorance. The expectations of gods is very high. To live for so long and to remember everything is a big task. Then to make them mortal when they get a little fuzzy seems a bit drastic to me. But then again, I'm one of the ignorant ones. Moving further along death is associated with loss of memories. However, I think all of us have passions for certain things that may have come from former lives' memories. Thats what I have always believed. I may not have drank from the waters of lethe. Or my former selves did not.

    I also find it interesting that sleeping is also a form of ignorance and death. I rather like to sleep. Mostly for the reason it takes me away from the stress of the "real world." Sleep is also a chance to escape oneself. You don't need to be a person, you can be a lion, or a branch, or even a dragon! This chapter claims that it is not a good thing to lose your identity in sleep. I quite like it. I feel if Gods did not want us to sleep then they should have done something about it. Until next time.

First memory and dream

I've had a hard time collecting a dream. I'm sure they're there but, I can't seem to remember them. I will keep you posted.

"Again, men sometimes play the part of scapegoat by diverting to themselves the evils that threaten others." pg 518 The Golden Bough

My first memory goes in line with this quote. I was around 4 and used to be taken to a friend of my mothers house to be babysat. Her son was in short, evil. One particular memory is of him smacking me and telling me "to stay inside so he can spend time with his family." Granted, he was only 4 as well. Depressing but definitely a memory that has stuck with me. You may say this is my "and then one day" moment when something went wrong. Lets hope its one of few in the future.

Weather weather everywhere

"Similarly in ancient Egypt the king, as the


representative of the sun, walked solemnly round the

walls of a temple in order to ensure that the sun should

perform his daily journey round the sky without the

interruption of an eclipse or other mishap." -Sir James Frazer pg77b The Golden Bough
 
Upon waiting for my copy of The Golden Bough I've found the internet to be a lifesaver. As hard for it is for me to say... I'm glad we have the technology we do. Whew. Beginning my reading also however in The Metamorphoses of Ovid I began reading the book with the plan of disciphering it like iambic pentameter as I would rehearsing for any Shakespeare play. After awhile however I got in tune with what the book was saying just like I would with iambic pentameter. Old habits die hard. I felt I was almost reading the beginning of the bible but presented more beautifully. I can't stop noticing how much weather and agriculture is involved.
 
"Now, too, they planted seeds of wheat in lengthy furrows; and beneath the heavy weight of yokes, the bullocks groaned." The Metamorphoses of Ovid Book I pg7
 
As I continued reading my brain started spurting out quotes from Shakespeare and one kept repeating itself in my head,

"What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise fair sun and kill the envious moon who is already sick and pale with grief."- Romeo

 Makes me think that darkness is always corralated with evil. Vampires can only come out at night, werewolves take form in front of a full moon, children are afraid of the dark because the boogeyman only comes out at night. Sunlight seems to be birthing good. And used in only glamourous context. Like the quote from The Golden Bough, the egyptians want only sunlight, the eclipses scared the shit out of them and disrupted their daily lives. Things not going according to myth I might say. Curious to find out if darkness is always a bad thing in corralation to myths.

"If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended. That you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream." -Puck

-Taylor Jensen

You learn something new everyday

"OF THE THINGS which the public magician sets himself to do for the good of the tribe, one of the chief is to control the weather and especially to ensure an adequate fall of rain. Water is an essential of life, and in most countries the supply of it depends upon showers. Without rain vegetation withers, animals and men languish and die. Hence in savage communities the rain-maker is a very important personage; and often a special class of magicians exists for the purpose of regulating the heavenly water-supply."

-Sir James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, http://www.bartleby.com/196/11.html

I've recently read the first chapter of Myth and Reality and my findings were completely shocking. Having no idea there were tribes all over the world performing myth rituals. To me, a myth was always a fictional story. Not true. Myths are "sacred stories" therefore "true stories." When these tribes recite myths usually during an intitiation and only during a "sacred time" they are re-enacting a myth. A supernatural being coming to earth, traveling and changing the landscape and then disappearing into the underworld. These tribes will re-enact the myths and grow corn or some sort of industrial product. They can do that due to the original myth. Nothing ever dies. They're supernatural ancestors gave them the power to re-enact everything they did. This quotation from The Golden Bough jogged my memory of my readings. I can see a tribe in Australia where the chief knows of the myths and can create life through rain. The chief would know the myth and be able to recite it word for word but knowing he is mortal because of illo tempore. I found this all very interesting. I can't wait to get into more detail as to why these tribes believe so passionately for the myths. Until next time.

-Taylor Jensen