English is in a relationship with History.

1. English is in a relationship with History.

2. “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent…” -Barbara Tuchman

3. Carl Jung: In order for us to understand the people we are today, we have to learn about those who came before us.

4. What can we read to learn about ancient history? Epics Myths What is the difference?

5. Epic • Long, narrative (story-telling) poem about a serious subject • Purpose: entertain, teach, inspire • Setting: world-wide • Characters are usually on a long journey • Gods may take part in the story or an interest in the epic hero

6. Epic (cont.) • Epic hero: hero of the story whose goal is to save his people during a time of crisis • Usually superhuman (braver, stronger, etc. than average humans) “larger than life” • Faces many challenges • Sometimes makes human errors and takes unnecessary risks

8. Batman

9. Myth • Traditional story • Anonymous, or unknown, origin • Often explains how some part of the earth was created

10. Myth (cont.) • Human action is usually controlled by the gods or supernatural beings • Many myths start as oral tradition • Oral tradition: stories passed down by word of mouth from one generation to another

11. Myth Example: Pandora’s Box