Crash Course Mythology Videos Thoughts

     

Crash Course Mythology Notes

    This week instead of writing a story, I chose to do the story lab option of watching the Crash Course mythology videos and writing about my thoughts. I enjoyed looking at the different schools of thought and the focus on Joseph Campbell's hero monomyth. When studying the background of mythology it's interesting to see how all of the stories have so much in common. I like how the guy in the video used the Australian version of the Pleiades to show how even though all the hero myths may not follow each step of the monomyth, they do follow the general pattern. It also interests me how mythology can be connected in many different ways to other topics. I like how they call mythology a "Slurpee of Knowledge" because of how so many things are addressed in it. The way the guy in the video brings the roots of psychology into it is good too. Looking and studying myths and folklore this way can give a whole new perspective on what these stories do for the cultures they are apart of. 

    The video on the hero monomyth has definitely given me ideas on how to start my storybook and how to make it flow better. Since I'm doing a King Arthur story, he is perfect for the monomyth. I also like the school of thought from Carl Jung and collectiveness. I think that since I am pulling in other knights to fight alongside Arthur, that the idea of collectiveness will fit in very well and help bring the story cohesiveness. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the three videos. I will definitely be watching more of them in my own free time. 

A picture of Wonder Woman, because why not? (source: Pixabay )

Sources for videos: Crash Course Mythology

Reading Notes: Sinbad, Part B

 Sinbad Reading Notes Part A

Sinbad and the Legend of the Sevens Seas Theatrical Release poster. (source: Wikipedia )

Fifth Voyage Notes

-built his own boat for the fifth trip, so he could go where he wanted when he wanted, and invited other merchants to go with him

-Found an inhabited island

-they found a roc's egg they saw hatching. The merchants cut it open and killed the young bird and cooked it, although Sinbad thought it was a bad idea. 

-Parent rocs came after them with huge stones to throw at the ship

-one rock smashed through the boat and Sinbad floated on some debris to another island

-"a garden of delights"

-he saw an old man who wanted him to carry him across a river on his back

-the old man wouldn't get off his shoulders and stay on all day and night.

Fifth Voyage (Cont.)

-Sinbad grabbed a dried up gourd and pressed grapes in it and left it in a fork in a tree, came back for it later when it was wine and "had the satisfaction of a draught of excellent wine so good and refreshing that I even forgot my detestable burden, and began to sing and caper."

-the old man took the gourd of wine and drank so much his legs loosened and Sinbad threw him to the ground where he never got up again. 

-"The crowns of the cocoa-palms were all alive with monkeys, big and little, which skipped from one to the other with surprising agility"

-got the monkeys to throw done the coconuts for them from tall slippery palm trees

-was able to gather pepper, aloeswood, and pearls

-repetitive again, gave a share to the poor, and rested

Sixth Voyage 

-"It must be a marvel to you how, after having five times met with shipwreck and unheard of perils, I could again tempt fortune and risk fresh trouble. I am even surprised myself when I look back, but evidently, it was my fate to rove," 

-repetitiveness in the beginning again by mentioning his restlessness 

-ship was taken in a storm and blown into the side of a mountain the rose out of the sea

-saw all the treasure from ships that had wrecked on the island before

-"as I was born under a lucky star,"

-left on a raft he made on the river into a cave 

Sixth Voyage (Cont.)

-Close thine eyes, and while thou sleepest Heaven will change thy fortune from evil to good."

-the men he met took him to their king to tell of his amazing adventures

-"Nay, Sindbad. Heaven forbid that I should covet your riches; I will rather add to them, for I desire that you shall not leave my kingdom without some tokens of my goodwill."

-tales were written in gold into the kingdom's archives 

-"for this was the place to which Adam was banished out of Paradise."- the top of the mountain that was in the center of the island 

-"I pray you give these to the Caliph Haroun al Raschid, and assure him of my friendship."

Sixth Voyage (the end)

-the king of the island sent goods, rubies, diamonds, pearls, and a slave girl with Sinbad for a present for his leader

-Sinbad gave the letter and presents to his king and told him of what he saw

-very good detail 

Seventh and Last Voyage 

-Sinbad chosen by his king to bring the king of the island a gift and letter of friendship, even though he wanted to not voyage anymore 

-on the journey back to Bahgdad, they encountered pirates 

-Sinbad sold as a slave to a rich merchant by the pirates

-killed an elephant for his new master

Seventh and Last Voyage (Cont.)

-hunted elephants for the master for 2 months

-elephants took Sinbad and carried him off

-they brought him to an elephant graveyard.

-"you must be under the special protection of Heaven"

-returned home with a caravan, because the sea made him nervous 

Bibliography:

Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898).

Reading Notes: Sinbad, Part A

 Sinbad Reading Notes Part A

Theatrical Release Poster for the movie Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. (Source: Wikipedia )

First Voyage

- First-person Point of view 

- telling stories to an impoverished man also named Sinbad

-inherited wealth from parents

-stopped voyage at a small island to rest, but was really the back of a whale

-Sinbad got left behind while leaving the "island"

-he drifted to another island on a piece of wreckage 

    -Mihrage-king of the island Sinbad floated too

First Voyage (cont.)

-Cassel- tiny island owned by Mihrage

    -supposedly inhabited by a spirit named Deggial

-found the captain of the ship from the beginning of the voyage 

Second Voyage 

- got left behind after falling asleep on an unknown island

-"a white ball of immense size and height....marvellously smooth and soft"

-"fifty paces round"

-whate ball was really roc's egg

-roc- a huge fiercesome bird 

-tied himself to the leg of the roc with his turban 

-stranded in valley of diamonds

Second Voyage (Cont.)

-camphor trees

-bound to a piece of meat to escape valley of diamonds by being carried out by eagles

-"my first action was to bestow large sums of money upon the poor"

Third Voyage 

-repetitiveness in the beginnings and ends of each story

-giant with one eye

-"He was as tall as a palm tree, and perfectly black, and had one eye which flamed like a burning coal in the middle of his forehead. His teeth were long and sharp and grinned horribly, while his lower lip hung down upon his chest, and he had ears like elephant's ears which covered his shoulders, and nails like the claws of some fierce bird."

-passed out at the sight of the giant 

-similar to odysseus 

-more giants

-Sinbad escaped on a raft with 2 others

-the giant snake on the next island crushed and ate one companion and ate the other 

Third Voyage (end)

- built tent made of reeds to protect from huge snake 

-repetition again because he found the captain of his ship at the start of the voyage 

-bought land and gave money to the poor

Fourth Voyage 

-violent hurricane 

-savages on the island who ate the rest of the crew 

-Sinbad went with other men he found on the island who were exploring and gathering up peppers

-he pleased their king by making saddles, stirrups, and bridles for their horses and entertaining them with stories. He was rewarded greatly 

Fourth Voyage (Cont.)

-King ordered him to marry a girl there and stay

-Sinbad still had plans to leave the newer country asap

-spouses are buried together on the island when one dies

-Sinbad was buried alive with his dead wife 

Fourth Voyage (end)

-found a way out of the cavern with the many treasures he took from the dead

-found a ship to take him home

Bibliography:

Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898).