Unit 5 Discussion
Text: World Mythology: An Anthology of the Great Myths and Epics, 3rd edition ISBN: ISBN-13: 978-0-8442-5966-6 Author: Donna Rosenberg Publisher: McGraw-Hill Unit 5 Disc 1: The Ages of the World (Ireland/Scotland) Choose and present those specific parts of this story that you feel best reveal the significant message of this story. What does this story tell you about Celtic culture? Please consider some or all of the following questions when composing your commentary: What are the various abilities of the different inhabitants of Ireland. What is the pattern that emerges from the ages? What are the principal characteristics that are reinforced as positive in the cycle? What does the cyclic nature of this creation story indicate about the society and its relationships with neighboring countries and the supernatural realm? How do the geography and the climate of Ireland influence the world view? You may also wish to ponder what significance can you attach to the fact that, while the oral story was circulated for many centuries, this written version was recorded by Christian missionaries. Christian missionaries usually had "conversion agendas" that sometimes surfaced in the way they would record the stories of the pagans they wished to convert. Unit 5 Disc 2: Ragnarok The Norse myths provide stark contrasts between forces of good and forces of evil, even though not only man's destiny, but the destiny of the universe, are predetermined. How does Valhalla prepare the warriors for Ragnarok? Often Ragnarok is defined as the end of the world; is that accurate? What is the purpose of Loki's role in setting Ragnarok in motion? Unit 5 Disc 3: Treasure, fate, and revenge What societal values does this story seem to promote? How do specific actions of the heroes illustrate these values? What different types of reward do the different characters seek? Please take into account how harsh conditions, treachery and death are woven into this myth. Does the end justify the means? Do intentions justify the end? Where does evil come from and where does it breed?
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Unit 5 Discussion Majority of Europe in the Neolithic and Mesolithic era was occupied by the Celts. They were an ethno-linguistic tribal society that dominated most of Bronze and Iron Ages. The prevailing religion then was Celtic Polytheism before the Axial Era when influences from the Roman Empire supplanted it with monotheism and atheism. However, while most of the Celtic culture was virtually lost in continental Celtic in close proximity to the expanding Roman Empire and invasion from the Germanic tribes during the Iron Age, the culture was preserved in the western and northern Europe in the current countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Some of the older generation of these countries still converse in the ancient Celtic languages such as Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic. Much of the Celtic mythologies are still conserved in roman and Christian classical myths but adulterated to fit with atheism.
The people of Ireland throughout the countries inhabitation have been evolving in their skills throughout the transitions in the ages of the world. They have been renowned for their artisanship in metallurgy of their superior weapons they used in their war of independence from Britain. They were revered in their workmanship in tool making of items such as axes, drinking utensils and trumpets in the shape of a horn. Mining grew to be a significant economic activity with copper being the chief mineral resource during the Bronze Age.
However, before then, the major activity of the earlier occupants of most of Europe including Ireland was fishing, hunting, and gathering for over 3500 years. It was only in 4500BC in the Bronze Age that pottery and farming was adopted. With the advent of every age, the rise in economic activities demanded for extensive labor. This meant more employment for the locals, with the reduction in the level of impoverishment. Ireland was part of the world economic and Industrial revolution that was cutting across Europe and the world with the discovery of important geographical materials. With the unrestricted trade and numerous conquest battles of the antique, social influence between communities within Europe was unabated.
The Celtics from Britain during the Romanization and Christianization of northern Europe stirred a change in Ireland’s human ...