BHUM 12A08 - Myths Along the Silk Road

The reading conferences are part of the syllabus on the Silk Road. The purpose is to read, analyze and explain texts, from travel logs, letters, to treaties, novels, and poetry, written by travelers during their peregrinations East and West or about places and people along the Silk Road. These documents will enable us to capture the spirit of traders, warriors, pilgrims, adventurers and to figure out the reality and myths that developed about the fabulous Silk Road countries.

Focus on creative writing and storytelling …

… and on magic with the amulet project.

The early focus will be on metamorphosis in Western and Easter Cultures.

We will study the different ways stories traveled far and how myths were created and then spread. In that perspective, we will work on characters and places, study rites and rituals, look at images and listen to music. Choosing Sinbad, Ulysses, or Scheherazade, werewolves and foxes turned into women, a few ghosts too for guides, we will analyze how oriental and western myths led to a cross pollination of ideas and creeds. We might even find a treasure island on the way.

Written Work 40%

An academic research paper, between 3000-3500 words long.

Final Exam - 30% on the syllabus

The exam will be 2 hours long and take place in Week 12. It will be explained in class.

Oral Component 20%

A 10-minute presentation

Free Component 10%

A creative writing exercise (last year : imagine a fantasy land along the silk road)

Calendar:

• specific and imperative deadlines provided in class

•The written work will be due Week 10 of the semester

Requirement: all resource papers should be mailed to my urkund email address sophie.rochefortguillouet.scpo@analyse.urkund.com