Class Assignment

The setup of this class is not really what I was expecting. I thought that we would read myths and folklore from around the world and discuss the cultural and philosophical implications. Maybe that is what we're doing to some degree, but I didn't think that I would take place in a creative writing context. Nevertheless, I'm not really disappointed. I like creative writing, I like the space to put my own spin on things, and there are some aspects to well known myths and legends that I'd like explore. For example, the story of Medea in Greek mythology--the witch who killed her father for Jason then was spurned by him, prompting her to murder their two children in revenge and ride away on a dragon. I'm not agreeing with the murderous parts, but why has no one ever acknowledged how thoroughly badass it is to live in a male-dominated society, and to not only get the last word but to then ride away on a dragon?! This class seems like a great platform to put forth my own takes on classic stories.

"Medea" by 25kartinok
Source: Deviantart

I've also rarely read lore from other societies and cultures, so I'm excited to add more stories to my repertoire. I'm vaguely aware of some African tall tales that my parents used to read to me as a child, and some Native American stories as well, from a class that I'm taking (also online). Everyone knows European fairytales (i.e. Grimm Brothers) and anything that Disney has made into an animated film--although I've never seen certain Disney classics, like Beauty and the Beast. I don't actually know if Beauty and the Beast specifically began as a myth or as folklore, but it doesn't seem too far-fetched. 

I think the final project will be a fun undertaking as well, though I haven't quite decided if I'll be doing a portfolio or a storybook. I'm tempted to say portfolio, because I am not a technologically savvy person and some of those sites were intimidating. It's too early to tell, I suppose. In any case, I think it's going to be an interesting semester.