Film as visual and literary mythmaking

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

This course examines problems in the philosophy of film as well as literature studied in relation to their making of myths. The readings and films that are discussed in this course draw upon classic myths of the Western world. Emphasis is placed on meaning and technique as the basis of creative value in both media.

There are no quizzes or exams in this course, but students are required to attend every class, (whether or not there are conflicting exams or study groups in other courses), arrive on time, and do the assigned reading for each weekly session. Attendance, lateness, class participation will be a factor in the final grade. Two papers are required: one, due on Lec #8, will be at least 1500 words long (as indicated by the computer word-count on the first page) and consisting of an analysis of one or more week's class work and scheduled up to Lec #8, plus some outside research. The second paper will be due on Lec #12, and will deal in a more original way with a philosophical theme, as discussed in class with the instructor and approved by him. This paper will be at least 2000 words long (as indicated by the computer word-count on the first page). Both papers will be double-spaced (28 pts) and with a font of 14 pts.

There is no quantitative grading policy for this course. Attendance and class performance are a consideration in the final grade, and the two papers are required. The second paper, being longer and coming at the end of the term, is given greater importance. The two papers are graded in the usual way: A, B, C, etc.

Don't show me this again

This is one of over 2,200 courses on OCW. Find materials for this course in the pages linked along the left.

MIT OpenCourseWare is a free & open publication of material from thousands of MIT courses, covering the entire MIT curriculum.

No enrollment or registration. Freely browse and use OCW materials at your own pace. There's no signup, and no start or end dates.

Knowledge is your reward. Use OCW to guide your own life-long learning, or to teach others. We don't offer credit or certification for using OCW.

Made for sharing. Download files for later. Send to friends and colleagues. Modify, remix, and reuse (just remember to cite OCW as the source.)

Learn more at Get Started with MIT OpenCourseWare