WR 150 B2 Heroes, Saints and Martyrs
Professor Klepper
Fall 2004
Write a four- to five-page essay on the biblical story of Abraham through the lens of Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. What kind of insight does Campbell give you into Abraham as hero? How does the Genesis story either support or challenge Campbell's contention that there is a universal "monomythic" hero tradition? How does his chapter on the importance of the hero's movement through space and time ("The Departure") correspond to your understanding of Abraham's tale? Feel free to use Ibn Ishaq's alternative narrative in your assessment if you find it helpful for comparison.
In order to complete this exercise effectively, you need to know what Campbell's "lens" is. What does he think about the hero? Use the skills you have learned about summarizing to develop a workable understanding of Campbell's interpretation, and then bring that understanding to your reading of Abraham. How does the Campbell text inform the biblical account and vice versa?
Your essay should have a title, and the introductory paragraph should have a thesis that mentions both texts. Be sure to use the Allyn and Bacon Handbook for questions of style, grammar, punctuation, etc.
The paper is due on Monday, October 4th at the beginning of class. I will deduct 3 points from the final paper grade if you arrive late to class and will deduct six points from the final paper for each day the paper is late.
If you have questions, please ask via email or come to see me during office hours.