1. Northern Myths and Legends Indo-European and Germanic Peoples – Other groups: Celts, Finns, Saami, Slavs, “Skraelings” Prehistory and History of Germanic Tribes –Chieftains, warrior-farmers, and slaves –Heroic cultural identity –Völkerwanderung as their “Age of Legend” Oral Literature and Lore (verse ballads) Art forms, cultural means of representation Germanic Mythology and Ritual

2. Northern Myths and Legends History and Legend Transformation of Oral to Written Literature: –Pagan to Christian world view –Public to private consumption of literature –Familial/Tribal to Courtly context of literature –Flexible narration to fixed and polished text –Personal History to impersonal, factual history Massive changes in the understanding and expectations of literature.

3. Northern Myths and Legends Myth The World of the Gods, the Cosmos, the Beginnings and Endings of all Things Legend The World of Heroes, of Kingdoms and Dynasties, Superhuman Deeds and Events Saga The World of Men, of Families and Settlements, Feuds and Marriages, Battles and Voyages

4. Northern Myths and Legends Medieval History (1100-1400) New Society, new culture, new religion Old Cultural Traditions still important! Germanic Legends adapted as Literary Epics for new audiences: Volsunga Saga – Icelandic, local, prose Nibelungenlied – German, courtly, verse

5. Northern Myths and Legends Early Modern Period (1400 – 1600) New Society, new culture, new religion! Printing Press (1450) – new understanding of literature and its social role and value. Folklore can also generate legends, but of a very different kind: Faust and Eulenspiegel – simple prose, bourgeois audience, contemporary concerns, moral utility now important!

6. Northern Myths and Legends Romantic Period (1790 – 1850) German Cultural Identity and Nationalism German Language and Literature Brothers Grimm and Folklore Studies Fairy Tales as the “Voice of the People” – Lower Class uncorrupted by foreign influences, reflect ancient cultural traditions and values, preserve “unique” German lore in changing social and political environment.

7. Northern Myths and Legends Romantic Period (cont.) German Nationalism (Bismark, 1871) Cultural Focus and National Identity Political Use of Legend and Myth Hermann, the Germanic Hero! Richard Wagner and The Ring Cycle Nazi Appropriation of Legendary Material in the Third Reich.

8. Northern Myths and Legends Modern Period New society, new culture, new media! Entertainment and Escapist Fantasy: “The Hobbit” and Shire – innocence and virtue. “Conan the Barbarian” – sex and violence. New Media allow new forms of presentation of ancient cultural material: comic books, animation, silent and feature films, board games, and interactive computer games.

9. Northern Myths and Legends Review Session on Final Class Day Monday, 27 April 2009 1:00 – 1:50 p.m. in Rm. 105 Final Exam Thursday, 30 April 2009 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. in Rm. 105