Norse Mythology
Write an in-depth analysis of Norse mythology, using the primary sources: the
Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, which we will also discuss in class. You can also use the Gaiman retelling of
the myths, but it cannot be the only source that you use for the paper.
The accounts of the ancient Norse gods show deities who are not always godlike, heroic, or even effective.
Their limitations may be caused by the authors' reluctance to be associated with the deities they wrote about.
As the texts were written by Christians (such as Snorri Sturluson, author of the Prose Edda) and the Christians
who copied the Codex Regius, he was writing to preserve the memory of an ancient belief system that was no
longer relevant. Alternatively, the fallibility of these gods may reflect the ritual practices of the old Norse
peoples or the world view of the contemporary Icelandic audience.
In this essay, I would like you to evaluate the Eddic stories (both poetic and prose) as sources for medieval
Scandinavian history. What sorts of character and personality traits do the Norse gods exhibit? What is the
purpose of the text? Can we rely on them as historians? What role can literary and didactic texts play in
historical analysis?
Your analysis should use the techniques set out by the class handout for the assignment "Writing Workshop for
History 323." You should make an argument about one or more of the more sophisticated elements of primary
source analysis – Purpose, Bias, Absence, Reliability. For instance, you may argue about the biases inherent
in the texts, or about the reliability or lack thereof within the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. You should be
making an historical argument though, and state it clearly in a thesis statement. Please remember to analyze
the texts using close-reading techniques, noting details, connections, and patterns. Essays should be
organized with a clear thesis statement and well-supported with evidence.
Since we will have looked at these texts in class, you already have an advantage for writing a good essay.
However, I am looking for you to take your analysis beyond what we have discussed in class. This means more
in-depth critiques and evaluation of the sources. If you use secondary scholarly works to help formulate these
ideas, you must cite them within your essay as well as on a Works Cited page. No doing so constitutes
academic dishonesty.
Citations should follow Turabian/Chicago Manual of Style footnote or in-text parenthetical methods. The style
guide is: http://www.lib.usm.edu/help/style_guides/turabian.html (Links to an external site.)
Sample Solution
Whereas someone with bipolar disorder may exhibit bouts of mania/depressive episodes for weeks or months, the mood swings of someone with BPD can change during afternoon tea. For Jodie, she may feel that if her partner leaves, she will be alone and not have an opportunity for another relationship. She acts out in an effort to change what is going on. This fight or flight response has manifested itself in violence toward her partner which suggests an underdeveloped cognitive trait. While her intense anger may worsen when she’s under stress, structural and functional changes in her brain are more likely be to blame.
SEXUAL IDENTITY TRAITS
In their review Sexual Behavior in Borderline Personality by Randy A. Sansone, M.D. and Lori A. Sansone, M.D., people who have BPD “are more likely to exhibit greater sexual preoccupation, have earlier sexual exposure, engage in casual sexual relationships, report a greater number of different sexual partners as well as promiscuity.” Jodie stated she has had multiple relationships in the last year. All of which have been ‘very intense’. This is a classic symptom of BPD and indicates she is at higher risk for victimization as well as an increased likelihood of contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
In a study conducted of 71 female patients with BPD, “46% of the women reported having ‘entered into sexual relationships with partners they did not know well, and 28% reported five or more such relationships” (Hull, Clarkin, & Yeomans, 1993). Overall, the psychological themes relating to sexual behavior in borderline personality disorder appear to be characterized by impulsivity and victimization (Sansone, 2011).
PERSONALITY TRAITS