Early Celtic
Cultures, Spring 2002
|
Early Celtic
Cultures, Spring 2002
|
|
|
|
POSSIBLE
PAPER TOPICS
Links to |
Choose among the following list of possible topics for your analytical paper or develop a topic of your own. However, if you wish to write on a topic not on the following list, make sure to discuss your topic and proposed thesis with me at least two weeks before the paper is due. The topics listed here are some examples of potentially successful paper topics. However, remember that these are topics, not theses, so in order to work effectively with one of these or a topic of your own, you will have to focus it in terms of a much more specific point you wish to make. If you need ideas for topics, help with your writing, or suggestions on early drafts, I am happy to work with you as long as you make arrangements with me well before the paper's due date. Also, feel free to seek assistance from CAPS (3rd floor of Zimmerman Library). 1. Cultural Perceptions - Compare and contrast the perceptions of early Celtic culture as found in two different texts, only one of which may be written by a Celtic author. For this topic, examine the way different writers or artists perceive the same events, elements or behaviors. What do these similarities and differences say about the culture being examined? How do these differing perceptions relate to "the Truth" in an abstract sense? What can such varying perspectives tell us about knowledge of history? 2. Role of Women - Examine the workings of the "female principle" in one or more Celtic texts. Focus your work on the different levels of femaleness expressed by women characters as a means of coming to grips with what the text is trying to say about femaleness. Warning: If you find yourself concluding that any text is simply either misogynistic or woman-centered, look again. While such conclusions may be valid, the topic is much more complex than it might seem at first glance and successful papers will work hard to scrutinize the characters carefully. 3. Mythology and/or Religion - Compare and contrast Celtic mythology or religion with mythology or religion from a non-Celtic culture (i.e., Scandinavian mythology, Christian religion, Mali mythology, Hindu religion, etc.). For this topic, make sure that you narrow your topic in a very specific way, so that you don't end up presenting only very general information about the mythologies. In other words, examine in depth one or a few closely associated specific elements of the mythologies or religions you choose in order to build a strong comparison. 4. Character Comparison/Contrast - Compare and contrast any two literary characters. In choosing this topic, be careful that you don't fall into the trap of simply listing the differences and similarities between characters, but that you have a specific point to make about the comparison and contrast. 5. Magic and the Supernatural - Analyze the ways in which one or more texts present elements that we in the 21st century would label "magical" or "supernatural." What does the use of such elements tell us about not only literature, but also the culture which produced such literature? 6. Force of Nature - Nature frequently plays an important role in much Celtic art and literature. For this topic, present a detailed, thorough, close reading analysis of the role one natural element (wind, earth, trees, horses, boars, water, etc.) plays in some aspect of early Celtic culture. 7. Relationship of Art to Literature - Examine the ways in which some facet of Celtic art mirrors or reflects attitudes within literature. In other words, write a paper in which you explain how certain types of cultural knowledge and understanding of the world find expression in both art and literature from that Celtic culture. You may want to consider such topics as interlace structure, embellishment, extravagance, concealment, presentation of detail, humor, and artificiality. 8. Contemporary Work - Examine the way some form of early Celtic art, literature, history, religion, architecture. thought or behavior has found its way into a work from the 20th or 21st century. While this is similar to a comparison/contrast analysis, it should go well beyond that structure to examine the reasons behind the use of Celtic themes and ideas in the contemporary work you choose. Work to define and describe the implications of the fact that such contemporary works are indebted to a Celtic consciousness. 9. Color or Pattern Imagery - Color plays a significant role in the presentation of crucial concepts in early Celtic art and literature. For this topic, examine the use of color imagery in one or more works of early Celtic art and/or literature. Beyond efforts at realism, what is the meaning of the insistence on certain colors and patterns in such works? Why are color and pattern such important features in Celtic works? 10. Other Text Comparison/Contrast - In our class, we will not be reading every text from either The Celtic Heroic Age or The Mabinogi. For this topic, select one text we have not read for class for which you compare and contrast some element of it with another text we have read for class. Again, as with any comparison/contrast paper be careful to avoid simply listing differences and similarities, instead make sure that you have a specific point to make about those differences. 11. Heroes and Heroism - Analyze what one or more Celtic texts or historical resources tell us about the nature of Celtic heroes. Think about what makes Celtic heroes different from heroes in other ancient or medieval cultures. What specific attributes mark the "Celticness" of such a hero? In what ways are Celtic heroes similar to other heroes? 12. Celtic Films - Examine the way one film portrays Celtic history, themes or ideas. Since filmmakers tend to interpret Celtic culture through their cinematic medium, rather than render this culture by means of documentary historical accuracy, you will need to think about the particular choices your film makes to represent its subject. For example, how would the film's "message" have been altered if different historical facts or artistic elements of Celtic culture had been presented? Conversely, what does the film gain by using fairly accurate historical material? If you use a pseudo-historical film, such as Braveheart or Rob Roy, you will, of course, have to check the real history of these events in order to effectively analyze the film.
|
Go to University Honors Program homepage
Go to University of New Mexico homepage
