Write an essay of no more than 1,000 words on the following topic:
What do sources from the early Greek world suggest about the relationship between gods and mortals?
Choose at least three different sources from Block 1 to support your discussion (that is, three different sources mentioned in any part of Block 1 that date from the early Greek world, c.800–500 BCE). At least one of your sources must be the Iliad or the Odyssey.
Guidance notes
This TMA relates to Block 1 and its associated materials. In TMA 01, you practised reading closely and analysing a primary source in relation to a particular theme. In this TMA, you will practise putting that analysis into effect by closely examining multiple primary sources to build an argument. This TMA is designed to develop your knowledge and skills related to the content of Block 1, to allow you to continue to practise critical analysis of ancient evidence, and to show your ability to communicate knowledge and understanding in an appropriately scholarly manner.
This question asks you to think about the relationship between gods and mortals in the early Greek world. You might start by identifying who the gods were in the period c.800–500 BCE and thinking about what is meant by ‘mortal’ (you may, for example, wish to include both mortal heroes and mortal humans in your essay or just one of these). You may wish to narrow your focus to one context in which gods and mortals interacted (such as warfare), or set character types (such as the relationship between mortal humans and the gods), or include comparative discussion in your answer. You may also find it useful to think more broadly about the strengths and limitations of the sources you examine. Literary authors, for example, may be writing for a specific purpose that influences their presentation of a particular topic, while material objects (such as a painted piece of pottery) may offer us a snapshot of an important mythological episode valued by a particular city at a specific point in time.
You need to refer to at least three different primary sources in order to make your argument, and at least one of them should be the Iliad or the Odyssey. You may use both epics together as two of your sources. Your other primary sources can be literary texts, material culture, or a combination of both. You might want to use a variety of types of source, and think about how the context from which they come could affect your argument. Using specific examples will help you to keep your essay focused, and provide evidence to support the points you make. Again, bear the word count in mind: you may not be able to include every example you come across in your reading. You may use more than three primary sources, but remember that it is better to go into detail about selected key points than to try to include everything and to end up with an essay that is superficial and includes no analysis.
Remember that structuring your essay is important. You should be developing an argument over the course of the essay and coming to a conclusion. A word limit of 1,000 words is not long for an essay, and everything you include should be relevant to answering the question.
The core of your argument should be based on the primary sources. However, you may also choose to engage critically with interpretations of primary sources that are presented in secondary sources in order to contextualise your answer. You do not have to include secondary sources for this TMA, but it may strengthen your argument and enrich your understanding of the primary sources if you do so. Remember that you should evaluate secondary sources properly, if you choose to use them, and also provide a full reference list setting out those that you have cited. Instructions on how to give references and lay out your reference list are in the References section of the A229 Assessment Guide.
