A 102 Myths and Legends

“The Power of Love”

The Myth of Acis and Galatea                                 

                                                                                       

Objectives:

• To help the SS to learn and think about a local myth (Acis and Galatea)
• The help the SS to identify the characteristics of the people described in the legend

Material:

• IWB
• Worksheets
• Posters
• Crayons

Steps:

Write the word “Poliphemus” on the board and ask:

• What do you know about him?
• Do you remember anything special about him?

On the IWB show some words (Prediction / hypothesis making-focus on lexis):   Have a look at the following words from the text:

Cyclops, nymph, shepherd, loneliness, fury, love, rock, river, blood

• Can you predict what the text will be about?
• Find a relation between these words and the content of the text.

Students read the text “The Power of love” and answer the following questions:

• Who was Polyphemus?
• What did he look like?
• What happened to him when he first saw Galatea?
• How did love change Polyphemus’ heart and attitude?
• What happened to Acis?

Ask the students to read the passage again and underline all the words which describe both the appearance and the personality of Polyphemus, Acis and Galatea.

Class debate

• What do you think of the story?
• Who is your favourite character and why?
• Who is the real hero?

AS HOMEWORK:

Task 1

Imagine the story from Aci’s point of view and write a short paragraph

Task 2

Write a short script and dramatise the story

Class activity

On a poster write and draw anything you like about the story you have read. Use crayons.

 

Attachments:

THE POWER OF LOVE

The legend of Acis and Galatea

Once upon a time, on the rocky coast of Sicily lived a Cyclops named Polyphemus. Son of the sea god Poseidon, he was a monstrous creature. In the center of his giant forehead was one great eye. He was a hairy brute, no men and no gods chose to keep his company, and so his loneliness and fury increased. He attacked every ship that passed those shores.

One day Polyphemus caught sight of the lovely sea nymph Galatea, and the moment he saw her, he fell madly in love. His love was passionate but Galatea's heart belonged to another, a handsome young shepherd called Acis, son of Pan. He was a sweet and humble young man.

Polyphemus was determined to win Galatea's love, and to this end, he began, for the first time in his life, to attend to his looks.  He looked at his reflection in the sea and studied his features. He smiled. "I am not so horrible," he said.

Now the coast of Sicily was different, the Cyclops did not attack  ships. Polyphemus did not dream of blood, but only of his beloved.  One day he climbed a high promontory then he began to play upon his pipes. Everyone heard, including Galatea and Acis, who sat together in a cave.

When Galatea heard, she said "It is the giant. He will never give up”.  The Cyclops said: " I love you and for you I will do anything. Come to me, and I will make you happy. I will keep you in my caves, protected, I will make you queen of the world." Then Polyphemus stood, and the mountain known as Aetna began to tremble. "Galatea," he cried "My heart will burst if you do not come to me! "Terrified, Galatea dived into the sea, and Acis ran away, but the Cyclops took a piece of the mountainside and threw it at the shepherd. Part of the rock caught the young man. He fell, and the rock buried him. Galatea watched from a distance, her heart broken. "No," she cried.  Immediately the liquid that rose from the earth turned the color of tea, the color of a stream. Moments later a river came up from the earth and began to flow toward the sea. Forever afterward Galatea mourned her love, and always she told the tale of the blinded giant. Acis became the river that flowed from the foot of Aetna to the sea, in tribute to the power of love.