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ENGL 2111: World Literature I
Syllabus
Course Schedule
This schedule represents the ideal outline for our study this semester. Yet, like all best-laid plans, we will probably not be able to keep up with our agenda. Please be flexible and try to look and read ahead whenever possible. We will do our best to stick by this schedule, but we will inform you verbally whenever there is a change in or an addition to an assignment. Getting these updates is solely your responsibility. Therefore, this syllabus is tentative and subject to change contingent upon the needs of the students and the professor, and dictated by time and other constraints which may affect the course. This syllabus reflects only an overview of the assigned reading and other major course assignments. It does not always indicate other specific class session assignments or activities.
Note: Reading and homework assignments will be due the following class period unless otherwise noted. For example, if your class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, a reading assignment that appears under Tuesday will be due on Thursday.
Tuesday: August 20, 2002
Course Introduction: What is “world literature?”
Discuss course policy statement, syllabus, and requirements.
Review Course Text
Reading: begin Gilgamesh (Introduction, pp. 16-18)
Suggested Reading: “Masterpieces of the Ancient World” (pp. 1-12)
Thursday: August 22, 2002
Introduction to Mythology
Homework: Get Internet Account; Fill Out Survey; Sign up for class mailing list.
Reading: Gilgamesh (Prologue through Part 3, pp. 18-36)
Tuesday: August 27, 2002
The Epic — Formal Conventions
Gilgamesh
Reading: Finish Gilgamesh (Part 4 through Part 7, pp. 36-47)
Homework: Gilgamesh response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a one-page response (due Thursday). See the sample journal entry.
Thursday: August 29, 2002
Finish Gilgamesh
Introduction to Homer
Reading: The Iliad Book I (pp. 104-120) and Book XXII (pp. 176-189)
Suggested Reading: “Homer” (pp. 98-103)
Tuesday: September 3, 2002
Discussion of the Iliad
Reading: reread The Iliad Book I (pp. 104-120) and Book XXII (pp. 176-189)
Homework: Iliad response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a one-page response (due Thursday).
Thursday: September 5, 2002
Writing Due
Begin discussion of the Odyssey
Reading: The Odyssey Book I (pp. 209-220), Book II (pp. 220-230), Book III (pp. 230-242), and Book IV (pp. 242-262)
Tuesday: September 10, 2002
The Odyssey Continued
Reading: The Odyssey Book IX (303-316)
Thursday: September 12, 2002
The Odyssey Continued
Reading: The Odyssey Book IX (303-316) and Book X (pp. 316-331),
Tuesday: September 17, 2002
The Odyssey Continued
Reading: The Odyssey Book XI (pp. 331-347), and Book XII (pp. 347-360)
Homework: Odyssey response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a one-page response (due Thursday).
Thursday: September 19, 2002
The Odyssey Continued
Reading: from Book XXI (ll. 237-end (pp.473-478), Book XXII (pp. 478-491), and Book XXIII (pp. 491-500), and Book XXIV (pp. 500-514)
Tuesday: September 24, 2002
The Odyssey Continued
Reading: Catch-up
Thursday: September 27, 2002
Catch-up
Review for Exam 1
Assign Exam 1, Due Thursday, 10/3
Tuesday: October 1, 2002
No class — work on exam
Thursday: October 3, 2002
Exam 1 Due
Intro to Tragedy
Reading: Sophocles Oedipus the King (pp. 599-640)
Tuesday: October 8, 2002
Begin discussion of Oedipus
Reading: finish Oedipus
Homework: Oedipus response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a one-page response (due Thursday).
Thursday: October 10, 2002
Continue Oedipus
Reading: Virgil The Aeneid from
Tuesday: October 15, 2002
Finish Oedipus
Reading: Euripides Medea (pp. 642-672)
Thursday: October 17, 2002
No Class: Fall Break — Have fun and breathe.
Tuesday: October 22, 2002
Euripides Medea Discussion
Reading: Virgil The Aeneid Book I (pp. 817-825)
Homework: Medea response (due 10/24)
Thursday: October 24, 2002
Finish Medea
The epic revisited with Virgil
Reading: Virgil The Aeneid Book II (pp. 825-847) and Book IV (pp. 847-867)
Homework: Aeneid response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a one-page response (due Thursday, 10/31).
Tuesday: October 29, 2002
Discussion of The Aeneid
Reading: Virgil The Aeneid Book VI (pp. 868-886) and from Book XII (pp. 890-895)
Thursday: October 31, 2002
Finish Virgil
Reading: Ovid from Metamorphoses (pp. 899-926)
Homework: Metamorphoses response (due 11/5)
Tuesday: November 5, 2002
Discussion of Ovid
Reading: Ovid from Metamorphoses (pp. 926-943)
Thursday: November 7, 2002
Finish Ovid
Review for Exam
Assign Exam, Due Thursday, 11/7
Tuesday: November 12, 2002
No class — work on exam
Thursday: November 14, 2002
Exam Due
Reading: Dante from Inferno, Canto I (pp. 1303-1306) and Canto XXVI (pp. 1380-1383)
Tuesday: November 19, 2002
Dicuss Dante
Lecture: Medieval Literature and the transition to the Renaissance in Europe
Reading: Dante from Inferno, Canto V and review Canto XXVI
Thursday: November 21, 2002
Finish La Commedia
Reading: TBA
Tuesday: November 26, 2002
Intro to Medieval Literature
Reading: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (complete) — Take quiz as you read (due Tuesday, 12/03)
Homework: SGGK response
Thursday: November 28, 2002
No Class: Turkey Loaf Day
Tuesday: December 3, 2002
SGGK
Discuss Final Exam
Thursday: December 5, 2002
Final Exam Essay In-class
Essay Exams
Three in-class exams will be given as the major evaluative element of this course (see schedule for specific dates). These exams will test your knowledge of the subject matter, your ability to synthesize this material, and your creativity in going beyond the discussion and lecture materials. Exams will include vocabulary, identification, and interpretation. All exam grades will be based upon thoroughness, depth of insight, precision, and originality. All three exams will be open-book and open-note.
Response Journal
For every major work we study in this class, you are required to respond in writing. In most cases, I will supply prompts to get you thinking. These responses should be at least 500 words (unless otherwise noted on the syllabus) and may be submitted on paper according to the formatting under policies, may be emailed to me as an attachment, or put on your own reaction blog. The purpose of this response journal is to get you thinking about issues covered in the works that are important to your life. You should reflect on how these works relate to other works we discuss in class, literature you have read previously, or your own daily life. All entries should be thoughtful and refer to specific portions of the text on which you’re writing.
Class Participation
Regular class attendance and active participation in classroom discussion and the class interchanges are required. Some assignments will occasionally count for participation: quizzes, peer editing, the viewing of a film, and similar activities. Additional assistance may be obtained from me during my office hours or by appointment. Your participation in group activities both in-class and at a distance will be weighed heavily in evaluation. Since writing is an on-going process, participation, effort, and attitude will count as much as written work.
Since reading is such an important component of this course, you should expect a quiz for every assigned reading. These quizzes are designed to test factual aspects of the text, not interpretation or evaluation. Read every text carefully and take reading notes — character names, general plot, important items, etc. — and the quizzes will be no problem. Quizzes, other class activities, and homework assignments not explicitly outlined on this document will be factored into your final class participation grade.