LIT 3101.001 Fall 1998 Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 to 10:45 am CPR-337

This course explores the genesis of western literary tradition, and its development through the Renaissance. We will focus on textual studies of the major genres of this period, epic and tragedy, and how those genres influenced later literary works. We will study the these works' continuing contemporary relevance and influence on the history of Continental, British, and American literature, other literary traditions, and the arts in general. Major works covered will include Gilgamesh, The Old Testament (excerpts), the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and works by Sophocles, Ovid, and Dante, among others. Since any survey course has much more literature than one semester-long class can cover, we will attempt to cover only a couple works very well, rather than many works only cursorily. Also, this course will not address the pertinent British literature of this time; Beowulf, Gawain, and Chaucer should be studied in your British literature surveys.

Since this course is taught in the traditional classroom (whatever that means), I have made some course materials available as PDF (Portable Document Format) documents, so they may be easily downloaded and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader, or viewed on-line with Adobe's plug-in. You may download the whole Course Booklet, or just the sections you need; or, if you'd prefer, the Course Booklet is available in printed form from Pro Copy on Fowler Avenue.
	Complete Course Booklet (1.4MB)
	Course Introduction and Statement (27K)
	Course Requirements (20K)
	Course Policies (20K)
	Syllabus Fall 1998 (20K)
	Course Contract (15K)
	Presentation Guidelines (12K)
	Study Sheet on Myth (16K)
	Study Sheet on the Epic (28K)
	Study Sheet on Tragedy (20K)

Links Biography on Homer The Homer Homepage Homer Web Page "Cunning Odysseus" by Roger Dunkle; other Lectures "Can You Come Home Again? Some Thoughts on the Odyssey and the Theme of Coming Home" by Howard Wolman Summaries of the work of Carl Jung

12 August 1998; 2.0