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50128

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ENGL 2111

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Section 45

World Literature I, WRC, Summer Session A, 2008 | Dr. Gerald R. Lucas | litmuse.net/worldlit1

Summer ’08

“Sing in me, Muse,and through me tellthe story . . .” —Homer

World Literature I: From

Gilgamesh

to the

Metamorphoses

PLEASE READ SYLLABUSCONTENTS CAREFULLY

INTRODUCTION

ENGL 2111, World Literature I, explores various forms of classical, non-English literarydiscourse from

Gilgamesh

through Ovid.

Continued on Page 2

REQUIREMENTS & SCHEDULE

This course is divided into eight class periods;therefore, we have much to cover in a shorttime. Each four-and-a-half-hour class will bedivided into several activities that will revolvearound the assigned reading for the day.

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POLICIES

I have certain expectations about ourrelationship as professor and student. As aMacon State College student and as a studentin my class, it is your responsibility to read,understand, and abide by these policies andthe MSC Student Code of Conduct in theStudent Handbook.

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“What good wereeyes to me? Nothing I could see couldbring me joy.” —Oedipus

WRC1-132, Session AMW 10a-2:40p

P R O F E S S O R :

D R . G E R AL D R . L U C AS

O f f i c e : H / S S - 1 1 7 w o r l d l i t @ g r l u c a s .n e t T E L E P H O N E

( 4 7 8 ) 4 7 1 - 5 7 6 1

W E B

G R L U C AS .N E T

Penelope & the Suitors Achilles Slays HectorHomer & His Guide

World Literature I, WRC, Summer Session A, 2008 | Dr. Gerald R. Lucas | litmuse.net/worldlit1

INTRODUCTION

We will focus on textual studies of themajor genres of this period, epic andtragedy, how those genres inﬂuenced laterliterary works, and how they portray“humanist” issues throughout the Greek and Roman national literary traditions. World Literature I will show the continuedrelevance of just why ancient works are stillparamount to knowing ourselves as“humans.” Major works covered willinclude

Gilgamesh

, the

Iliad

, the

Odyssey

, andworks by Sophocles, Euripides, and Ovid.Since any survey course has much moreliterature than one semester-long class cancover, we will attempt to cover only a coupleworks in detail, rather than many worksonly cursorily.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Our study of World Literature this semesterwill use the

Norton Anthology of World Literature

, Volume A (pictured above), editedby Sarah Lawall. This book should alwaysaccompany you to class, as we will makeheavy use of it in our daily discussions.Please do not come to class without it: weneed the book for class activities, in-classwriting, and all aspects of our study.You should also bring an ink interfaceof some sort, as well as dead trees on whichto take notes. Notes should not only reﬂectgood listening skills, but individual interestin every topic discussed in class. You shouldnot sit in class like you’re watching TV:learning requires active participation,especially in a short summer course. All other materials, like cell phones,food, magazines, iPods, etc., should be leftin your car. They are not needed for ourclass and should, therefore, not accompany you. I understand our contemporary needto be in contact with everyone all the time,but do not let this personal need distract therest of the class. If you answer a cell phonein my class, I will expect you to leave. Inaddition, I do not allow class discussions tobe taped, so do not bring any voicerecording devices to class.Finally, since class lecture anddiscussion will often touch on thecontroversial, this college classroom is notan appropriate place for children. Pleaseleave them at home.

We will focus ontextual studies of the major genres of this period, epic andtragedy, how thosegenres inﬂuencedlater literary works,and how theyportray “humanist”issues.

Odysseus & the SirensThe Norton Anthology of World Lit.

World Literature I, WRC, Summer Session A, 2008 | Dr. Gerald R. Lucas | litmuse.net/worldlit1

REQUIREMENTS

There are three major requirements for World Literature I, each of which must besuccessfully completed to pass the course. Assignments are weighted on a pointsystem, depending on their importance. Forexample, a reading quiz might have 10points while the ﬁnal exam might have 200.

FINAL EXAM

A final cumulative exam will be given thatwill test your knowledge of the subjectmatter (texts, lecture material, and vocabulary), your ability to synthesize thismaterial, and your creativity in going beyond the discussion and lecture materials.The final exam will include vocabulary,identification, and interpretation. All examgrades will be based upon objectiveknowledge of the material, thoroughness,depth of insight, precision, and originality.

FORUM

For all of the major works we study in thisclass, you are required to respond in writing.In most cases, these responses will bewritten in an online forum during the classperiod, so the entire class can benefit fromreading your thoughts. The forum will alsogive you a chance to respond to others’ideas. Your writing in the forum should totalat least 350 words.The purpose of these responses is toget you thinking about issues covered in theworks that are important to you. You shouldreflect on how these works relate to otherworks we discuss in class, literature you haveread previously, and/or your own daily life. All entries should be thoughtful, refer tospecific portions of the text on which you'rewriting, and use the critical vocabulary thatwe have introduced in class.

DAILY WORK

Regular class attendance, question posing,and active participation inclassroom discussions arerequired. Participation, effort,and attitude will countsigniﬁcantly in this course.Quizzes, other class activities,and homework assignmentsnot explicitly outlined abovewill be considered daily work.

PROCEDURE

Every class will follow a similarprocedure, beginning promptly at the startof class:1.Attendance — If you come in late, it is your responsibility to ask me to mark you present. Remember, two tardiescount as an absence.2.Reading Quiz — Since reading is suchan important component of thiscourse, you should expect a quiz forevery assigned reading. These quizzesare designed to test factual aspects of the text, not interpretation orevaluation. Read every text carefullyand take reading notes — characternames, general plot, important items,etc. — and the quizzes will be noproblem.3.Posing Questions — As you read eachassigned text, consider aspects of thetext that are confusing or unclear. When you ﬁnish reading, write down at

A ﬁnal cumulativeexam will be giventhat will test yourknowledge of thesubject matter, yourability to synthesizethis material, and your creativity ingoing beyond thediscussion andlecture materials.

Course Requirements & Process

Oedipus RexContinued on page 5