E240 World Literature to 400 CE Syllabus, Spring 2007

SYLLABUS FOR E240 WORLD LITERATURE TO 400 CE
CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY, SPRING 2008

*2023 Note. Most links and procedural information have been removed from this archival version of the syllabus.

COURSE INFORMATION. English 240. MWF 12:00 – 12:50 p.m. Beckman 203. Instructor: Alfred J. Drake, Ph.D. Office hours: Tu. 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in Cyber Café. Email: e240_at_ajdrake.com. Course satisfies General Education Requirements, first in a series (240, 242, 244). Catalog: “World masterpieces from the beginning to the fall of Rome, 476 A.D.” Units (3).

REQUIRED TEXTS AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE

Lawall, Sarah, ed. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 2nd ed. Package 1 Vols. ABC. ISBN 0-393-92453-X. (We will use only 1A and 1B, but the three-volume package is less expensive.)

Buddha. Three Cardinal Discourses. (Online source.)

Lucretius. On the Nature of the Universe. Trans. Ronald Melville. Oxford University Press, USA. New Ed. (June 10, 1999). ISBN 0192817612.

Pindar. The Odes. New York: Penguin Classics; Reissue edition (1982). ISBN 0-14-044209-X.

COURSE RATIONALE AND ACTIVITIES

FOCUS AND OBJECTIVES. This course will cover a selection of texts by authors from various ancient literary and cultural traditions in Europe, Asia, and the Near East through the fifth century CE. A survey should help you build your knowledge of the periods, authors, and movements studied and point you towards further exploration of the literature that most interests you. My comments will provide historical and thematic background knowledge, but the course will center on discussion of the specifics of our assigned texts. Rather than trying to impose claims of universal coherence, thematic unity, etc. on such wide-ranging material, I prefer to follow a roughly chronological order and to discuss themes and issues as they occur throughout the course, making connections where appropriate.

ACTIVITIES. In class, there will be a mix of lectures, student presentations, whole-class and smaller-group discussion, occasional quizzes, an essay, and a final exam. I encourage questions and comments—class sessions improve when students take an active part. Outside class, do the assigned readings before the relevant discussion dates, complete your journal sets as outlined below, start planning and drafting your essay early, and work on your presentation drafts. In literary studies, the aim is to read and discuss actively and thereby to develop your own voice in response to the texts you read. Insightful interpretation and the ability to make compelling connections are central goals. The essay, discussions, presentations, and journal-keeping should combine to help you work towards these goals.

HOW YOUR PERFORMANCE WILL BE EVALUATED

COURSE POLICIES. Please review the course policies page early in the semester since it addresses matters such as attendance, incompletes and withdrawal, late or missing work, and academic integrity.

PRESENTATIONS REQUIREMENT. Students will sign up for two 5-minute in-class presentations on an author of their choosing (if possible). I will provide presenters with specific questions from the online journal questions and will post a schedule on the presentations page. Each session will feature one or more presentations. Required: At least one week before you present, contact me to discuss your ideas.

JOURNALS REQUIREMENT. Responses to a choice of questions on each author. Due by email anytime on class day Weeks 4, 9, and Final Exam Day. Electronic format required. (30%)

ESSAY REQUIREMENT. By April 26th (Week 13), a one-paragraph description addressing the topic and argument of the projected paper will be due by email. Full rough drafts are also encouraged. Not providing this description on time may affect the final draft grade. Please read the paper instructions carefully since they contain the prompt and advance draft comments. Final draft (5-7 pages) due by exam day or as specified towards the bottom of the syllabus page. Follow MLA guidelines. Research is optional. (30%)

FINAL EXAM REQUIREMENT. The exam will consist of substantive id passages, short questions requiring paragraph responses, and one comparative essay. There will be more choices than required responses. Books and notes allowed for all sections. Exam date: see below. (25%)

EMAILING ASSIGNMENTS. Email journals, presentations, and term paper as attachments. Don’t send more than one document in the same email. Label subject lines appropriately: “E240 Journal Set 1, Jane Doe” etc. You can paste journal sets into a regular email or send them as an attachment. (Journal “sets” include responses to questions about several authors. Contact me if you don’t receive a prompt email confirmation.

QUESTIONS FOR JOURNALS AND PRESENTATIONS

*2023 Note. Download relevant questions as combined PDF sets: WORLD LITERATURE TO 1650 | WORLD LITERATURE SINCE 1650.

SCHEDULE: WORKS DISCUSSED ON DATES INDICATED

WEEK 1

Th. 02/01. Epic of Gilgamesh (10-24, Parts 1-2).

Tu. 01/30. Course Introduction.

WEEK 2

Tu. 02/06. Epic of Gilgamesh (10-41, Parts 3-7).

Th. 02/08. Ancient Egyptian Poetry (41-52).

WEEK 3

Tu. 02/13. Bible, or Hebrew Scriptures. Genesis (52-77).

Th. 02/15. Bible, or Hebrew Scriptures. Job (77-93).

WEEK 4

Tu. 02/20. Homer. The Odyssey, Books 9-12 (319-76).

Th. 02/22. Pindar. Selected Odes TBD. (Penguin Edition.) JOURNAL SET 1 DUE (Gilgamesh through Pindar).

WEEK 5

Tu. 02/27. Aeschylus. The Oresteia: Agamemnon (533-82).

Th. 03/01. Aeschylus. The Oresteia: The Eumenides (582-611).

WEEK 6

Tu. 03/06. Plato. The Apology of Socrates (779-99).

Th. 03/08. Classic of Poetry (812-20).

WEEK 7

Tu. 03/13. Confucius. Analects (820-31).

Th. 03/15. Chuang Chou. Chuang Tzu. (832-58).

WEEK 8

Tu. 03/20. The Mahabharata (953-83, from Books 1-2).

Th. 03/22. The Mahabharata (983-1001, from Books 5-12).

WEEK 9

Tu. 03/27. The Bhagavad-Gita (1002-1031).

Th. 03/29. The Jataka (1004-10) and Buddha’s Three Cardinal Discouses. JOURNAL SET 2 DUE (Aeschylus through Buddha).

WEEK 10

Tu. 04/03. Spring break.

Th. 04/05. Spring break.

WEEK 11

Tu. 04/10. Lucretius. On the Nature of the Universe (Books 1-3, Oxford ed.).

Th. 04/12. Lucretius. On the Nature of the Universe (Books 4-6, Oxford ed.).

WEEK 12

Tu. 04/17. Virgil. The Aeneid (1052-1105).

Th. 04/19. Virgil. The Aeneid (1106-34).

WEEK 13

Tu. 04/24. The New Testament: Luke and Matthew (1206-21).

Th. 04/26. Saint Augustine. From Confessions (1221-49). One-paragraph description addressing paper topic and argument due by email.

WEEK 14

Tu. 05/01. Kalidasa. Śakuntala and the Ring of Recollection (1267-1302, Acts I-IV).

Th. 05/03. Kalidasa. Śakuntala and the Ring of Recollection (1303-1332, Acts V-VII).

WEEK 15

Tu. 05/08. T’ao Ch’ien. Selected Prose and Poetry (1360-73).

Th. 05/10. Optional Review.

FINALS WEEK

Final Exam Date: Thursday, May 17, 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. Also due: Term Paper and Journal Set 3. I must turn in grades by 4:00 pm Wednesday, May 23. For your other courses, check the Spring 2007 Chapman Final Exam Schedule.

SYLLABUS FOR E240 WORLD LITERATURE TO 400 CECHAPMAN UNIVERSITY, SPRING 2008