2. Students will discuss the problems of reading works from past cultures and the aesthetic difficulties of translation. However, emphasis will be placed on discussing and writing about the intellectual, ethical, and emotional issues that link the texts to the present.
3. The course is organized thematically, not chronologically. In part one, poetry will covered in a chronological way. Students will be able to study one genre's treatment in a variety of cultures--Greek, Roman, French, Italian, and English. In part two, comedy will be studied. Four comic masterpieces written in a variety of genres will be examined.
Text
Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. 6th ed. New York: Norton, 1992.
Reading and Writing Assignments; Exam and Quiz Dates
PART ONE: Poetry
Fri., Oct. 1: Poems of Sappho of Lesbos
Mon., Oct. 4 to Thurs., Oct. 7: Poems of Catullus
Fri., Oct. 8: Quiz One; In-class essay
Mon., Oct. 11: Discussion on writing and writing assignments
Tues., Oct. 12: "The Wanderer"
Wed., Oct. 13 to Fri., Oct. 15: Medieval Latin Lyric Poetry
Mon., Oct. 18: Research day, no class
Tues., Oct. 19: Thesis and bibliography of out-of-class essay due; Quiz Two; In-class essay
Wed., Oct. 20: Works of Francois Villon
Thurs., Oct. 21 and Fri., Oct. 22: Works of Francis Petrarch
Mon., Oct. 25: Brief outline due of out-of-class essay; Poems of John Donne
Tues., Oct. 26 and Wed., Oct. 27: Poems of John Donne
Thurs., Oct. 28: Review class
Fri., Oct. 29: Midterm on all material covered up to this point
PART TWO: Comedy
Mon., Nov. 1: Lecture
Tues., Nov. 2 to Fri., Nov. 5: Play of Aristophanes
Mon., Nov. 8: Out-of-class essay due; Quiz Three; In-class essay
Tues., Nov. 9 to Thurs., Nov. 11: Prose of Petronius
Fri., Nov. 12: Quiz Four; In-class essay
Mon., Nov. 15: Discussion on out-of-class essay and revision
Tues., Nov. 16 and Wed., Nov. 17: "General Prologue" of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
Thurs., Nov. 18: "Prologue to the Miller's Tale" and "The Miller's Tale" of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
Fri., Nov. 19: Quiz Five
Mon., Nov. 22: Revision and Reading Day, no class
Tues., Nov. 23: Revision and Reading Day, no class
Mon., Nov. 29 and Tues., Nov. 30: The Canterbury Tales
Wed., Dec. 1 and Thurs., Dec. 2: Prose of Francois Rabelais
Fri., Dec. 3: Revised out-of-class essay due; Prose of Francois Rabelais
Mon., Dec. 6 and Tues., Dec. 7: Prose of Francois Rabelais
Wed., Dec. 8: Review for final exam
Thurs., Dec. 9: Hanukkah, no class
Sat., Dec. 11: Final Exam, covering all class material
Grading
Discussion and Quizzes: 20%
In-class Essays: 20%
Out-of-Class Essay Assignments, Essay, and Revision: 20%
Midterm: 20%
Final: 20%
Class Policies
1. Attendance: Excused absences will be granted on a personal basis; you must arrange for these before the class from which you wish to be excused. Five unexcused absences will result in a failing grade. Unexpected emergencies will be given special consideration.
2. Out-of-class Work: The due date for any written work is part of the assignment itself; consequently, late work will not be accepted. Students will receive a grade of fifty for missed assignments. Extensions will be granted on a personal basis only and must be arranged at least one week before the assignment is due.
3. In-class Work: Quizzes must be taken on the day assigned. In-class essays must be written on the day scheduled. Missed quizzes or essays will be given a grade of fifty. Unexpected emergencies will be given special consideration.
4. Academic Honesty: Cheating and Plagiarism will be prosecuted as described in Chapter 1011 of the Student Government Association Code of Laws, published in the Tiger Cub. It is the student's responsibility to know what plagiarism is and avoid it. The minimum sanction is a failing course grade.