Revised 26 August 2006
Syllabus
Prof.
Rosalie Stafford
LIT
220: World Literature
M/W 800-1200 (Bldg. 26; room 203)
M/W 1630-1030 (Bldg. 14; room 153)
M/W 800-1200 (Bldg. 26; room 203)
M/W 1630-1030 (Bldg. 14; room 153)
• Read and analyze rhetorically (primary sources) poetry, drama, and prose from the ancient world through the renaissance.
• Understand the historical and cultural contexts in which literature arises.
• Identify and understand a variety of rhetorical devices employed in Early Modern English.
• Synthesize analyses orally and in writing through class discussion, presentations, recitations, written exams, and research papers.
• Practice library and internet research skills, consulting secondary source and formulating results into classroom presentations and papers.
• Review essay standards and structure, as well as the ethical use of information through plagiarism and MLA citation discussion.
Outstanding Essay (“A”) • Insightfully presents and convincingly supports an opinion on the issue or a critique of the argument • Ideas are very clear, well-organized, and logically connected • Shows superior control of language: grammar, stylistic variety, and standard conventions of writing; minor flaws may occur
Strong Essay (“B”) • Presents well-chosen examples and strongly supports an opinion on the issue or a critique of the argument • Ideas are generally clear and well organized; connections are logical • Shows solid control of language: grammar, stylistic variety, and standard conventions of writing; some minor flaws occur
Adequate Essay (“C”) • Presents and adequately supports an opinion on the issue or a critique of the argument • Ideas are fairly clear and adequately organized; logical connections are satisfactory • Shows flawed control of language: grammar, stylistic variety, and standard conventions of writing
Weak Essay (“D”) • Succeeds only partially in presenting and supporting an opinion on the issue or a critique of the argument • Ideas may be unclear and poorly organized; logical connections are unsatisfactory • Shows inadequate control of language: contains significant mistakes in grammar, usage, and sentence structure • Does not respond to topic or assignment
Deficient Essay (“F”) • Shows little success in presenting and supporting an opinion on the issue or a critique of the argument • Ideas lack clarity and organization • Meaning is impeded by many serious mistakes in grammar, usage, and sentence structure • Does not respond to topic or assignment
• A brief analysis of at least one major work or author or cultural background or historical period (from textbook);
• A visual aid (illustration) or audio recording;
• A bibliography of sources used (typed, MLA Works Cited format).
Weekly
Schedule
Week
1
M: Recitation & Presentation Assignments
M: Ancient ... Homer intro; Iliad, Book XXII, The Death of Hector
M: Ancient ... Homer Odyssey, Book XII, The Sirens, Scylla, & Charybdis
Oral Formulaic Method of Homer's Epic Poetry
Summary of The Odyssey
W: Sophocles, intro; Oedipus The King
W: Poetry Analysis, Sonnet 73 & Sonnet 19
Audio links :Iliad; Aeneid
Oedipus & the Sphinx 1
Oedipus & the Sphinx 2
Greek Theatre [photograph]
rhetorical devices (guide 1)
how to discuss a poem
framework for responding to poetry
glossary of poetry terms
Week
2
M: Ancient ... Roman Literature: Marcus Aurelius, intro & "Meditations"
M: Ancient ... Roman Literature: Boethius Consolation of Philosophy
M: Medieval ... Italian Literature: Dante, intro & "Canto I"
M: Medieval ... Italian Literature: Boccaccio, intro & "The First Day"
Neoclassical Art
oil painting illustrating idyllic Vergillian world
Wheel of Fortune
1503 woodcut illustrating Boethius' thesis
The Four Tetrarchs
sculpture illustrating Roman politics, ca 300 AD
Marcus Aurelius biography
Buddhism (note points of similarity to Stoicism)
Visual analysis: Ecstacy of St. Teresa
(Cornaro Chapel) [Bernini]
"Song of Myself" [Whitman]
(note points of similarity to Buddhism)
Dante's rhyme scheme, terza rima
The Great Chain of Being illustration &
The Great Chain of Being summary
rhetorical devices (guide 2)
W: Renaissance ... Machiavelli, intro; excerpt from The Prince
W: Renaissance ... Cervantes, intro
W: History of English Language
W: Middle English ... Chaucer [intro; "The Miller's Tale"]
Rhetorical Devices (guide 3)
Portrait of Erasmus by Holbein
Illustration of Lady Fortuna from Machiavelli
Picasso lithograph
Old English [Beowulf summary; "The Ruin" 1 & 2 ]
Old English Audio link: "Deor"
Old English Beowulf in various translations
Celtic art: broach1 & broach2 & longship illus & longship info
