For Friday: Islamic Poetry, Part II: Tukaram

For Friday: Islamic Poets, Part II: Tukaram (pp.1601-1605)

Note: This is your last set of reading questions!  Enjoy!

Answer TWO of the following one last time…

1. Whereas the earlier poems seem to speak of faith from the perspective of an all-knowing sage, Tukaram’s poems are from the perspective of a simple man who doesn’t completely “get it.”  What questions and doubts does he raise that many normal people can relate to in the face of the divine?  What are his concerns, fears, and hopes? 

2. As a peasant and farmer, Tukaram naturally drew his ideas and metaphors from the natural world around him.  Where do we see this in a specific poem or two?  How does he find the ‘divine’ in the mundane?   Or, how does he transform something a farmer would see day in and day out into a spiritual lesson? 

3. Similar to Kabir, Tukaram has little tolerance for religious hypocrisy and self-serving morality.  In the poem “The Rich Farmer,” why are the rich man’s actions acceptable in society and yet so evil in practice?  What can the poet see that perhaps his society cannot (or simply ignores)?

4. Many of these poems seem full of despair, as he asks God to “run me over,” or simply to “put an end to it.”  How does he explain this attitude, and why might it be a deeply religious one (in a certain sense)? 

For Monday: Islamic Poetry, Part I

For Monday: Indian Islamic Poets, Part I: Kabir, Poems (pp.1587-1594)

Answer TWO of the following…

1. How does Kabir’s poetry and ideas contrast with the other Indian work we’ve read in class, The Bhagavad Gita?  Though he is a Muslim, does his philosophy complement the teachings of Krishna in that work?  How might his poems express a truly Indian or “Eastern” view of spirituality? 

2. Through these poems, Kabir chides holy men for worshipping rocks or “[teaching] many students/their business tricks” (1592).  What does he feel is wrong with much of the organized religion of his day?  Why does he feel it is more of a “business” than a path to heaven? 

3. Kabir’s poetry is rich in metaphors, as it advises us to be an ant, rather than an elephant, or a “mosque with ten doors.”  Discuss one of the metaphors in a specific poem that helps us see the truth, rather than the illusion of the senses. 

4. In a passage that sounds a lot like the Daodejing, Kabir writes, “Accomplish one thing and you accomplish all./Seek to do all and you lose the one vital thing” (1594).  How might this share an essential philosophy with the Daodejing, and what do you feel he means by this statement—or others like it? 

Remember: No Class on Wednesday

Sadly, I cannot join you tomorrow since I'll be in Tulsa giving a lecture on science fiction.  However, we'll pick up where we left off on the Daodejing on Friday: be sure to finish reading all of the poems in our selection and bring the questions for Monday on Friday if you didn't turn them in already.

Take care!

For Monday: Laozi, The Daodejing

For Monday: Laozi, the Daodejing (pp.780-790)

Answer TWO of the following…

1. What metaphors do the poems employ to explain “the Way”?  How do these metaphors help us see or understand what it might be?  Are they all consistent, or do some of them contradict each other?  Discuss at least one poem in your response. 

2. Though the poems seem to be vaguely spiritual in nature, many of them are explicitly about running an empire, such as XVII (pg.785).  What, according to these poems, makes a good ruler?  What do people need to be ruled?  Does this accord with Western ideas of justice and democracy?  Consider lines such as “Exterminate the sage, discard the wise” in poem XIX (pg.786). 

3. Which poem(s) makes absolutely no sense to you?  Explain why it doesn’t make sense: what metaphors, words, ideas, or references seem to block your understanding?  Briefly consider what they might be (or be pointing to) in your response.  In other words, try to think aloud on paper as you consider why it doesn’t make sense and what it might mean if you had to come up with an answer. 

4. A constant idea that we find in these poems is “a thing is sometimes added to by being diminished and diminished by being added to” (XLII, pg.789).  What do you think this means, and why is it so essential for the philosophy of the Tao te Ching? 

5. Is the Tao te Ching against learning—or teaching?  We see over and over again the idea that “to know is not to know,” so what is the point of knowing?  If good words are not good, and bad words are not bad, what should one learn and teaching according to the work?  Or is there another way to understand this? 

Short Paper #3: The Nature of Faith

Short Paper #3: The Nature of Faith

For your third short paper, I want you to have a conversation with at least three of the works in this section on ONE of the following general ideas:

Q1: What is right and wrong, and how do we know it?  What ‘proof’ do we have?  Where do different works and cultures agree and disagree on this fundamental question?  Are they all saying more or less the same thing…or can truth vary quite widely?

Q2: Why are we here? What is the point of life?  Is it a game, a punishment, a test, or an illusion?  What should human beings strive for?  What should life/experience teach us?  While alive, what is our ‘duty’? 

Q3: What is the Divine?  What do we call it?  How do we recognize it?  What is our relationship with it?  Is it truly another being/force, or are we actually part of it—the same as it?  How does it speak to us? 

Some General Tips for this paper:

• Don’t just summarize what each work or poem says.  The point is to analyze specific ideas or words, and to explain how they relate to the ‘big issues’ of faith and belief. 
• Don’t use one faith to beat up another.  For example, it’s easy to say “these people are so silly to believe this,” or “they totally miss the truth when they say…”  Try to analyze and discuss how each work/culture answers these eternal questions, regardless of what you might personally think is right or wrong.
• Make it a CONVERSATION: imagine if the works were at a table, discussing one of the questions above.  What would they say?  How might they argue—or even agree—with each other?  What would you add to the conversation? 
• QUOTE: be sure to quote specific passages and examples from the book, and cite properly, according to MLA format.  For example…In the Bhagavad Gita, it writes that “Knowledge is constantly obscured/by this enemy of the wise,/by this insatiable fire/whose form, Arjuna, is desire” (739). 

REQUIREMENTS

• 3-4 pages, double spaced
• Answer one of the questions above in a thoughtful conversation
• Quote and use MLA citation
• Due in 2 weeks: Friday, November 22 by 5pm

For Wednesday: from The Bhagavad Gita (pp.726-745)

NOTE: Read the Introduction to the work so you understand the back story.  This version is only a small sampling from the larger work, and the Gita itself is a small part of a much longer work, the Mahabharata. 

Answer TWO of the following…

1. In Chapter One, what moral dilemma does Arjuna have?  What does he not understand about the laws of the Earth and how does he come to a very modern definition of what seems ‘evil’ to him about war and death?

2. Chapter Two consists of Krishna’s response to Arjuna, which lays out some of the basic tenets of Hindu philosophy.  Why does Krishna tell him that “If you turn from righteous warfare,/your behavior will be evil,/for you will have abandoned both/your duty and your honored name”? 

3. How does this work distinguish between the earthly and the spiritual natures of man?  If the world is full of “sense-objects,” then how is man to rise above them and still do his duty?  How does Krishna explain this to Arjuna—and to us?  Hint: what does the concept of “yoga” have to do with this? 

4. The Bhagavad Gita is poetry, and like poetry, uses the language of metaphor to explain the natural and supernatural world.  REMEMBER: a metaphor compares one idea to another idea, and often a very different idea (for example, time is money; love is a battlefield).  Find a metaphor that Krishna uses to explain something divine and explain how this works…what does this image show us about an abstract idea we might not otherwise understand?  

Final Exam Paper: A Literary Time Capsule (due Wed. Dec. 11th)

Our main textbook, The Norton Anthology of World Literature is like a time capsule from another world—the world of our collective past.  Once opened (and I assume you opened it at least a few times this semester!) it revealed the hopes, fears, beliefs, values, and emotions of past civilizations, most of which have vanished into the mists of time.  I designed our course to cover three main themes in the ‘capsule’—love, heroism, and faith, themes I feel we still relate to and write stories, songs, and movies about today. 

For this assignment, I want you to create your own time capsule to another world—the world of our future.  You will compile your own anthology of the present world, the world of your generation.  I want you to pick at 5-6 works that you feel (a) represent the best, or most influential, or most representative aspects of your culture, and (b) relate to the themes of the class: love, heroism, and faith.  These works can be in any medium, from novels (or other books), poems, films, songs, works of pictorial art, comics, video games, or even web sites.  These are not works from the book, but works that you live with and have at home, on your ipod, phone, Kindle, computer, dorm walls, shelves, etc. 

Your paper will be a “Table of Contents” to the works included in the capsule for future generations to read.  Remember, these people will know very little about your world and may find it as remote and baffling as you find the ancient Maya or Shakespeare’s English.  Your goal in the paper is to introduce each work, explain its story, themes and ideas, and analyze some important aspect of the work.  By analyze, I mean quote its language, or closely examine some scene or passage in the work itself.  Help future generations ‘see’ its importance to your culture and how it embodies one of the chief themes of literature—love, heroism, or faith.   You should also relate the modern works, at times, to work of the past to make comparisons and illustrations.  For example, if you feel a modern work mirrors some of Shakespeare’s ideas, show us where and how.  After all, future generations might know Shakespeare much better than anything we have today (just as we read Shakespeare more than any other poet/playwright from the 17^th century!). 

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 5-6 pages, double spaced
• 5-6 specific works from any medium or genre
• A careful analysis/discussion of each work, explaining its importance to your culture and to the themes of the course (love, heroism, faith)
• Some reference to other works in class by way of comparing or illustrating your own

 DUE BY OUR FINAL EXAM DAY: Wednesday, December 11^th by 5pm 

For Monday: The Popul Vuh (pp.1905-1920)

Answer TWO of the following…

1. The Popul Vuh is the transcribed beliefs of the Mayan civilization which represents their ideas of the divine, morality, and the beginning of all things.  Though written down in the 16^th century (when the Spanish invaded Mexico) it represents much older traditions.  In general, what are some of the significant similarities and/or differences between Part I of the Popul Vuh and the story of creation in Genesis?  What ideas does each culture share—or where do they most significantly differ on the beginning of all things? 

2. Unlike The Old Testament, the Popul Vuh is more about the interaction of heroes and numerous gods, resembling Greek literature and The Iliad.  How do their gods/spirits represent their culture’s ideals and values?  What relationships do humans have with the divine, and how ‘human’ are these gods?  Are they as manipulative and ‘childish’ as the Greek gods, or are they more remote and mysterious? 

3. What troubles do the gods have in creating the human race?  Once they exist, what further adjustments do they make?  Compare this to God’s prohibition against tasting the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in Genesis.  What anxieties/values does the creation of human beings express about Mayan culture?

4. How might the Popul Vuh relate to less religious literature—perhaps fairy tales and the folklore of other cultures?  What elements of these stories have you heard before (and where)?  How might they express ideas that have been used—and transformed—in other cultures (even our own)? 

For Wednesday & Friday: The Old Testament/Genesis (94-115)

NOTE: For many of us, Genesis is not literature and not something we read alongside works like The Iliad, etc.  However, there is an advantage to reading The Old Testament in a Humanities class: it allows us to be an ‘outsider’ to the work and read it with fresh eyes.  Even if you know it well, try to re-read the work as someone who has never heard it before, and consider the connections between it and other works in class from the same period. 

Answer TWO of the following…

1. This version of Genesis is translated by Robert Alter, so it’s not the King James’ version or another version you might be more familiar with.  Since whenever we read The Old Testament it’s in translation (unless you’re a Hebraic scholar), what does it mean to translate the word of God (for believers, at any rate)?  Are there any passages that are markedly different from what you’ve read or from what you remember?  How might this affect how we read the entire work? 

2. From an outsider’s point of view (someone who had never read this before and is not a believer), how would you characterize the wrath and judgment of God?  Sometimes the sin is apparent, as when Eve takes the apple and shares it with Adam when they were told not to; but at other times, the judgment seems less clear-cut, as when Canaan is punished for seeing his father naked, or Esau is passed over in favor of his ‘clever’ brother, Joseph.  What kind of morality does Genesis seem to express—and why might this seem troubling to modern readers?

3. Names are very important in Genesis: the name of God changes throughout, from the unpronounceable YHWH to the mysterious Ed Shaddai.  Adam and Eve are given names, and Abram and Sarai must change their names to Abraham and Sarah.  Indeed, many Herbrew names are also puns suggesting a deeper meaning or symbolic purpose.  Why does Genesis focus so much on names and the act of naming?  What does it tell us about the nature of faith, ideas, or religion? 

4. Discuss the role of women in Genesis: how does this relate to other women we’ve read about, from The Wife of Bath to Desdemona?  Are women made to ‘take the rap’ for the sins of man, as the Wife of Bath accuses in her Prologue?  From an outsider’s point of view, does this work seem misogynistic?  Consider Sarah’s comment, “Laughter has God made me,/Whoever hears will laugh at me” (105). 

5. We earlier discussed the role of art and faith, and how many traditions feel it is blasphemous to depict religious events in art.  What did you think about Robert  Crumb’s illustrations of Genesis, Chapter 25? (this is from an entire book he did on Genesis—he’s a famous graphic novelist).  Does he place too ‘modern’ a spin on the story, or does he strive to be more accurate and faithful?  How does it contrast to the text itself?  Should Genesis be a comic book? 

For Monday: Questions/Discussion for "The Cave of Forgotten Dreams" (2010)

Answer TWO of the following for MONDAY’s class:

1. How does the film try to explain the cave in religious terms, or an example of the faith or believes of early man?  Though we have no literature here, only cave paintings and a few relics (the flute, etc.) what might these tell us about our ancient ancestors? 

2. One of the archaeologists working at the site said he had vivid dreams of “deep and powerful things” for nights afterward.  Based on this, why might this cave be important to us today?  What link do we still have with it?  Why might we still consider it “art” in the same way as a famous painting or a work of literature?

3. Why did the Paleolithic men and women only paint animals (except for perhaps one depiction of a woman)?  What did they want to record or describe in their art, and what might this say about their conception of the world?  Related to this, do we get a sense of their idea of beauty? 

4. Do you think these ancient men/women regarded their paintings as ‘art’ in the way we do?  Did they create it for beauty, pleasure, or instruction?  Should we call them ‘artists’?  Is there any way to know, based on the evidence of the film?   

 

 

For Wednesday: Reading/Thinking About Faith in Literature and Art...

On Monday we discussed how faith was expressed in Medieval and Renaissance art.  Before we start our readings on faith from the anthology, we'll watch a short film discussing the role of faith and art.  This will lead us into our first readings, which are all about the theme of 'Origins'--where do we come from, why are we here, and what do want to express/show ourselves about the world 'out there'? 

Film TBA...come to class to find out!  :)

NO CLASS ON WEDNESDAY

Reminder: I cancelled class for Wednesday since we finished Othello and I want to start a clean slate when we get back.  We'll resume reading from the Norton Anthology of World Literature next week, but there is no work or reading for Monday.

REMEMBER--Paper #2 is due on Monday by 5pm (see paper assignment a few posts down).  Enjoy your break!

For Monday: Reading Othello On-Stage

Answer TWO of the following questions based on the 2007 Globe Shakespeare production of Othello…

1. For you, what was the most important element or aspect that changed from reading the play to watching it live?  Be as specific as possible: did the language change?  The pace?  The emotion?  How did it become a slightly (or dramatically) different play through an actual performance?  What could you not have seen merely reading the play…and on the flip side, what would you have missed if you had only seen the play? 

2. In a review at London Theatre.co.uk, the reviewer, Peter Brown, writes: “Tim McInnnerny presents a more swashbuckling Iago than the customary definition of a scheming, political conniver that we're often treated to in other productions. McInnerny is a professional soldier first and foremost - no trace of a political bureaucrat here. He forcibly captures our attention, particularly in the soliloquies, but some of his gestures were rather repetitive, even for a well-disciplined, solidering type.”  Do you agree with this?  Was this the ‘Iago’ that you saw when reading the play?  Was he ‘evil’ enough?  Conniving enough?  Or did he show you a different (better? worse?) Iago?  Explain…

3. Discuss the performance of Act V in particular: did you get the same feeling (or not) of catharsis that you had when reading the play?  Was the emotion/tension heightened—or lessened?  Did you feel the play was necessarily tragic?  Even though you knew what was going to happen, did you still experience doubt or fear for the characters?  Or was there something you read in the play that you didn’t see (and wanted to see) on stage? 

4. In general, what do you think a live performance adds to a play?  Like any concert, the players/musicians are right in front of you, which means they can make mistakes, or even improvise in ways we don’t see in the play or hear on the album.  Why might you argue that we need more live performances of Shakespeare to complement what we read in class, and to help us understand his unique power in literature and the modern world? 

Short Paper #2--due Monday, October 21st!

Short Paper #2 (of 3): Heroes and Tragedy

Choose ONE of the following conversations...

1. Discuss the concept of fate in the stories of each hero (Achilles and Othello): are these heroes fated to die because of a tragic flaw (hubris, jealousy, etc.), or is their fate created by outside forces that wish them harm (the gods, Iago)?  How much do we blame each hero for their own downfall, and what do you think each poet wants us to see/feel as we read their works?   In other words, do you feel Othello and Achilles brought on their own downfall (even though Achilles doesn’t die, he still causes the suffering/death of those he loves), or are they ruthlessly controlled by a biased fate?  Or perhaps one is more heroic and ‘innocent’ than the other?

2. What role does catharsis play in each work by the final ‘act’?  How are we supposed to react to the tragedy and death we read (or see on-stage), and does it leave us feeling emotionally cleansed and /or enlightened?  If so, what do you feel we learn from this experience?  If not, what do you feel one or both works lack a conclusion or balance by the end?  What crucial ingredients are missing to lead us back to society, our catharsis firmly in grasp?  Be sure to examine specific moments at the end of each work to support this. 

3. Heroes express the values and ideas of a society, even when these societies fail or are destroyed.  Based on the actions, speeches, and effect on those around them, what cultural values or beliefs does each hero represent about his culture?  What might we glean from Achilles about Greek values...and what might Othello teach us about English ideals?  Remember that a hero can exhibit these qualities not only by performing them, but by not performing them. Do you feel Homer and Shakespeare share the same basic philosophy on heroism/nobility?  Or do they differ in some significant points (they are writing about a thousand years apart, after all!).

REQUIREMENTS

·         You must use both works and quote passages and lines from each to create the ‘conversation’ about heroism and literature

·         You do not need to use outside, secondary sources in this paper (since it’s a short paper), but if you think it will help your discussion, feel free to do so.

·         All quotations must be cited correctly according to MLA format.

·         The paper should be at least 3-4 pages double spaced, though you can write more if you wish.

·         Short Paper #2 is due by Monday, October 21^st by 5pm

For those who read the blog...

For those interested, I've posted a link (on the right side of the screen) to my recently published Kindle-only novel, The Count of the Living Death.  I post it here because it relates to much of what we're reading in class: you can find references/ideas from The Wife of Bath, the Iliad, Othello, and other works to come in class.  It's a Young adult 'fantasy' novel that might interest anyone into heroes, magic, adventure, dragons, humor, and wizards named after pirates.  Feel free to read it--it only costs 99 cents to download--and grade me for once!  I promise not to cry! :)

For Wednesday: Othello from the 2007 Shakespeare Globe Theatre Production

Having struggled through the play, you've now earned the right to see Othello staged!  We'll watch a few scenes (not the entire play) from the 2007 Globe Theatre production of Othello and discuss how they want us to 'see' Othello, Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, and others.  I'll give you some questions to answer for next week based on our scenes from Wednesday and Friday.  

NOTE: On the syllabus, the original course calendar says we have no class on Wednesday or Friday.  This was a mistake and I forgot to mention it to everyone; however, remember that if you have class off, I'll always remind you of this fact weeks and days in advance.  So come to class on Wednesday!  :) 

For Monday: Shakespeare's Othello, Act V

Only ONE question, similar to our final question for The Iliad:

In Act Five, the tragedy unfolds, people die, and others are brought to justice.  Imagine how this must have looked the first time it was performed on-stage.  Would people have been surprised—shocked—or satisfied with the outcome?  Is there a sense of “catharsis,” emotional cleansing or balance that occurs by the end of the play?  How do the characters who live respond to these events, and are they are ‘guides’ to help us interpret whether or not justice has been done? 

Most importantly, how do you feel as you read the final lines?  Do you feel more satisfied or more upset by the ending?  Do you think Shakespeare wanted you to feel this way—and if so, how did he accomplish this?  Try to explain what you feel and how the play does this to you.  Try to focus on a specific line or passage to help support your reading—don’t just say “I’m frustrated because all the main characters die.” 

For Friday: Othello, Act IV

No questions this time...just read Act IV and prepare to answer an in-class writing prompt when you arrive.  I'll also hand out the Paper #2 assignment options, so be sure to come--or check the blog soon afterward for the assignment! 

For Wednesday: Othello, Act Three

For Wednesday: Shakespeare’s Othello, Act Three

Only ONE question this time... (which you must answer!)

Act Three is the heart of the play and easily the most controversial, especially as regards how we read our hero, Othello.  In Scene iii, Othello swallows Iago’s suggestions about Desdemona’s unfaithfulness and rages,

Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!

Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne
To tyrannous hate.  Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,
For ‘tis of aspics’ tongues!...O blood!  Iago, blood! 

An Elizabethan audience would expect a Moor to speak like this, and ultimately for a ‘good’ Moor to turn ‘bad’ as was his nature.  So far, Shakespeare seems to confirm his audiences’ racial prejudices by showing a Moor who is easily deceived (unintelligent?) and prone to wild rages and fits (a savage?).  For this reason, some African-American actors have refused to play the role, seeing it a crude stereotype or even an out-and-out racist portrait.    Of course, before this scene Othello was entirely ‘gentle’ and Iago has been working on him for three entire acts now; would anyone—white, black, or other—turn into a lunatic if they suspected their wife’s infidelity? 

Read Act Three carefully, particularly scene iii, and try to respond to the accusation that Shakespeare creates a stereotypical Moor in Othello, one who is prone to violence and cannot truly love (or think) like a European.  How might you prove OR contradict this reading through what he says—or what Iago says?  If you were the actor or the director, how would you want Othello to be portrayed?  Is there something fundamentally human in him—or is he meant to be a caricature of the “other”—someone who isn’t us and thus cannot share our values? 

For Monday: Shakespeare's Othello, Act Two

Answer TWO of the following…

1. In a way, Iago is like all the ‘clerks’ the Wife of Bath complained about who slander women in their books.  Where do we see Iago doing this—and provoking others to see women in this light as well?  Consider how he acts to his wife, Emilia, and how he talks to others about Desdemona. 

2. A truly adept liar doesn’t make things up, but bases his lies on truth by clever distorting.  Based on this logic, does Cassio love Desdemona?  Iago claims he does, but does the play itself verify this information?  Examine a scene where we see Cassio interacting with Desdemona or with others who discuss her.  What might Iago be basing his ‘information’ on? 

3. What other motives does Iago give for hating Othello and plotting his downfall?  Does he have some affection/loyalty to Roderigo?  Has Othello offended him?  Does he ‘want’ something that only Othello—or Cassio—can prevent him from taking?  Examine a scene which seems to answer (at least partially) this question.

4. Once Cassio loses his position for drunkenness in Scene iii, he and Iago have a discussion about reputation.  How does this scene show us the different ways both men view the world—as well as understand the meaning of honor and soldierly values?  Related to this, why does he agree to follow Iago’s advice in the end? 

For Friday: Othello, Act One

Answer TWO of the following:

1. As you might expect in a play written in the early 17^th century about a Moor (an African—probably from Morocco), the issue of race dominates the play.  How do we know this is a very racially divided society, and that despite Othello’s accomplishments, he is still seen as a “moor” rather than (solely) a great hero?

2. Examine the famous ‘trial’ scene in Scene 3, where Brabantio claims that Othello has seduced his daughter through witchcraft.  How does Othello defend himself from these claims, and how does this scene illustrate his ‘heroic’ character and values?  Related to this, why might it make us sympathetic to him instead of Brabantio? 

3. In Scene 1, Iago tells Roderigo that “I am not what I am.”  Throughout the play, he tells various people different stories explaining his motivations, hatreds, and values.  Can we trust anything he says?  Do we ever hear him speaking the ‘truth,’ or something that sounds more plausible to our ears?  In other words, when do we hear the ‘real’ Iago—and can we assume that his comment to Roderigo is even authentic? 

4. Choose a passage (a few lines, an entire speech) that you find very difficult to understand.  In writing, try to decipher/translate what is going on here.  Look at the images or metaphors the character uses, and consider what the character is responding to (what has just happened).  Try to ‘think out loud’ in your writing and see if you can shed any light on this passage (hopefully we can discuss a few of these in class).  

For Monday: Introducing Shakespeare's Drama

Did you miss class on Friday?  About 1/3 of the class did, so you're probably wondering what we did and what you have to read for Monday.  We finished discussing Book XXII of The Iliad on Friday and watched a final scene from the film (between Achilles and Priam).  If you haven't finished the poem, be sure to do so, since it will be an important part of Paper #2, which I will assign soon (and which most of you have to do).  

For Monday, I'm going to introduce Shakespeare's Drama and help you understand the world and times he wrote in.  On Friday, we'll start discussing Othello, which is NOT in your World Literature Anthology; I ordered a separate book which is in the ECU bookstore and you should have purchased already.  If not, get it immediately, since the bookstore will send all of the books back very soon.  On Wednesday I'll help you understand the language of Shakespeare and assign the first reading and questions from the book.  

Until then, remember to watch your absences (some of you are beyond reasonable limits) and try to stay on top of your response questions.  Mid-term grades are right around the corner!  See you on Monday... 

For Friday: The Illiad, Book XXIV: Catharsis or Catastrophe?

 

For Friday: Book XXIV: Achilles and Priam (pp.158-177)

Only ONE question this time, a short essay response (so give me a good-sized paragraph full of thoughtful ideas and try to connect it to a specific passage or two in the reading)…

This is the last book of The Illiad, and it literally ends with the line, “That was the funeral of Hector, breaker of horses.”  The Greeks believed in a term called catharsis, which means a sense of cleansing that invokes the audiences’ fear, pity, and understanding.  Usually a tragedy contains some element of catharsis so that the audience can see themselves in the drama, feel sympathy/understanding for the characters, and leave feeling renewed or enlightened.  Do you think Book XXIV of The Illiad does this?  Does it leave us feeling emotionally “cleansed”?  Are good and evil, right and wrong, somehow balanced once again?  Is the world made right?  Or are things still left askew, broken, and confused?  What do you think the poet’s intention was in this final book/chapter of the poem? 

For Wednesday: More on The Illiad, Book XXII

Be sure you've completed the questions for Book XXII (below) for Wednesday's class.  Otherwise, we'll watch a few more scenes from Troy, chiefly the scene between Hector and Achilles.  I also want to discuss the women in the book a bit more, particularly Andromache, Hector's wife. 

If you've fallen behind in responses, now is an easy time to catch up, since we only have 1 more for The Iliad, then we'll have a short break before we start on Shakespeare's Othello.  Remember that mid-term grades come out soon, and frequent absences and lack of daily responses are the major factors that will hurt your grade.  The only way to fail this class is simply not participating and doing the work.  Don't be a mid-semester casualty! 

For Monday: The Iliad, Book XII

For Monday:

The Iliad, Book XII (pp.145-158)

Answer TWO of the following…

1. Why does Hector refuse to listen to his parents—and perhaps, common sense—in fighting Achilles?  What arguments do both of his parents use to sway him, and would these arguments be persuasive to us (a modern audience)?  Does he offer a specific reason for refusing their counsel and insisting on meeting Achilles in a suicidal showdown?

2. When Zeus contemplates saving Hector from his fate, his daughter, Athena, exclaims: “You may be the Lord of Lightning and the Dark Cloud,/But what a thing to say, to save a mortal man,/With his fate already fixed, from rattling death!/Do it.  But don’t expect us all to approve” (149).  Why doesn’t she and the other gods approve?  Is it simply because they favor the Greeks?  Or does it suggest a deeper social taboo that even affects the gods of Olympus? 

3. How is Hector portrayed in this Book?  Since he is the other hero of the epic (in some ways, a “good” version of Achilles), what qualities/ideas does he portray?  Does he seem more ‘human’ than Achilles?  Can we sympathize with him more?  Or is he more or less the same—another man guided by fate, war, and honor? 

4. Why does Achilles refuse to honor Hector’s pleas for a decent burial if one of them dies?  Is this meant to be heroic—inspirational, even?  Or does it question the very nature of heroism in Achilles?  How do other people in the poem react to the treatment of Hector’s corpse?  Is this acceptable conduct in the ancient world…or has he broken a taboo of civilization? 

5. King Priam of Troy (Hector’s father) acts as a voice of wisdom throughout the poem.  What is his essential worldview or philosophy of life as expressed in this book?  What might this say about the poet’s own ideas about life and death, as well as heroism and honor?  In other words, how might Priam’s speeches help us see how some Greeks truly felt about the people and events that shaped their world?  

For Wednesday: The Rage of Achilles

Homer’s The Illiad, Book I (pp.129-144); you can also read the Introduction to Homer (pp.121-129) if you wish, though we’ll cover some of this in class on Wednesday.

Answer TWO of the following…

1. The poem opens with a famous address to the Muse of poetry: “Rage: Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage…”  Based on Book I, how is this a poem about “rage” and/or the consequences of anger?  How do both men and gods play into this theme?

2. In general, how does the poem characterize the gods of Olympus (Apollo, Thetis, Zeus, Hera, Athena, etc.)?  What are their interactions with the world of men and among themselves?  Why might this be surprising when we consider the Judeo-Christian conception of God? 

3. From Book I, what makes Achilles ‘heroic’, especially considering he more or less refuses to fight in the Trojan war?  How do the values and ideals of Greek society shine through his character, and why, based on this, might he also be favored of the Gods (or some of them, anyway)?

4. Coming off The Wife of Bath’s Prologue & Tale, how are women portrayed in this story?  What role do they plain in Greek society, and how, in some respect, does this echo in Olympus as well?  

For Monday and In-Class Writing for Friday

For Monday we'll start the second 'unit' in class, moving away from Love and Beauty in the Ancient World to focus on Heroes, Villains, and War in the Ancient World.  No reading for Monday; instead, we'll examine some art and consider what values epitomize the 'hero' then and now, and why war is always tied up in these conceptions. 

If you missed class today, you  have one more chance to complete the in-class writing assignment (below).  You can e-mail it to me this weekend or bring it to class no later than Monday.  Either way, be sure to read The Wife of Bath's Tale since it will help you immeasurably if you decide to write Short Paper #1.

In-Class Response to "The Wife of Bath's Tale": 

 In “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” the angry wife asks her audience,

Now who painted the lion, tell me who?

By God, if women had written stories,

Like clerks do with their oratories,

They would have written of men more wickedness

Than all the mark of Adam could redress.”

The “Wife of Bath’s Tale” is her attempt to write a story about women by a woman (even though a man wrote all of it!).  How does she try to satirize men in this story and/or tell the “real” story of women?  Consider that her audience is largely comprised of men, and in some sense, she wants to insult them and instruct them in how to treat their wives at home. 

For Friday: The Wife of Bath's Tale

We discussed the long--and very bawdy--The Wife of Bath's Prologue--in class today (Wednesday) and still didn't cover it all.  So we'll double back on Friday and discuss the "The Wife of Bath's Tale," which is the story she tells all the pilgrims after her long, rambling, and quite humorous Prologue.  

No questions for Friday: however, I will give you an in-class writing question about "The Wife of Bath's Tale" when you arrive. This will count as your question and a kind of quiz to make sure everyone is keeping up with their reading. 

Also: be careful about absences...I'm starting to note who comes regularly and who misses 1-2 classes a week.  I know everyone's name now so there can be no illusions about anonymity!  See you on Friday...

For Wednesday: Middle-Aged Women in the Middle-Ages

Close Reading Questions for

Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue” (pp.1221-1240)

NOTE: “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue” is part of Chaucer’s great work, The Canterbury Tales, about a group of 14^th century Englishmen and women going on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas of Beckett.  To amuse themselves, each pilgrim tells a story and the rest comment on it afterward.  The most famous is this one, where a saucy Medieval woman dishes about her married life, love affairs, and the state of women in general. 

Answer 2 of the following...

[Click Below for Questions]

Short Paper #1 assignment: due Sept.13th

Short Paper #1 (of 3): Writings of Love and Beauty

Poems: Ancient Egyptian Love Songs, Sappho’s Fragments, Classical Indian Poets, Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

Choose ONE of the following options...

[Click below to see the entire assignment]

For Friday: Paper #1 and How to Write for a General Humanities course

For Friday, I cancelled the reading in the syllabus since (a) I don't want to overload you with short poems too early in the semester, and (b) I want to give you the paper assignment sooner so I can discuss what I expect from these assignments, and how to write for a Humanities class in general.  So it will be a relaxed class which will hopefully be useful to you; I will also give you reading questions for Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" for Wednesday (no class on Monday--Labor Day).

See you tomorrow!

For Wednesday: 'Close Reading' Classical Indian Poets

For Wednesday: Poems from Classical India

Readings: Bhartrhari (pp.1259-1262); Vikatanitamba (1263); Bhavakedevi (1263); Bhavabhuti (pp/1265-1267); Rajasekhara (pp.1270-1271)

For this week, I only have ONE question for you, but it’s much more focused than usual.  I want you to choose one of the poems from one of the writers above, and write a ‘close reading’ analysis of the poem.  A ‘close reading’ means you explain what the poem is saying by examining the metaphors, the language, the tone, and even the sounds so we can ‘see’ how you read/understand the poem.

Remember, don’t summarize the ‘plot’ of the poem or be too vague.  The goal here is to examine specific ideas and words so you can analyze rather than summarize.  This will make you a better reader of poetry and a better writer in general.  Both are the goal of our readings in Humanities I!

For example, here is a close reading of the poem “When she’s out of sight” (pg.1260).  Don’t do this poem in your own analysis!  J

The poem opens with the poet discussing the longing he has for his love when she’s “out of sight.”  It seems love becomes more powerful with absence, as he admits, “When she’s out of sight,/we desire to see her;/when we behold her,/we want to hold her in a sweet embrace.”  In other words, the desire for the woman comes with a reunion; if he had seen her all along, would he want to “hold her in a sweet embrace?”  The poet goes on to say that when they are embracing, “we wish our separate bodies/to be one at once--/without difference.”  While this alludes to a sexual union, it also has a deeper, more passionate meaning.  If they could be “one—without difference” they could never again part, never be forced to imagine rather than love.  This poem seems to underline the old saying that “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” since the passionate desire of “oneness” comes from knowing what it is to be without.  Can true love take root without conflict and loss?  This ancient poem suggests that to love is to suffer, and without great pain we can never know great love—or great peace. 

For Monday: The Shards of Sappho

Close Reading Questions for Monday:

Sappho’s Fragments (pp.467-474)

NOTE: Be sure to read the Introduction to Sappho’s poetry starting on page 467, since this explains why the poems are fragments (unfinished) and why she remains important enough to read despite this.  As before, answer TWO of the following questions in a short paragraph and avoid vague responses that give answers instead of thoughts. 

1.         Reading the fragments as a whole, how does Sappho view love—or the idea of love?  Consider that some are written to Aphrodite, the goddess of love; how does she speak to this goddess?  Is love something welcome, something that transports her to a new universe…or is it a darker, less welcome emotion?  Is it a blessing or a curse (or both)? 

2.         Why do you think that Sappho’s poems survive in this fragmentary state?  Many works from her time—The Illiad, the plays of Sophocles, etc.—all exist in pristine condition despite the ravages of time.  If she was the greatest female poet in the ancient world, why is this all we have left?  What might this say about women in the ancient world and the idea of being an author? 

3.         Most ancient literature is from the male perspective—male heroes, male gods, male kings.  All of Sappho’s poetry is from a female perspective, showing us how women viewed ideas of love, relationships, and marriage.  How does Sappho offer us a female perspective on the ancient world?  What might she see that is specifically ‘female’ in these fragments?  In other words, what wouldn’t a male see or write that Sappho does? 

4.         Creative Option: Fragments 48, 51, 102, 130 and 168B are only a single line or two.  Try to finish the poem; where do you think she was going with this?  How could these poems relate to a modern setting—or your own life?  Try to add a few lines to make one of these (or more than one of these) into a complete short poem.