World Lit - UCA



World Lit. I (ENGL 2305) Dr. Fowler

T Th 12:15-1:30 (Seq. #2023) Office: Irby 412

2:40-3:55 (Seq. #2025) Hours: MWF 11-12; 1-3

Irby 304 T Th 1:30-2:30

Spring 2005 Phone: 450-5107

E-mail: jamesf@uca.edu

Web:

Text: The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Second Edition, v. A-C)

Course Description: As stated in the UCA Undergraduate Bulletin, this World Cultural Traditions course is an introduction to “epic, dramatic, poetic, and speculative traditions of several nations and cultures from ancient times to the Renaissance,” with a scope that includes non-Western texts.

Course Objectives: During the semester you will learn how to read literary classics written roughly between 1600 B.C. and 1600 A.D. The study of these works will be both formal and historical. That is, you will come to see how a literary masterpiece can speak to humanity in all ages, while reflecting the character and values of its specific cultural origins. The widening dimensions of analysis will enable you to discuss and write about the movement of Western culture (from a literary perspective) with reference to selected non-Western cultures. Your critical-thinking skills will be thoroughly exercised as we move comparatively from work to work, culture to culture, period to period, with the figure of the hero in his various guises as our main motif.

Reading List:

Ancient Period

Week 1

Gilgamesh [Babylonia]

Week 2

Oedipus the King Sophocles [Greece]

Week 3-Week 4 (T)

The Aeneid (selections) Virgil [Rome]

Medieval Period

Week 4 (Th)

Atsumori Zeami [Japan]

[EXAM #1: TUES., FEB. 15]

Week 5 (Th)-Week 9

The Inferno Dante [Italy]

[EXAM #2: TUES., MAR. 29]

Africa

Week 10 (Th)-Week 11 (T)

The Epic of Son-Jara (selections) Fa-Digi Sisoko [Mali Empire]

Renaissance

Week 11(Th)-Week 12 (T)

Gargantua and Pantagruel (selections) Rabelais [France]

Week 12 (Th)-Week 14 (T)

Hamlet Shakespeare [England]

New World

Week 14 (Th)

Popol Vuh (selections) [Quiché Mayan]

Graded Assignments: During the semester you will take two exams worth 100 points apiece. The first will cover readings from the Ancient Period and Zeami’s Atsumori, and the second will cover Dante’s Inferno from the Medieval Period. These will basically be written exams, on which you will be evaluated for your command of the subject matter, critical or analytic skills, and the quality of your prose. For the most part, the 12 quizzes given over the course of the semester will be objective. Each of these will be worth 10 points; I will count your ten highest quiz scores, for a possible total of 100 points. The Final Exam, covering the Africa/Renaissance/New World section in particular and the semester’s work in general, will also be worth 100 points. Thus, the total raw score for the course will be 400 points. I will convert your accumulated points to a number on a 100-point scale, then assign a letter grade in accordance with the following breakdown: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=0-59. I will round up average scores within a half-point of the next higher letter grade (e.g., an average of 79.5 would earn you a B).

Missed/Late Assignments: You may not make up a missed quiz, nor may you take a quiz and then leave early. If you miss an exam, it is your responsibility to contact me before the next class session and arrange to take it. If for some very good reason you miss the Final Exam (Tues., May 3, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for 2023 section; Thurs., May 5, 2-4 p.m. for 2025 section), you must contact me and arrange to take it by Friday of Finals Week (emergencies excepted). I reserve the right to assign a score of zero on the assignment if you fail to meet these rescheduling requirements.

Attendance: You may miss up to three class sessions, whatever your reasons. If you exceed that limit, you will either have to drop the course or be dropped by me. Chronic tardiness will translate into recorded absences. You may not leave class early. Turn off your beeping gadgets at the door, as class disruption of any kind will earn you a penalty absence.

Due to the occasionally “mature” content of the reading, the bringing of children to class is not permitted.

Dishonesty/Plagiarism: Cheating in any form is a serious academic transgression, and may result in penalties as severe as a zero on the assignment in question or possible expulsion from the course with a WF. Plagiarism, a form of intellectual dishonesty, occurs when you present someone else’s ideas or specific language as your own, intentionally neglecting to give due credit.

University Policies: As a member of the university community, you should be familiar with your rights and responsibilities. You can find university policies regarding such matters as academic and personal conduct (including sexual harassment) in the 2004-05 Student Handbook.

Disabilities Statement: “The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need accommodation under this act due to a disability, contact the Office of Disability Support Services at 450-3135.”

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