English 201: Early European Literary Classics

H. Hodgkins Office hours: MWF

(h) 316-0463 MCVR 136-D, #4-5837

Course description: This course involves extensive reading of European literature in translation. These texts are famous and foundational in Western cultural heritage. They are vital understanding not only the past but literature up to and including the present.

Course goals: The student successfully completing this course will be able to:

--Read the texts carefully and discuss them in terms of their literary characteristics;

--Analyze the texts in an educated fashion and demonstrate his or her understanding in clear writing;

--Examine these texts in light of their cultural, historical, and intellectual contexts;

--Enjoy some of the most wonderful literature ever written.

Texts: Do not try to substitute other editions of these books.

Homer, The Iliad (Anchor Books), trans. Fitzgerald

Sophocles, Oedipus Rex (Dover)

Sophocles, Antigone (Dover)

Virgil, Aeneid (Penguin Classics), trans. Knight

Augustine, Confessions (Penguin Classics), trans. Pine-Coffin

ChrJtien de Troyes, Lancelot or The Knight of the Cart (U. of Ga. Press), trans. Cline

Dante Alighieri, The Inferno (NAL/Penguin), trans. Ciardi

The Portable Cervantes (Penguin), trans. Putnam

Handouts

Your responsibilities:

A. To read each assignment carefully and come to class prepared to discuss it;

B. To come to class with texts and to follow along as we discuss. The second time that a student comes to class without a text, he or she will be counted absent for the day.

C. To take four exams (identification and essay) on the days scheduled.

Your grades:

Class participation, group participation, and written responses 10%

Unscheduled quizzes 10%

Four exams (20% each) 80%

Extra credit for high-quality class participation.

Attendance: Absences, tardies, and early leave-takings will be regarded as evidence of your indifference. Your grades will be reduced after three absences and you will be dropped from the class after missing four classes. This rule does apply to students who have added late.

Honor Policy: All work in this class should be governed by the UNCG Academic Honor Policy. I consider the use of Cliff’s Notes or any crib resource a violation of that policy. Any work submitted as your own will receive an F if I find that you have used others’ ideas without attribution. A second violation will result in an F for the course and subject you to University disciplinary policies.

Schedule (subject to revision):

8/19 Introduction to class and Homeric world

8/21 Iliad, Books 1, 2, 3

8/23 Iliad, Bks 4, 5

8/26 Il. Bks 6, 7, 9

8/28 Il. Bks 11, 14, 15

8/30 Il. Bks 16, 17, 18

9/2 Labor Day

9/4 Il. Bks 19, 20, 21

9/6 Il. Bks 22, 23 (ll. 1-330), 24

9/9 Oedipus Rex (all)

9/11 Oedipus Rex

9/13 Antigone (all)

9/16 Antigone

9/18 Exam 1

9/20 Aeneid Intro & Bk. 1

9/23 Aeneid Bks 2-3

9/25 Aeneid Bk. 4

9/27 Aeneid Bks 6, 8

9/30 Aeneid Bk. 12

10/2 Augustine, Confessions (as assigned)

10/3 Confessions

10/7 Confessions

10/8 Confessions

10/11 Exam 2. Last day to drop without penalty.

10/14 Fall break

10/16 Courtly love; ChrJtien de Troyes, Lancelot (as assigned)

10/18 Lancelot

10/21 Lancelot 11/25 Don Quixote

11/27 & 29 Thanksgiving

10/23 Marie de France, “Eliduc”

10/25 Petrarch’s sonnets 12/2 Don Quixote

12/4 Don Quixote

10/28 Inferno (as assigned) 12/6 Don Quixote

10/30 Inferno

11/1 Inferno 12/9 Don Quixote

11/4 Inferno

11/6 Inferno Cumulative final exam:

11/8 Inferno 201-01: Mon. 12/16, 8-11 a.m.

201-02: Fri. 12/13, 12-3

11/11 Inferno

11/13 Inferno

11/15 Exam 3

11/18 Cervantes, Don Quixote

11/20 Don Quixote

11/22 Don Quixote