Comparative Literature 30A
Major Works of European Literature: Classical and Medieval

Lecture time and location: MTW 11:00-12:25, Psych 1902
Enroll by section enrollment codes:
R 2:00-3:20, Phelps 1420, Enroll: 01289
R 12:30-1:50, Phelps 1440, Enroll: 01297

 

Instructor: James Donelan
Office: 1319 Girvetz Hall
Email: donelan@writing.ucsb.edu
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, 9:30-10:30
Books: Lawall, Mack, et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature, Volume I
A Reader Available at Graphikart in Isla Vista

 

Course Requirements:
Students must attend all lectures and discussion sections. The amount of reading expected for each class meeting varies; students are urged to plan their reading schedules carefully. Students will write two five-page essays, a midterm, and a final. 

Grades will be determined as follows:

The essays will be critical interpretations of a work or works examined in the course, with scholarly secondary sources (if necessary) and proper MLA citation style. The midterm will be a synthesis of ideas from the works studied in the first half of the course. The final will be a comprehensive examination of all works in the course (with emphasis on the second half). Paper topic suggestions, course policies, lecture outlines, and other materials will be posted on the course web site.  In addition, keep in mind the following:

 


 

Syllabus

6/23 Introduction: Literature in the Ancient World Notes
6/24 Gilgamesh, 15; Excerpts from Genesis, 39 Notes More Notes
6/25 Enheduanna, Hymn to Innanna (reader) Notes

6/30 Excerpt from Job, Psalms, and Song of Songs, 66 Notes
7/1 Homer, excerpts from Iliad I, VI, VIII, IX, XVI, 100 Notes More Notes
7/2 Homer, Iliad, XVIII, XXII, XXIV; Odyssey I, IV, 206; Essays by Parry (reader) Notes
7/3 First paper due in section this week. Suggested Topics

7/7 Homer, Odyssey VI, VII, VIII, IX, XI, XXI, 271; Auerbach (reader) Notes
7/8 Homer, Odyssey, XXII, XXIII, XXIV 462; Sappho, Lyrics, 497 Notes
7/9 Euripides, Medea, 688 Notes

7/14 Midterm
7/15 Plato, Apology 756 and Aristotle, Poetics, 779 Notes
7/16 Virgil, Aeneid I, II, IV, VI, VIII, XII, 926 Notes More Notes

7/21 New Testament excerpts, 1082 Notes
7/22 Augustine, Confessions 1113 Notes
7/23 Beowulf, 1174 Notes
7/24 Second paper due in section this week. Suggested Topics

7/28 Dante, Inferno, I-XV, 1456. Freccero, "Medusa" (reader)
7/29 Inferno, XVI-XXXIII, 1513. Conclusions
7/30 Final examination