This
course satisfies General Education Goal 3: "An understanding of our cultural heritage as revealed in
literature, its movements and traditions, through reading,
understanding, analyzing, and writing about the major works that have
shaped our thinking and provide a record of human experience."
Upon completion of this course, students will
: (1) Understand major movements, themes, and values in one or
more cultures as revealed in literature, (2) Analyze literary texts as
reflections of cultural movements, themes, and values, and (3) Develop
and defend interpretations of literary texts through written discourse.
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Two exams, half objective, half essay (150 pts. each, 300
points total). The final exam will be cumulative in the sense
that you may be expected to compare any of the works we read to texts
from the earlier part of the course (e.g., "compare and contrast
Cunegonde's situation to that of female characters in Homer, Vergil,
and Dante").
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Ten written responses to study questions
(10 points each, 100 points total). These responses should be a
minimum of 250 words, and they should reflect a meaningful
contemplation and analysis of the readings. Go here for
detailed instructions and grading criteria. Please submit
your reading responses via e-mail, in the body of the message (not
as an attachment), before class meets for at least ten
classes. If you submit responses for more than ten classes, your
lowest 1-2 grades will be dropped. Late submissions will not be
accepted under any circumstances, including illness. Your
response should attend to the readings for the day you submit it, but
it should be submitted before we discuss the day's readings in
class. E.g., if we discuss Iliad 9 on Tuesday, your
response should should be submitted before class meets on Tuesday, not
on Thursday (after we've already discussed Iliad 9 in
class). A paraphrase of the text is not acceptable--you
must use the study questions as a point-of-departure for a meaningful
analysis of the text that is supported by quotations and specific
examples. Please conclude your responses with the Longwood Honor
Pledge followed by your name. These responses should not require
you to consult outside sources, but if you find it necessary to do so,
cite your material using MLA format. If you consult outside
sources, do not use them as a substitute for your own ideas.
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Grades
will be based on the following thresholds: 360 points = A, 320 points =
B, 280 points = C, 240 points = D, below 239 = F.
This course requires a substantial amount of reading, most of
it in verse. The material we will cover also requires a different kind
of reading than you may be accustomed to. Unlike newspaper and magazine
articles, or the textbooks you use in social science or business
classes, poetry and other works of literature need to be read in a
careful, reflective, and active manner. As you plan your study
schedule, leave extra time for contemplation and note taking. Keep in
mind that college students are generally expected to spend 2-3 hours
preparing for each hour of classroom instruction. On exams, you
should be prepared to identify and comment on important characters (you
should also be able to spell their names), themes, episodes,
complications, and conflicts in the works we read. One of the best ways
to prepare yourself for class is to keep a reading journal in which you
record notes on characters, outlines of plots, and your own responses
to these works. You may also find it useful to keep a comparative list
of Greek and Roman deities with notes on the numerous variants on their
names (e.g., Aphrodite = Venus, Cytherea). Feel free to visit me in my
office at any time during the semester if you are having difficulty
with the readings, lectures, or discussions.
Please arrive on time, and be prepared to listen, think, and
contribute. Please turn off wireless phones, pagers, headphones, and
other
electronic devices that might disrupt class. Please treat other
students and your instructor in a civil and respectful manner. Note
that
classroom disruption is a violation of Longwood University's honor code.
Please keep electronic versions of all work you submit for
this class until after you have received your final
grade. In case of inclement weather, continue to read the
daily assignments, continue to submit reading responses, and check this
web page for announcements.
The Longwood University attendance policy in the 2003-2004 Undergraduate Catalog
will be the attendance policy for this course. You will receive
an
F on work missed because of unexcused absences. Your grade will be
lowered by one letter grade if you miss
10 percent of the scheduled class meeting times (i.e., 1 and a half
classes during the summer session) for unexcused absences.
You will receive an F if you miss a total (excused and
unexcused) of 25 percent of the scheduled class meeting times (i.e., 3
classes). If you
are absent, it is your responsibility to obtain notes from a
classmate (as well as announcements about syllabus changes or other
matters). Exams can be made up only under the most grave
circumstances, and with documentation from an MD or a Longwood
University official. If you foresee a conflict, I expect you to
discuss it with me beforehand. Written assignments handed in late will
lose one letter grade for each class day late. Plagiarism,
cheating, and other forms of intellectual dishonesty will result in an
F for the course and referral to the Longwood University Judicial
system. For details on Longwood University's honor code and judicial
system, direct your web browser to: http://www.longwood.edu/judicial.
Note: the syllabus may be changed at any time if necessary,
though I'll try to give you as much advance notice as possible. Please
check the web page regularly for updates.
The Arabic numerals following the titles of the works listed
below refer to the major divisions of the work in question--for Homer
and Vergil, "books"; for Dante, "cantos"; and for Petrarch, individual
poems.