Humanities C1001: Literature Humanities Section 055
Fall 2012
Tuesday & Thursday 6:10 – 8:00pm
413 Hamilton Hall
Instructor: Nathanael Shelley
Office Hours: T. 9:30-11:00a and W. 2:00-3:30p
(113/115 Knox Hall)
E-mail: nps2104@columbia.edu
“The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly – that is what each of us is here for.”
~ Oscar Wilde (d. 1900)
Literature Humanities: Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy (Lit Hum) is a course in a canon of
influential texts of Western literature. It is not intended to be an exhaustive survey of great works of literature. It is
also not a comprehensive “civilization” course nor is it a history class. The texts we read center on the idea of
narrative or story telling as an instrument of discovery. The goals of our course are concerned with expression: the
study of it, and the practice of it. This means specifically that we (1) analyze the origins and transformations of our
cultural values, philosophical assumptions, and aesthetic principles, and (2) learn how to think, discuss, and write
clearly and creatively about them, i.e. to express ourselves clearly.
Questions of Focus
In order to organize our classroom discussions and encourage interconnections among texts, we will focus on some
fundamental questions. Keep these questions in mind as you read the texts. They will form the basis for our classroom
discussions, exams, and paper topics.
What is a human being? What is human good? What is human contentment or happiness? Do all people have an
equal chance to attain happiness? What are the most important or essential human faculties and capacities (e.g. reason,
emotions)? What is the proper place of a person (e.g., in the family, in battle, with god)? How free are people? What
must one do to deserve freedom or success? Where does a human being best fulfill his or her nature? Is an inward or
outward journey necessary to fulfill that nature? What temptations or difficulties prevent a proper human life? What
role do social conventions play in life? What can people know? How do people acquire knowledge? Is imagination,
reason, or experience the most important source of knowledge? What roles do story-telling and the manipulation of
words play in life and the attainment of truth?
Course Requirements
Participation and Investment (15%): This is vital for the development of your individual understanding and critical
reading skills. Readings and related preparation must be completed by the time of the class for which they were
assigned. Your well-prepared, thoughtful, and respectful contributions to class discussion are probably the single most
important aspect of your participation in this course, but investment can also be demonstrated by asking questions,
posting comments in the online discussion page, and contributing to the class through other, creative, means. A
participation grade of S, S-, or S+ will be made available to you at mid-term and can be requested at any other point in
the semester. Please note that, in a course where we have relatively little time to spend with each of the very rich
works ahead of us, the aim is not so much to master the content in each case but rather to develop the ability to
formulate and sustain argued responses (both orally and written) to works of literature. A range of types of responses
and approaches will be explored regularly.
Attendance and punctual arrival throughout the semester are absolute requirements and will be recorded. You
should always remember to bring your own copy of the text to every session. If you do miss a class for any reason,
please contact a classmate to discuss the material covered that day because you will be held responsible for it.
If you must miss class, notify me in advance in order to arrange an excused absence. Absence due to religious
observance, illness or family emergency will be excused, but you should inform me as soon as possible, and I may
require written proof of the reason for your absence, such as a note from your doctor or dean. Additional assignments
may be required in order to compensate for the missed class. Two or more unexcused absences will adversely affect
your grade. Participation is 15% of your grade.
Lateness: Class begins promptly at 6:10pm. Arriving late will be tolerated, but it will significantly affect your
participation grade if it becomes regular. Lateness of more than 15 minutes will be considered an absence.
Quote Book: Students are expected to record quotes that they see as important or personally relevant on a daily basis.
We will discuss this during class time so you should try to have a new quote ready for every class session. Although it
is ideal, it is not necessary to transcribe the entire quote. Having a list of references, and the reasons why the quotes
stood out as important, can be far more useful when maintained consistently. Try to find quotes that interact with the
questions of focus listed above wherever possible because these will become the most enjoyable to study and discuss.
Presentation (5%): You are required to give an in-class presentation independently once during the semester. This is
a 15-20 minute presentation designed to highlight an aspect of one text from the course, and it must be given during
the week the text is assigned. Students reserve the day and text they wish to present. The presentation may focus on
any relevant issue concerned with the text, and you are encouraged to be as creative as possible. Any presentation of
relevant material that shows a serious engagement with the text and is well prepared will receive full credit for the
presentation. For inspiration, please consult the explorations of each text, and please feel free to discuss your ideas
with me during office hours. The presentation is 5% of your grade.
Papers (8/16/23%): There will be three papers of increasing length. The first of three (double-spaced) pages will
count for 8% of your grade; the second will be four pages and count for 16% of your grade; and the third will be five
pages and count for 23% of your grade. You will be given specific requirements for each assignment in advance, but
there will be a selection of topics to choose from. Papers must be submitted in hard-copy (printouts). Additionally, you
must submit via email a thesis statement to me one week before each paper is due. Late papers (and thesis statements)
will lose third of a letter grade per day late.
Midterm (10%): There will be an in-class midterm administered on Tuesday, October 23, consisting of passage
identification and passage analysis and/or essay questions. If you know ahead of time that you will be unable to be
present at the Midterm, please notify me at least two days in advance to make alternative arrangements. An unexcused
absence the day of the Midterm will result in a zero; there will no make-up. The Midterm is 10% of your grade.
The Final Exam (23%): This will take place on Friday December 14, 12:30 – 3:30pm. The Final is 23% of your
grade.
Policy on Academic Honesty (Plagiarism):
Columbia College is dedicated to the highest ideals of integrity in academia. Therefore, in Literature Humanities, any
instance of academic dishonesty, attempted or actual, will result in an automatic “F” for the course, and the student
will be referred to Dean’s Discipline for further disciplinary action. Students are required to sign and abide by the
Academic Honesty Form.
Learning Disabilities:
If you have a learning disability that requires special accommodations, please contact me at the beginning of the
semester so that appropriate arrangements can be made. You will need to obtain official documentation for your
disability for this and other courses. I will not be able to rectify arrangements or grades retrospectively if you do not
let me know your needs in advance.
Classroom Rules:
Computers: Computers are not allowed in class because they interfere with the seminar learning environment.
Exceptions to this policy will be made for people with a documented learning disability.
Drinks: You may bring beverages to class.
Food: Please do not eat in class unless you bring enough to share with the entire class. You are very welcome and
encouraged to bring food to share. Our class is late in the evening and this is a good way to keep our spirits and
energy high.
Office Hours
I am available outside class to discuss any issues of the course or to provide assistance during my office hours. These
are held Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30–11:00am in 113 Knox Hall (on Seminary Row/122th St.). This time usually fills
up so it is highly recommended that you make an appointment via e-mail to guarantee a space. Please do take
advantage of this opportunity. This time belongs to you so do not hesitate to use it.
"Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one
that comes after it."
~ George Orwell (d. 1950)
Summary of semester by week
Week 1 9/4
9/6
Week 2 9/11
9/13
Homer, Iliad. Books 1-9
Homer, Iliad. Books 10-16
Homer, Iliad. Books 17-24
Homer, Iliad.
First Paper Due.
Week 3 9/18
Homer, Odyssey. Books 1-8
9/20
Homer, Odyssey. Books 9-16
Week 4 9/25
Homer, Odyssey. Books 17-24
9/27
Homer, Odyssey.
Week 5 10/2
Aeschylus, Orestia. Agamemnon & The Libation Bearers.
10/4
Aeschylus, Orestia. The Eumenides.
Second Paper Due.
Week 6 10/9
Sophocles, Oedipus the King.
10/11 Sophocles, Oedipus the King.
Week 7 10/16 Euripides, Medea.
10/18 Euripides, Medea.
Week 8 10/23 Midterm, The Histories. Bk 1. 1-140 (pp. 3-64).
10/25 Herodotus, The Histories. Bk 2.1-5, 2.35-51, 2.112-20 (pp. 95-7, 108-16, 137-41); Bk 7.1-58, 7.100-5
(pp. 404-28, 438-41).
Week 9 10/30 Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War. Bk 1.1-49, 1.139-46 (pp. 35-64, 118-23); Bk 2.34-55
(pp. 143-56); Bk 3.36-50, 3.69-85 (pp. 212-23, 236-45); Bk 5.84-116 (pp. 400-8); Bk 6.8-32 (pp.
414-29).
11/1
Aristophanes, Lysistrata.
Week 10 11/6 No Class (Election Day)
11/8
Plato, Symposium.
Week 11 11/13 Plato, Symposium.
11/15 Genesis
Week 12 11/20 Genesis
11/22 No Class (Thanksgiving)
Week 13 11/27 Job
11/29 Luke
Week 14 12/4 John
12/6
Last day of class/Review
Third Paper Due.
Finals Week 1 12/14 (Friday) Final Exam 12:30 – 3:30pm
**Remember** I am available during office hours!
Texts:
Homer, Iliad (U. of Chicago, tr. Lattimore)
Homer, Odyssey (Harper, tr. Lattimore)
Aeschylus, Oresteia (Aeschylus I, U. of Chicago, tr. Lattimore)
Sophocles, Oedipus the King (Sophocles I, U. of Chicago, tr. Grene & Lattimore)
Euripides, Medea (U. of Chicago, tr. Warner)
Herodotus, The Histories (Oxford, tr. Robin Waterfield)
Thucydides, History of Peloponnesian War (Penguin, tr. Warner)
Aristophanes, Lysistrata (Penguin, tr. Sommerstein)
Plato, Symposium (Hackett, trs. Nehamas, Woodruff)
Bible: Revised Standard Version (Meridian)