ENGL 255 – World Literature
Instructor: Mr. Jack Kelnhofer
E-Mail: jack_kelnhofer@portal.ocean.edu
Spring 2012
Room: Russell Building,
Room 209
Class Schedule: Tuesday. & Friday 8:00 AM – 9:15 PM
Required Texts:.
 The Norton Anthology of World Literature (2nd Edition) volumes A, B, & C.
 Alighieri, Dante. The Inferno. Trans. John Ciardi. New York: Signet Classics,
2001. Print.
Course Description:
This course offers reading and discussion of some of the great works of world literature,
specifically those not likely to be covered in courses on American, British, and
contemporary literature. ENGL 255 considers literature of the ancient, medieval, and
Renaissance periods. This course satisfies the Liberal Arts Diversity Requirement.
Prerequisite: ENGL 151.
Course Goals and Learning Objectives
In ENGL 255, students will achieve the following course learning objectives:
 Develop literary skills of reading, composition, and interpretation, with attention
to genre and critical methodology.
 Cultivate the pleasures of intellectual contemplation through encountering great
ideas.
 Develop awareness of the historical evolution of human cultures and ideas, as
great writers have chronicled these trends.
 Move beyond provincial thinking to understand that experience with varied
cultures and artistic forms can enhance
the appreciation of one’s native heritage.
Course Requirements and Concerns
 Any software program you use at home MUST BE compatible with campus
standards. Check with staff in Information Technology office during the first
week of classes if you are not sure.
 Ocean Cruiser is the official email communication for students at OCC
(firstname_lastname@occ.mailcruiser.com). All email communication to the
professor must be through your Ocean Cruiser email account. E-mails
received from non-College accounts may not be read.
Policies and Procedures:
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the use of another writer’s words or ideas without disclosure of the source.
All essays and papers submitted by students for credit in English courses at Ocean
County College must make honest and full disclosure of any sources used, including but
not limited to books, print articles, films, and other media, the Internet, and professional
or non-professional co-writers. Failure to make full disclosure of sources will subject
students to penalties prescribed by Plagiarism policy # 5180. See the current student
handbook-planner, Time Well Spent, for the complete text of the policy.
Absence and Lateness: Class participation and preparedness are essential components to
any course. Students that miss classes will significantly lower their grade. It is not
necessary to inform me of expected absences in advance. Missing one to three classes
will lower your participation grade; missing four to six classes will lower your final grade
for the course a full letter grade; missing seven or more classes will result in failure of the
course.
Habitual lateness will be reflected in lowered participation grades or, in egregious
instances, counted as an absence.
Late Assignment Policy: Submitting papers by or before the assigned due date is an
essential element in ensuring student understanding of the concepts covered. The final
grade for each essay assignment will be lowered 10 points for each class beyond the
deadline for submission. Please make certain to inform me if an assignment is going to
be late.
Civility and Classroom Conduct
Please turn off all cell phones before class begins.
Be aware that during class discussions you are responsible to conduct yourself in a
professional and academic manner. Your means of communicating to each other thoughts
and suggestions for improving work will be part of your class participation grade.
Please review and adhere to the College’s civility policy at www.ocean.edu/civility.htm
Grading:
Exams
Response Essays
Research Paper
Final Exam
Participation and Attendance
30% (15% each)
20% (10% each)
20%
20%
10%
Essay Assignments:
There will be THREE essays written for this course. Each essay will be developed
through a series of drafts. ALL work must be turned in on assigned dates. ALL essays
must be submitted to pass this course.
Be certain that you do not confuse essays assigned as part of the exams with thought
response essays or the research paper.
Essay Specifications:
All essays must be submitted in hard copy (printed out) on 8.5”x11” white paper. Essays
should be double-spaced, using 1” margins left and right, (aligned left and ragged right),
and 1” margins top and bottom. You should use 12 point Times New Roman font.
Papers should be stapled (not clipped) and meet Modern Language Association (MLA)
format standards.
Resources
Campus Resources and Services:
Tutoring is available [a] in the Writing Center for writing assignments in all subject
areas, not just English courses, and [b] in the Mathematics Tutoring Center. Tutoring
information for all other subjects can be found on the Tutoring page on the college
website. In addition, Study Strategy Seminars are scheduled each week and are posted
on the college website under “Academics.” More information on college services can be
found by using the A-Z index on the college website (for example, under “T” for
Tutoring or under “S” for Study Strategy Seminars).
Statement of Accommodation: If there is any student in this class who has special
needs because of learning disabilities or other kinds of disabilities, please feel free to
come and discuss this with me or a staff member in the Center for Academic Excellence.
Disclaimer: Individual faculty members may make reasonable changes to this course
outline exclusive of course requirements, course calendar, and grading procedures.
All individuals should not assume that anything received, sent, or stored in this course or
in any course is private. Students’ written work, assignments, and test results may be
used anonymously for college assessment purposes. Course content, support materials,
and communications (including chats, discussions, emails, and any other forms of
communication) may be used for quality assurance purposes by authorized college
administrators.
Important Notes
Ocean Cruiser is the official email communication for students at OCC
(firstname_lastname@occ.mailcruiser.com)
Failure to pay for this course may result in your being dropped for non-payment.
Schedule of Assignments (Subject to change):
Readings will be discussed on the day of class. Thusly all assigned reading must be
complete BEFORE class.
January 24:
 Course Overview.
 The Invention of Writing and the Earliest Literatures (pp. 3-6).
January 27:
 Read Gilgamesh (pp. 10-30).
January 31:
 Finish Gilgamesh
February 3:
 Read Ancient Greece and the Formation of the Western Mind (pp.105-114).
 Read Homer (pp. 114-119).
February 7:
 Read The Iliad Book I, Book VI, Book VIII and Book IX (pp. 120-165)
February 10:
 Read The Iliad Book XVI and Book XVIII (pp. 165-192)
February 14:
 Read The Iliad Book XXII and Book XXIV (pp. 192-225).
February 17:
 Read Sophocles (pp. 612-617)
 Read Antigone (pp. 658-672).
February 21:
 Read Antigone (pp. 673-693).
February 24:
 Read Aristotle (pp.799)
 Read From Poetics (pp. 800-803)
February 28:
 Exam 1
 First Thought Response Essay Due
March 2:
 Read The Roman Empire (pp.1041-1045).
 Read Virgil (pp. 1052-1054).
March 6:
 Read The Aeneid Book I, and Book II (pp.1055-1085).
March 9:
 Read The Aeneid Book I, Book II and Book IV (pp.1055-1106).
March 13:
 Spring Break. No class.
March 16:
 Spring Break. No class.
March 20:
 Finish The Aeneid (pp. 1106-1134).
March 23:
 Read The Rise of Islam and Islamic Literature (pp.1419-1423).
 Read The Koran (pp. 1426-1428)
March 27:
 Read The Thousand and One Nights (pp. 1566-1596).
March 30:
 Read The Thousand and One Nights (pp. 1596-1618).
April 3:
 Exam # 2
 Research Paper Topic Due
April 6:
 Read The Formation of Western Literature (pp.1621-1625).
 Read Beowulf (pp. 1626-1656).
April 10:
 Second Thought Response Essay Due
 Read Beowulf (pp. 1656-1672).
April 13:
 Read The Inferno (Signet Classic) Introduction xii-xxiv. Read Canto I-III (pp. 324)
 Research Paper Sources Due
April 17 :
 Read The Inferno Canto IV- Canto VI (pp. 25-50)
April 20:
 Read The Inferno Canto VII- Canto XI (pp. 51-91)
April 24:
 Read The Inferno Canto XI- Canto XV (pp. 92-125)
April 27:
 Read The Inferno Canto XI- Canto XV (pp. 92-125)
May 1:
 Read The Inferno Canto XVI-Canto XX (pp. 126-168)
May 4:
 Read The Inferno Canto XXI- Canto XXIII (pp. 169-193)
 Final Draft of Research Paper Due.
May 8:
 Read The Inferno Canto XXIV- Canto XXX (pp. 194-250)
May 11:
 Final Examination