ENGLISH – 2332
WORLD LITERATURE I – 3 CREDITS
Instructor Info:
MW 9:30-10:45 – UC 325
Dr. Douglas Eli Julien
Office: UC 219
Office Hours: Mondays: 11:00-12:00 & 6:00-7:00
Wednesdays: 11:00-12:00
And by appointment
Email: Doug.Julien@tamut.edu
Phone: 930-334-6662
Tuesdays: 10:00-11:00 & 12:30-4:30
Thursdays: 10:00-11:00 & 6:00-7:00
Course Description:
World Literature I is a survey of some of the major works of literature across the world from
early civilizations to 1650. Students who take this course will increase their awareness of
historical cultures; sharpen their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills; and deepen their
cultural sensitivity. English majors and non-English majors may take this course, which satisfies
the core-curriculum requirement for three lower-division semester credit hours in the
humanities and international literature.
Required Texts:
The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 2nd Edition. Lawall, Sarah (Norton , 2002). Vol. A. B.
& C. ISBN: 978-0-393-92453-4.
This is a web-enhanced course and additional required and supplemental reading can be found
on the Blackboard site.
Student Learner Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete English 2332 will be able to
1. To demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in literature.
2. To understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within an
historical and social context.
3. To respond critically to works of literature.
4. To engage in the creative process or interpretive performance and comprehend the
physical and intellectual demands of the author or visual or performing artist.
5. To articulate an informed personal reaction to works of literature.
6. To develop an appreciation for the aesthetic principles that guide or govern
literature.
7. To demonstrate knowledge of the influence of literature on intercultural
experiences.
Course Outline:
Major Topics
1. The Invention of Writing and the Earliest Literatures
2. Ancient Greece and the Formation of the Western Mind
3. Poetry and Early Thought in China
4. India’s Heroic Age
5. The Roman Empire
6. Roman Empire to Christian Europe
7. India’s Classical Age
8. China’s Middle Period
9. The Rise of Islam and Islamic Literature
10. The Formation of Western Literature
11. The Golden Age of Japanese Culture
12. Mystical Poetry of India
13. African Epic
14. The Renaissance in Europe
Delivery and Assessment Methods:
Delivery
1. Class lectures and discussion
2. Online discussion threads, quizzes, and supplements
Assessment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Three in-class exams
Discussion threads
Participation in class sessions
Two analytical paper
Weekly reading quizzes
Course Requirements and Methods of Evaluation:
1. In-class exams (3)
A. There are three in-class exams that must be completed during the semester.
Each exam will consist of questions related to literary terms, author and title
identification, short-answer questions based on interpretation and terms, and
essay questions. Students will answer in as much detail as possible by
supporting their answers with the material presented in the course. (SLO – 1,2,
3,4,5,6,7)
B. Each exam is worth 200 points for a total of 600 points.
2. Discussion threads (weekly)
A. Discussion topics and questions will be added to the discussions area on
Mondays throughout the semester. This is an attempt to create a seminar
environment online, for students to enhance other student’s knowledge, and
provide an opportunity for everyone’s voice to be heard. Students will need to
visit the Blackboard site on a regular basis. Each student is expected to consider
the main question for the week and post an appropriate response. Students are
also required to respond to at least one other student’s posted response and
reply to those who respond to them. Students are also asked to read and
consider all questions and topics in a given week. (SLO – 1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
B. Students will answer the main thread on 3 levels
1. Answer to the posted question – 10 points
2. Response to other’s answer – 6 points
3. Reply to student who responded to you – 4 points
C. Each discussion thread week is worth 10 points for a total of 130 points.
3. Participation in class sessions
A. You will need a healthy stack of 3 X 5 notecards. At the end of each class, you
will be evaluating the day that was and have this as a venue to ask questions that
you were afraid to ask, critique what just happened, tell me how wonderful or
dismal I am—they basically become your ballots on the course. More on this
when it comes time to “vote.” This will be your participation score, so things like
“no comment” and “I hate these notecards” will not garner you participation
points. (SLO – 3,4,5)
B. Each notecard is worth 5 points and there are 28 class sessions with cards for a
total of 140 points.
4. Analytic Papers (2)
A. Students will prepare two analytic papers comparing different cultures from the
syllabus. A specific rubric will be given at the time of the assignment; however,
generally the text should provide a comparison of two works utilizing literary
terminology and will be at least 5 pages long. (SLO – 3,5 though others may be
applicable depending on selections)
B. Each paper is worth 200 points for a total of 400 points.
5. Online reading quizzes
A. On most Friday’s I will post an open-book, online reading quiz that must be
completed before Monday’s class. These will be 10 questions long and will test
to make sure that you are reading the entire selections from the week. (SLO
1,2,7)
B. Each quiz is worth 10 points and there are 13 for a total of 130 points.
Grading Scale:
A=
B=
C=
D=
F=
90% – 100%
80% – 89%
70% -- 79%
60% -- 69%
0% -- 59%
(1260 – 1400 pts.)
(1120 – 1259 pts.)
(980 – 1119 pts.)
(840 – 979 pts.)
( 0 -- 839 pts.)
Complete Course Schedule:
The Invention of Writing and the Earliest Literatures
Week #1: Heroic Poetry
8/30 – Introduction to the Me and the Course
Discussion Thread Posted
9/1 – Gilgamesh
“Gilgamesh” 10-41
Online Quiz posted 9/3
Week #2: Early Religious Texts
9/6 – No Class
Discussion Thread Posted
9/8 – Ancient Egyptian Poetry and The Old Testament
Ancient Egyptian Poetry Introduction 41-42
Akhenaten’s “Hymn to the Sun” 42-46
The Bible: The Old Testament Introduction 52-56
The Bible: The Old Testament “[The Story of Joseph]” 66-77
Online Quiz posted 9/10
Week #3: Ancient Greeks
Ancient Greece and the Formation of the Western Mind
9/13 – Homer
Introduction to Homer 114-120
Homer “From The Iliad” 120-225
Discussion Thread Posted
9/15 – Sophocles
Introduction to Sophocles 612-617
Sophocles “Oedipus the King” 617-658
Online Quiz posted 9/17
Week #4 : More Greece then China
9/20 – Plato and Aristotle
Introduction to Plato 779-780
Plato “The Apology of Socrates” 780-799
Introduction to Aristotle 799
Aristotle “From The Poetics” 800-803
Discussion Thread Posted
Poetry and Early Thought in China
9/22 – Poetry and Thought in Early China
Classic of Poetry Introduction 812-814
Classic of Poetry “She Bore the Folk” 818-820
Introduction to Confucius 820-823
Confucius “From Analects” 823-832
Introduction to Chuang Chou 832-834
Chuang Chou “Free and Easy Wandering” 834-838
Online Quiz posted 9/24
Week #5: India then Rome
India’s Heroic Age
9/27 – India’s Heroic Age
Introduction to The Ramayana 890-895
“From Book 2. Ayodhya” 895-903
Introduction to The Mahabharata 953-959
“From Book 5. Udyoga”
Discussion Thread Posted
The Roman Empire
9/29 – Virgil
Introduction to Virgil 1052-1055
Selections of The Aeneid” 1055-1129
Online Quiz posted 10/1
Week #6: More of Rome and an Exam
10/4 – Petronius
Introduction to Petronius 1182-1183
The Satyricon 1183-1199
10/6 – Exam #1
First Paper Assigned
Week #7: From Roman Empire to Christian Europe
Roman Empire to Christian Europe
10/11 – The Bible: The New Testament
Introduction to The Bible: The New Testament 1206-1207
Selections from The Bible: The New Testament 1207-1220
Discussion Thread Posted
10/13 – Augustine
Introduction to Augustine 1221-1222
Augustine “From Confessions” 1222-1249
Online Quiz Posted 10/15
Week #8: India’s Classical Age and China’s Middle Period
India’s Classical Age
10/18 – Visnusarman and Somadeva
Introduction to Visnusarman 1258-1259
Visnusarman “From Pancatantra” 1260-1266
Introduction to Somadeva 1342-1345
Somadeva “From Kathasaritsagara” 1345-1351
Discussion Thread Posted
China’s Middle Period
10/20 – China’s Middle Period
Introduction to Tao Ch’ien 1358-1360
Tao Ch’ien “Returning to the Farm to Dwell” 1364-1365 and “Begging for Food”
1365-1366
Introduction to Wang Wei 1373-1374
Wang Wei “Written Crossing the Yellow River to Ch’ing-ho 1375-6
Introduction to Han-Shan 1376-1377
Han-Shan “[So Han-shan writes you these words]”
Introduction to Li Po 1379
Li Po “Drinking Alone by Midnight”
Introduction to Tu Fu 1384
Tu Fu “My Thatched Roof is Ruined by the Autumn Wind”
Introduction to Li Ho 1389
Li Ho “Song of an Arrowhead from the Battlefield of Ch’ang-p’ing” 1390
Introduction to Po Chu-I 1393
Po Chu-I “Wathcing the Reapers” 1394
Online Quiz posted 10/22
Week #9: The Rise of Islam and Islamic Literature
The Rise of Islam and Islamic Literature
10/25 – The Koran and Ibn Ishaq
Introduction to The Koran
The Koran “1. The Exordium” 1429, “12. Joseph” 1446-1452, “19. Mary” 14521456, and “71. Noah” 1458-1459
Introduction to Ibn Ishaq 1460-1463
Ibn Ishaq “From The Biography of the Prophet” 1463-1474
Discussion Thread posted
10/27 – Faridoddin Attar and Jalaloddin Rumi
Introduction to Faridoddin Attar 1524-1528
Faridoddin Attar “From The Conference of the Birds” 1528-1541
Introduction to Jalaloddin Rumi 1541-1544
Jalaloddin Rumi “Robais” 1544-1545, “Ghazals” 1546, “From “Spiritual Couplets”
1546-1548, “From Birdsong” 1548, and “From The Glance” 1548-9
Online Quiz posted 10/29
Week #10: The Formation of Western Literature
The Formation of Western Literature
11/1 – Beowulf
Introduction to Beowulf 1626-1631
Beowulf 1632-1702
Discussion Thread Posted
11/3 – Dante Alighieri
Introduction to Dante 1826-1836
Dante Selections of The Divine Comedy 1836-1962
Online Quiz posted 11/5
Week #11: Boccaccio and Japan
11/8 – Boccaccio
Boccaccio selections from The Decameron 1963-1990
Discussion Thread posted
The Golden Age of Japanese Culture
11/10 – The Man’Yoshu
Introduction to The Man’Yoshu 2148-2152
Selections from The Man’Yoshu 2152-2159
Online Quiz posted 11/12
Paper #1 Due
Week #12: Mystical Poetry of India and an exam
Mystical Poetry of India
11/15 – Campantar, Govindadasa, and Mirabai
Introduction to Campantar 2379
Campantar “[He is the king]” 2379
Introduction to Govindadasa 2393
Govindadasa “[Oh Madhava, how shall I tell you of my terror?]” 2393, “[When
they had made love]” 2394, and “[Let the earth of my body be mixed with the
earth]” 2394
Introduction to Mirabai 2401
Mirabai “[Life without Hari is no life, friend]” 2403, “Hey love bird, crying
cuckoo]” 2403, and “[Let us go to a realm beyond going]” 2404
11/17 – Exam #2
Paper #2 Assigned
Week #13: Africa and Europe
African Epic
11/22 – The Epic of Son-Jara
Introduction to The Epic of Son-Jara 2415
Selections of The Epic of Son-Jara 2415-2463
Discussion Thread Posted
The Renaissance in Europe
11/24 – Francis Petrarch
Introduction to Petrarch 2476-2480
Selection of sonnets 2485-2490
Online Quiz Posted 11/26
Week #14: Erasmus and Machiavelli
11/29 – Erasmus
Introduction to Erasmus 2490-2494
Erasmus The Praise of Folly 2494-2516
Discussion Thread Posted
12/1 – Niccolo Machiavelli
Introduction to Machiavelli 2517-2520
Selections from The Prince 2521-2533
Online Quiz Posted 12/3
Week #15: Rabelais and Montaigne
12/6 – Francois Rabelais
Introduction to Rabelais 2591-2595
Selections from Gargantua and Pantagruel 2595-2631
Discussion Thread Posted
12/8 – Michel de Montaigne
Introduction to Montaigne 2632-2636
Selections from Essays 2636-2670
Online Quiz Posted 12/10
Paper #2 Due
Week #16: Cervantes and an exam
12/13 – Miguel de Cervantes
Introduction to Cervantes 2671-2675
Selections from “Don Quixote” 2675-2782
12/15 – Exam 3
Student Participation:
This is an interactive course on-line and in the classroom. Professional and courteous
communication is always expected. There is no attendance policy for the course. My job is to
teach you each class, make it interesting and vital to you whenever I can, and make coming to
class, at the very least, seem necessary. Your job is to come or keep up when unable. Three
caveats. The first caveat I would add is that I will work as hard as I possibly can to make sure
that if you’re not attending class regularly, it will be very difficult to do well—that is also my job.
The second is that I’m not interested in trying to repeat a day, week, or month of what
happened in my office—class is unrepeatable. The final caveat is that there is a participation
component to your grade, and it is difficult to participate if you are not here
Disability Accommodations:
Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations through the A&MTexarkana Disability Services Office by calling 903-223-3062.
Academic Integrity:
Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating on examinations,
unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and undocumented use of
materials from any source constitute academic dishonesty and may be grounds for a grade of
‘F’ in the course and/or disciplinary actions. For additional information, see the university
catalog.
Statement on email usage:
Upon application to Texas A&M University-Texarkana an individual will be assigned an A&MTexarkana email account. This email account will be used to deliver official university
correspondence. Each individual is responsible for information sent and received via the
university email account and is expected to check the official A&M-Texarkana email account on
a frequent and consistent basis. Faculty and students are required to utilize the university
email account when communicating about coursework.
Student Technical Assistance:
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•
•
Solutions to common problems and FAQ’s for your web-enhanced and online
courses are found at this link:
http://www.tamut.edu/webcourses/index.php?pageid=37
If you cannot find your resolution there, you can send in a support request detailing
your specific problem here: http://www.tamut.edu/webcourses/gethelp2.php
Blackboard Helpdesk contacts:
Office hours are: Monday - Friday, 8:00a to 5:00p
Kevin Williams (main contact) 903-223-1356 kevin.williams@tamut.edu
Frank Miller (alternate) 903-223-3156 frank.miller@tamut.edu
Nikki Thomson (alternate) 903-223-3083 nikki.thomson@tamut.edu