North Arkansas College
World Literature I (English 2213-01)
Fall 2012 Syllabus
3 Credit Hours
Course Time and Location: MW 1-2:20 p.m. M149
Instructor: Tim Coone
Office: M132
Office Hours: MWF 8:30-10 a.m. and 11 a.m.-noon; TR 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 3-4; and by appointment.
Office Phone: 870-391-3224
E-mail Address: tcoone@northark.edu
Required Texts
The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vols. A, B, C. New York: Norton, 2002. Print.
Recommended Text
A good English handbook.
Catalog Course Description
English 2213 and 2223 are courses that “acquaint the student with outstanding works of ancient,
medieval, and modern writers that have had a wide appeal outside the countries in which they
originated” (North Arkansas College Catalog).
Prerequisites
Completion of ENGL 1023 with a “C” or higher or with the permission of the instructor.
Audience, Rationale, and Anticipated Outcomes
English 2213 is designed to reflect the belief that we need literature to expand our experience of human
possibility and to make sense of the past, the present, and the future. Because ENGL 2213 addresses a
wide range of ideas, values, and issues as presented by a range of writers before 1600 A.D., representing
cultures from all over the world; because it requires critical thinking and reading, discussion, and
collaboration; and because it offers a model for lifelong reading and writing about ideas, it specifically
addresses five of the six General Education Learning Outcomes listed in the North Arkansas College
Catalog.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to
1. identify the author, country of origin, and language and approximate time of composition of
selected works of world literature.
2. list the literary elements that define the genres of selected works of world literature and provide
examples from the reading.
3. describe the cultural environment that shaped selected works of world literature with specific
reference to the readings.
4. identify common elements of theme, form, and/or content shared by selected works of world
literature.
5. summarize these selected works of world literature.
6. analyze these selected works of world literature to provide a discussion of their central arguments
and ideas and how those arguments and ideas connect to those preceding and following them.
You will demonstrate your mastery of these objectives through written responses, discussion, and
examination.
Course Requirements
1. You will construct three formal papers in response to prompts that I will distribute at the
appropriate times. Essays will be thoughtful and fully developed. They will be written in
MLA format and show a concern for professionalism.
2. There will be three exams. These exams will consist of matching, passage identification,
passage analysis, and short answers.
3. There will a great deal of daily work. You must come to class having read the material in
advance. To help insure this, there will be random quizzes at the beginning of any class
period. These cannot be made-up. There will also be take home assignments that will
help insure that you are studying the texts rather than just reading them.
Methods
We will read the material assigned outside of class and discuss it in class. While some class time
will be lecture, I expect students to engage in class discussion. I will also provide handouts that
will help with the understanding of the material. In addition, the daily work is designed to help
you appreciate the works we study in greater detail.
Grading:
Three essays (or equivalent)
Three Exams
Random quizzes and exercises
300
300
400_
1,000 points possible
Percentage Grading:
90-100% A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
Late Work
I will deduct one letter grade for each day a paper is late. In addition, there will be few
opportunities to make up quizzes or exercises. I will possibly make an exception if you come to
me in advance with a good reason.
Attendance and Incompletes
According to the Northark Student Handbook, as well as the North Arkansas College Catalog:
It is the responsibility of faculty members to advise their classes, in writing, of their
attendance and makeup policies. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss any absences and
the possibility of makeup work with the instructor as soon as possible.
Students are expected to attend all class meetings and officially withdraw from courses they
are no longer attending. However, if students fail to withdraw, their instructors will not allow
them to remain on class rolls when it becomes clear that excessive absences prevent the
student’s successful completion of the course. Once an instructor has determined that a
student has missed too many classes to pass the course, the instructor will officially withdraw
the student rather than allowing the student to remain on the class roll and receive an “F” at
the end of the semester.
As a general rule, missing more than 15% of scheduled class meetings (six class hours in a
traditional three credit lecture course, proportionately more in classes with laboratory,
studio, or clinical components) constitutes excessive absence.
In addition, because I feel that students who represent Northark in their extra-curricular activities
should not be penalized for an absence, I will not count an absence if the student does the
following:
 provide me with a list of days, in advance, when the student will be absent
 provide me with the time, in advance, in which the student is leaving on a particular day
 come by my office within two days after the student has returned to discuss missed class
It is my opinion that you are here as a student first; therefore, your participation as a student must
remain paramount.
Tardiness
You should be in your seat ready to begin when class begins. I certainly understand that
circumstances may arise which would prevent you from being on time once or twice, but regular
tardiness reflects a lack of respect for course, instructor, and peers. Therefore, if your tardiness
becomes a problem, it will affect your absences and/or grade. For example, I reserve the right to
count every tardy as half an absence and/or deduct ten points for every tardy.
Academic Dishonesty
Just don’t do it! No cheating or plagiarism! If I suspect you of academic dishonesty, I will act in
accordance with the guidelines put forth in the Student Handbook. Be sure you familiarize
yourself with the definition of academic dishonesty within your handbook.
Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
North Arkansas College complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities who need special
accommodations need to first contact Special Services in Room M184. After registering with
Special Services, contact me to go over your special needs. All students will have equal access
to my classes.
Additional Information
 No eating or drinking in class
 No sleeping in class
 Everyone will be treated with respect in class, including your instructor
 Turn off cell phones and pagers during class
Tentative Schedule
Week One (Aug. 15-19)
In-service; Student orientation; classes begin
Week Two (Aug. 22-26)
M—Introduction to course; The Monomyth
W—The Invention of Writing and the Earliest Literatures 3-6; Gilgamesh 10-30
Week Three (Aug. 29-Sept. 2)
M— Gilgamesh 30-41; Ancient Egyptian Poetry 41-52; Intro to paper one
W— Ancient Greece and the Formation of the Western Mind 105-11; Homer: The Odyssey 319347, Books IX-X (also, read the first 340 lines of Book I)
Week Four (Sept. 5-9)
M— No Class (Labor Day)
W— Homer: The Odyssey 347-376, Books XI-XII
Week Five (Sept. 12-16)
M— Sophocles: Oedipus the King 612-658; Essay One Due
W— Cont.
Week Six (Sept. 19-23)
M— Exam One
W— India’s Heroic Age 881-86; The Jataka 1002-10
Week Seven (Sept. 26-30)
M— Bhagavad-Gita 1010-1028
W— The Roman Empire 1041-43; Ovid: from Metamorphoses 1134-49
Week Eight (Oct. 3-7)
M— Ovid: from Metamorphoses 1149-65
W— Ovid: from Metamorphoses 1166-82
Week Nine (Oct. 10-14)
M— The Rise of Islam and Islamic Literature 1419-23; from The Thousand and One Nights
1566-1585
W— from The Thousand and One Nights 1585-1600
Week Ten (Oct. 17-21)
M— from The Thousand and One Nights 1600-1618; Essay Two Due
W— Exam Two
Week Eleven (Oct. 24-28)
M— The Formation of a Western Literature 1621-23; Beowulf 1626-61
W— Beowulf 1661-1702
Week Twelve (Oct. 31-Nov. 4)
M— Dante Alighieri: Inferno 1826-69
W— Dante Alighieri: Inferno 1869-88
Week Thirteen (Nov. 7-11)
M— Dante Alighieri: Inferno 1888-1929
W— Dante Alighieri: Inferno 1929-1942
Week Fourteen (Nov. 14-18)
M—The Renaissance in Europe 2465-72; William Shakespeare 2821-28; Othello 2919-50
W— Othello 2950-96
Week Fifteen (Nov. 21-25)
M— Cont.
W—Thanksgiving Break
Week Sixteen (Nov. 28-Dec. 2)
M— Native America and Europe in the New World 3063-67; Popol Vu 3076-3092
W—Cont.; Essay Three Due
Week Seventeen (Dec. 5-9)
W—Final: 12-2 p.m.