Scholars 2301
Dr.
Anson Fall 2009
Offices:
Stabler Hall 604C;
Office
hours: 11-12:00 AM, MW, by appointment (call 569-3235; e-mail: emanson@ualr.edu
Required
The
following are the texts required for this course. They are available in the bookstore
and where noted on the web.
Bible (can use RSV or King James - some Oxford Annotated
Bibles available in bookstore [ISBN-10: 0195288831; ISBN-13:
978-0195288834]; on the web: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/rsv.browse.html
Herodotus, The
Histories Penguin/978-0140449082 or on the web: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/perscoll_Greco-Roman.html
Plato, The
Republic Oxford/978-0199535767 or on the web: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/perscoll_Greco-Roman.html
Seneca,
Letters from a Stoic Penguin/978-0140442106 or on the web:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/perscoll_Greco-Roman.html
Glyn
Burgess, Song of Roland Penguin/978-0140445329
Milton,
Paradise Lost: (Norton Critical Editions) (978-0393924282)
Course Objectives:
Requirements for the Course:
Participation: Students are expected to be
present and prepared for each class (20%
of your grade)
Papers: Students are required to write five
short papers (5-8 pages typed or equivalent in clear handwriting) are required
during the course of the semester from six possible papers. Each paper will represent 16% of a
student’s grade. These
papers are to be entirely based on particular assignments in the required
reading. Students
are permitted one rewrite for each of their four papers, which is due no later
than the last day of class, although it is highly
recommended that these be completed as soon as possible. Papers are to be entirely based on the
assigned primary reading; all statements of fact must be accompanied by in-text
page (or internal notational system, i. e. as with the Bible, book, chapter and
verse) references. (80% of your grade -- each paper is 16% of your final grade)
General Information
Papers
are to be turned in on or before their due dates as noted in the syllabus. Papers may,
however, be rewritten once and resubmitted for evaluation. Higher grade will be the one finally
recorded. No
incompletes will be given unless approved by me prior to December 13, 2009. Moreover, incompletes will only be
given when circumstances beyond the control of the student prevent the student
from completing part of the course requirements. Incompletes cannot be given for the
entire semester's work.
All completed work counts; an incomplete is not a substitute for
a failing grade.
CLASS ATTENDANCE: Class
attendance is required; the student is held responsible for all reading
assignments, all in-class exercises, and for all material covered and
announcements made in class.
Everyone is expected to be present at the time class starts and
remain until it is dismissed.
If for great and good cause you are either late or have to leave
early, please enter or leave quietly and as inconspicuously as possible. Remember 20% of
your grade is determined by your participation in
class discussions.
CELL PHONES: If you must bring it to
class (potential emergences), please turn it off, or at least turn off the
ringer. Do not
talk or text on the phone in class. If an emergency is
signified, please leave class quietly to take the call.
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES:
It is the
policy of UALR to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal
law and state law. Any student with a disability who needs accommodation, for
example in arrangements for seating, examinations, note-taking should inform
the instructor at the beginning of the course. It is also the policy and
practice of UALR to make web-based information accessible to students with
disabilities. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing
any part of the online course materials for this class, please notify the
instructor immediately. The chair of the department offering this course is
also available to assist with accommodations. Students with disabilities are
encouraged to contact Disability Support Services, telephone 501-569-3143
(v/tty), and on the Web at http://www.ualr.edu/dssdept/.
CHEATING: No student may gain undue advantage over
his/her classmates by deceptive or dishonest means (as defined in
"Cheating", Student Handbook). Anyone who engages in such activity
will receive an "F" in the course and could be
turned over to the Academic Integrity and Grievance Committee for
University disciplinary action.
GRADING QUESTIONS AND
COMPLAINTS: Students with questions or
complaints about the grading of their papers should write out what the problem
(please put in essay form) is and hand it in after class or by e-mail. This is the forum
in which such matters are to be handled, not during class, nor in person. Questions regarding
the material covered in papers or in class should be asked in class,
out-of-class in person, or by e-mail. In short, do not argue about your
grade in other than written form, but do ask about material read or discussed
in class in whatever forum you are comfortable.
SYLLABUS
(Reading assignments in bold type)
Week Date Topic Assignment
1 8/24 Introduction
8/26
Ancient Near East Handouts
2 8/31
Ancient Judaism Genesis 1-25
9/2 Ancient Judaism Genesis
26-50
3 9/9 Ancient
Judaism Exodus
4 9/14 Ancient Judaism Leviticus
(paper)
9/16
Judaism Zechariah
5 9/21 Greece Begin
Herodotus
9/23
Greece Book 1
6 9/28 Greece Book 2
9/30 Archaic Greece Books
3-6
7 10/5 No class
10/7
Classical Greece Books 7-9 Herodotus (paper)
8 10/12
Greek Religion/Philosophy
10/14
Plato
Republic (paper)
9 10/19 Rome Handout - 12 Tables
10/21
Rome
10 10/26 Rome Handout – Electioneering
Handbook
10/28 Rome
11 11/2 Christianity Matthew 1-16
11/4
Christianity Matthew 17-28
12 11/9 Christianity Romans
(paper)
11/11
Middle Ages Song of Roland
13 11/16 Middle Ages Roland
11/18
Middle Ages Roland (paper)
14 11/23 No class
11/25
Happy Thanksgiving
15 11/30 Renaissance Paradise Lost, 1-3
12/2
Renaissance Paradise, 4-8
Paper
due, if you want a rewrite)
16 12/7 Renaissance Paradise,
9-12
Paradise Lost paper and all
rewrites due
Genesis/Exodus/Leviticus
Paper Topics:
1.
How important is cult/ritual in this religion? Is its importance different in the respective
books? What is
the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
2. What are the ideals of this society? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
3. What is the nature of divinity? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
4. What are the Hebrews/Israelites required to do by their god? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
5. What rewards are offered the worshipers? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
6. What are the ethical requirements? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
7. What is sin and/or evil? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
8. What roles do women play in this society? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
9. Does the concept of sin and/or evil exist? Any differences in the respective books? What is the nature of the differences and how might you account for them?
Herodotus
The Histories
Paper topics:
1.
What causes the Great Persian War?
2.
What is the nature of Greek ethnicity?
3.
Why do the Hellenic Allies win?
4.
Which of the Greek states is most responsible for the victory?
5.
What are the ideals of Archaic society?
\
6.
Evaluate Herodotus as an historian. What are his sources? How critical of
them is he? Does
he exhibit bias? How
does Herodotus evaluate and use
evidence?
7. What is the role of women in this society?
8. Describe the religion of the ancient
Greeks as presented in Herodotus.
Plato
Sources: Plato,
The Republic
Paper topics
1.: What for
Plato would be an ideal society?
2. What
for Plato represents a proper societal educational system?
3. How
does one discover truth?
4. What
is the nature of reality?
5. What
roles do women play in this society?
6. How do the answers to any of these questions differ from those in
your previous readings? In what ways are
they similar?
Seneca
Paper topics:
1. What are Stoic ideals?
2. What is the nature of ultimate truth/reality?
3. What are the ideal virtues a person should possess?
4. What rewards are offered those who practice Stoicism?
5. Does the concept of sin and/or evil exist in this system?
6. How do the answers to any of these questions differ from those derived from the Bible or Socrates/Plato? Are there similarities?
Matthew and Romans
Paper topics:
1. What ethical
values are expressed in the Sermon on the Mount? How do they compare with those found
in the Negative Confession or in your Old Testament readings?
2.
To what social groups would Jesus’
teaching appeal most? Why?
3. What
is the view of the supernatural presented in Matthew/Romans? Does it
differ from that found in Genesis?
4.
Do the teachings of Jesus contribute to
social order? Explain.
5. Compare Christian (as found in Matthew and Romans) and Stoic (Letters)
ethics. Differences? Similarities?
6. What new
theological elements do you find in Romans that are either not present or not clearly articulated
in Matthew? How
might such ideas have been influenced by the
experience of the Crucifixion?
8. How does Paul differentiate between
Judaism and Christianity?
9. Are there any concepts
expressed in Matthew and Romans that might suggest the influence
of Plato?
.
Song of Roland
Paper topics:
1. Consider Charlemagne’s behaviors as a ruler. What model of
kingship is the poet putting forth? What gives the king authority?
2. It has been said that The Song of Roland functions as a foundation myth for the French
Capetian monarchy. In
what ways does the poem reach back to a mythic past (or pasts) to comment on
the present (time of writing of the poem)? What is the mission of France
according to the poem?
3. Compare the characters of Oliver and Roland. Why is Roland the
recipient of more praise in the poem? (What sorts of judgments are being made here and what sort of ethical and moral
models are being established?)
4. Analyze the tensions between the cultivation
of personal honor and the obligations of being a good vassal in The Song of Roland.
5. How does the Roland poet establish his own authority in the poem? Why should this
matter?
6. Consider the images of the pagan enemies of
the Franks in The Song of Roland. Are these noble
enemies? How
does the poet portray the pagans? (And why does he do so?)
7. What is the role of women in The Song of Roland? (Compare the characters of Bramimonde
and Aude. Do
they perform the same function or different ones?)
John Milton
Paradise Lost
Paper topics:
1 How does Milton use epic conventions and classical literary motifs, e.g. the invocation of the Muse, twelve-book structure of PL, various classical allusions, the "catalogue" of characters (the "roll-call" of false Gods in Bk. 1), the "descent into Hell," etc. Consider these motifs in light of the epic tradition.
2. How does Milton fuse classical and Christian elements.
3. How is the physical world described in PL?
4. To what extent is Milton's Satan a heroic figure?
5. How does Milton treat gender?
6. How do Milton’s religious views compare with those of the Middle Ages?
7. How are Good and Evil depicted in this epic?
8. What is the role of human reason and free will in PL?
9. Given the major tenets of the Protestant Reformation, is this epic a work of Protestant theology? Why, why not?