ENGL 2111 World Literature I Dr.

Lucas 1

ENGL 2111: World Literature I

Prerequisite: ENGL 1102 • Fall 2003, Second Session

Dr. Gerald Lucas (glucas@litmuse.maconstate.edu)

http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/english/
Office: M-117
ENGL 2111, World Literature I, explores various forms of “literary” discourse since the first epic, through
the mid-seventeenth century. We will focus on textual studies of the major genres of this period, epic and
tragedy, and how those genres influenced later literary works and how they portray “humanist” issues
throughout the history of several national literary traditions. World Literature I will show the continued
relevance of just why ancient works are still paramount to knowing ourselves as “humans.” Major works
covered will include Gilgamesh, the Iliad , the Odyssey , the Aeneid , and works by Sophocles, Ovid, and
Dante, among others. Since any survey course has much more literature than one semester-long class can
cover, we will attempt to cover only a couple works in detail, rather than many works only cursorily.

Required Materials
• The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces I, Seventh Edition, Volume 1
• Pen and Paper for note taking

Course Requirements
The following components will be weighed as follows to determine the student’s final grade in World
Literature I.

Exams (60%): Two in-class exams will be given as the major evaluative element of this course (see
schedule for specific dates). These exams will test your knowledge of the subject matter (texts, lecture
material, and vocabulary), your ability to synthesize this material, and your creativity in going beyond the
discussion and lecture materials. Exams will include vocabulary, identification, and interpretation. All
exam grades will be based upon thoroughness, depth of insight, precision, and originality. All three exams
will be open-book and open-note.

Responses (30%): For most major works we study in this class, you are required to respond in writing
— six responses in all. In most cases, I will supply prompts to get you thinking. These responses should be
at least 500 words (unless otherwise noted on the syllabus) and may be submitted on paper according to
the formatting under policies, may be emailed to me as an attachment, put on your own reaction blog , or
may be posted directly to this site. If you choose to post it to this site — this is the way I would prefer you
submit responses — then you should select “Contribute” from the blue menu above, and select
“Literature” as your topic. Finally, you may wish to comment on someone else’s submission as your
response; this is also encouraged. Therefore, everyone should leave comments enabled on your posts. The
Golden Response Rule: repetition is bad; creativity and thought are good.
The purpose of this response journal is to get you thinking about issues covered in the works that
are important to your life. You should reflect on how these works relate to other works we discuss in class,
literature you have read previously, or your own daily life. All entries should be thoughtful, refer to
specific portions of the text on which you’re writing, and use the critical vocabulary that we have
introduced in class.

Class Participation (10%): Regular class attendance and active participation in classroom discussion
and the class interchanges are required. Some assignments will occasionally count for participation:
quizzes, peer editing, the viewing of a film, and similar activities. Additional assistance may be obtained
from me during my office hours or by appointment. Your participation in group activities both in-class
and at a distance will be weighed heavily in evaluation. Since writing is an on-going process, participation,
effort, and attitude will count as much as written work. Since reading is such an important component of
ENGL 2111 World Literature I Dr. Lucas 2

this course, you should expect a quiz for every assigned reading. These quizzes are designed to test factual
aspects of the text, not interpretation or evaluation. Read every text carefully and take reading notes —
character names, general plot, important items, etc. — and the quizzes will be no problem. Quizzes, other
class activities, and homework assignments not explicitly outlined on this document will be factored into
your final class participation grade.

Classroom Policies

Assignments: Your work represents you. Therefore, I expect everything you turn into me to exemplify
the very best of your professional self. Every out-of-class assignment must be word-processed on white,
wrinkle-free paper. I will not accept any hand-written assignment, period. Please plan ahead so that you
have plenty of time to make your assignments as presentable as possible. All essays must be typed,
double-spaced, and contain your name, class name and number, my name, and date in the upper-left-
hand corner of the first page; all pages must have the your last name followed by the page number in the
upper-right-hand corner 1/2-inch from the top. Additionally, the essay’s title should be centered and
appear directly before the introduction. Use a twelve-point, serif font (no smaller or larger) and refrain
from superfluous underlining, bolding, etc. Also, be sure to review the Editor’s Checklist before turning
in your essays. Finally, always keep copies of your assignments, especially when they have been graded
and returned.
All essays should be submitted in a folder with pockets; reader-responses (less-formal writing) may
just be stapled and handed in without the folder. Do not attach your essay to the folder; put it in the
pocket with anything else required for the assignment. If you submit an assignment late or early for some
reason, please do so through my departmental mailbox located in the Humanities office. Do not slide
anything under my door, as it may get lost.

Attendance: Attendance will be taken at every class meeting. A sheet of paper with the day’s date will be
sent around at the start of every class; your name must appear on this list, or you were absent for that day.
If you come in late, it is your responsibility to ask me for the attendance sheet so that you may sign in.
The college’s official attendance policy states that students should not be penalized for missing
three (3) hours of class per semester, but a student’s grade will be negatively affected if absences exceed
three (3) hours in one semester. There are no “excused absences” in my class, but you are allowed to miss
two (2) classes, no questions asked, before your grade suffers.
If you attend all classes, you final class participation grade will receive an additional three (3)
points. If you miss only one class, you will receive an additional two (2) points on your final class
participation grade. Missing two classes has no beneficial or adverse affect on your grade. Each additional
class missed beyond three will decrease your class participation by one (1) point, and on down the line.
Two (2) tardies — i.e. coming late or leaving early — count as one absence.
Remember: the only thing that counts here is the physical presence of a body in class; excuses will
not help this measurable fact at all. It is your responsibility to discover what was missed in class and any
assignments. Quizzes and in-class activities cannot be made up for any reason.

Children: Since class lecture and discussion will often touch on the controversial, this classroom is not
an appropriate place for children. Please make arrangements to have your children looked after while you
attend class.

Class Time: Because discussion and active participation are integral to the learning process, I rarely
lecture. Therefore, time in class will be spent on discussion of readings, student writing, and exercises
with the occasional short lecture. Quizzes, practice essays, discussions, and lectures are designed to
benefit the entire group while personal problems and concerns should be handled during office hours.

Deadlines: Late work is not acceptable and will receive a zero. Allowing for a single contingency, one
late assignment will be accepted; this assignment cannot be more than a week late. After this limit, I can
accept no late assignments. The reason for this: what you write for each class will create the class. If you
write nothing, then the class does not exist. To ensure the existence of class, you are allowed only one late
daily assignment. Plan ahead and turn in your work on time. Late essays cannot, for any reson, be
rewritten for a grade increase.
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Electronic Communication Devices: Please leave all distracting electronic devices, cell phones and
beepers, in your car, or silence them during class. I understand our contemporary need to be in contact
with everyone all the time, but do not let this personal need distract the rest of the class. In addition, I do
not allow class discussions to be taped, so do not bring any voice recording devices to class, though I do
encourage your bringing an ink interface and dead trees on which to take notes.

Grades: Final grades will be based upon a traditional ten-point scale for letters and then a plus or minus
for a more accurate grade. Also see individual course descriptions for specific requirements. You are
not in competition with each other; you will each receive the grade you earn. For a description of what
letter grades mean, see grade descriptions or refer to the Macon State College Academic Catalog.
I do not transmit grades electronically at any time. I have no problem apprising you of your current
standing in this class, but I will not do so over any electronic medium, including email or the phone. If you
would like to know your official grade, you should see me during my office hours or make an
appointment.

Incompletes: This course will strictly abide by University and departmental policies regarding
incompletes. An incomplete can only be given if a small portion of the course work is missing and you’re
doing otherwise satisfactory work. “I” grades are not assigned automatically, but only upon consultation
with me. You have one semester to remove an “I” grade; otherwise it is changed to an “F.”

Materials: Course readings are integral parts of the class and should be brought daily. When readings
are assigned to be discussed in class, please bring a copy of the reading with your reading notes ready to
participate in the discussion. Do not come to class without your books.

Notes: Students must keep thorough notes, both from classroom lecture and individual reading. Even if
students are absent, they are held responsible for obtaining missed notes. Notes should not only reflect
good listening skills, but individual interest in every topic discussed in class. Students are encouraged to
individually research topics discussed in class. Although notes will not receive a grade, they should be
diligently kept in all classes. One should always endeavor to improve note-taking skills.

Plagiarism: The Oxford English Dictionary defines plagiarism as “the wrongful appropriation or
purloining, and publication as one’s own, of the ideas, or the expression of the ideas (literary, artistic,
musical, mechanical, etc.) of another,” or “a purloined idea, design, passage, or work.” Any time you use
ideas that are not your own in anything that you write, you must supply a citation in an identifiable
citation method, e.g., MLA, Chicago, etc.
Plagiarism will result in automatic failure of this class and will be pursued to incite the utmost
penalty for such dishonesty. Academic falsehood, in any form, will constitute class failure.

Special Needs: Any student who has special needs because of a disability should contact Ann E. Loyd at
the Counseling and Career Center (478-471-2714 / S-230) and fill out the appropriate paperwork. The
student shoud then see me with the documentation so that the necessary accommodations can be made.
ENGL 2111 World Literature I Dr. Lucas 4

Course Schedule
This schedule represents the ideal outline for our study this semester. Yet, like all best-laid plans, we will
probably not be able to keep up with our agenda. Please be flexible and try to look and read ahead
whenever possible. We will do our best to stick by this schedule, but we will inform you verbally whenever
there is a change in or an addition to an assignment. Getting these updates is solely your responsibility.
Therefore, this syllabus is tentative and subject to change contingent upon the needs of the
students and the professor, and dictated by time and other constraints which may affect
the course. This syllabus reflects only an overview of the assigned reading and other major course
assignments. It does not always indicate other specific class session assignments or activities.
Note: Reading and homework assignments will be due the following class period unless
otherwise noted. For example, if your class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, a reading assignment that
appears under Tuesday will be due on Thursday.

Week 1: Oct 15, 2003

Wed 10/15
• Course Introduction: What is “world literature?”
• “Windmills”
• Discuss course policy statement, syllabus, and requirements.
• Review Course Text
• Introduction to Mythology
• Homework: Familiarize yourself with this web site and what is expected of you in this course. Bring
any questions to class with you on Thursday. Gilgamesh response. Pick one topic from the
following list, and construct a response. See reader-response criticism and the sample
journal entry. Due Mon, 10/20.
• Reading: Gilgamesh (pp. 16-47)
• Suggested Reading: “Masterpieces of the Ancient World” (pp. 1-12)

Week 2: Oct 20 & 22, 2003

Mon 10/20
• The Epic — Formal Conventions
• Gilgamesh
• Response Due
• Reading: The Iliad Book I (pp. 104-120) and Book XXII (pp. 176-189)
• Suggested Reading: “Homer” (pp. 98-103)
• Homework: Iliad response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a response (due
Wed).
Wed 10/22
• Introduction to Homer
• Discussion of the Iliad
• Response Due
• Reading: The Odyssey Book I (pp. 209-220), Book II (pp. 220-230), Book III (pp. 230-242), and
Book IV (pp. 242-262)

Week 3: Oct 27 & 29, 2003

Mon 10/27
• The Odyssey
• Reading: The Odyssey Book IX (303-316) and Book X (pp. 316-331)
Wed 10/29
• The Odyssey Continued
• Reading: The Odyssey Book XI (pp. 331-347), and Book XII (pp. 347-360), from Book XXI (ll. 237-
end (pp.473-478)), Book XXII (pp. 478-491)
• Homework: Odyssey response. Due Monday, 11/3
ENGL 2111 World Literature I Dr. Lucas 5

Week 4: Nov 3 & 5, 2003

Mon 11/3
• The Odyssey Continued
• Reading:, and Book XXIII (pp. 491-500), and Book XXIV (pp. 500-514)
Wed 11/5
• Finish the Odyssey
• Review for Exam 1

Week 5: Nov 10 & 12, 2003

Tue 11/10
• Exam 1
Wed 11/12
• No Class
• Reading: Sophocles Oedipus the King (pp. 599-640)
• Homework: Oedipus response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a response
(due Mon).

Week 6: Nov 17 & 19, 2003

Mon 11/17
• Sophocles and Tragedy
• Reading: Virgil The Aeneid Book I (pp. 817-825) and Book II (pp. 825-847)
• Homework: Aeneid response. Pick one topic from the following list, and construct a response
(due Wed).
Wed 11/19
• The epic revisited briefly with Virgil
• Reading: Virgil The Aeneid Book IV (pp. 847-867)

Week 7: Nov 24 & 26, 2003

Mon 11/24
• Virgil cont.
• Homework: Metamorphoses response (due Wed)
• Reading: Ovid from Metamorphoses (from pp. 899-943): Prologue; Apollo and Daphne; Io and
Jove; Europa and Jove; Iphis and Ianthe; Pygmalion; Venus and Adonis
Wed 11/26
• Ovid’s Metamorphoses: the anti-epic?
• Reading: Dante from Inferno, Canto I (pp. 1303-1306), Canto V, and Canto XXVI (pp. 1380-1383)

Week 8: Dec 1 & 3, 2003

Mon 12/1
• Dante and the beginning of the Renaissance
• Reading: TBA and catch-up
Wed 12/3
• Review for Final

Week 9: Dec 8, 2003

• Final Exam
ENGL 2111 World Literature I Dr. Lucas 6

Windmills

Toad the Wet Sprocket

I spend too much time raid-ing windmills
We go side by side laugh until it’s right
There’s something that you both show
Waiting where the light goes
Take the darkest hour break it open
Water to repair what we have broken
There’s something that you won’t show
Waiting where the light goes
Maybe anywhere the wind blows
All worth waiting for

Pull on the borders to lighten the load

Tell all the passengers we’re going home

I spend too much time seeking shelter

World without end couldn’t hold her
There’s something that you won’t show
Waiting where the light goes
And maybe anywhere the wind blows
All worth waiting for
Anywhere the wind blows…