Syllabus

English 2800 Spring 2016 Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course offers a survey of some of the most widely read and important works of world literature, from ancient Sumerian epic to the Early Modern period in Europe. Through close reading, guided discussion, writing, and oral presentation, we will interpret, analyze, and evaluate works critically in terms of their genre, style, literary conventions, and historical and geographic contexts.

This is a communication-intensive course. We will use both formal and informal writing, in-class discussion, oral presentations, and individual projects, not only to assess your learning and participation, but, more importantly, as tools to engage critically with texts and practice sharing your ideas and insights with the class and beyond.

LEARNING GOALS

Students who successfully complete the Great Works courses should be able to

  • interpret meaning in literary texts by paying close attention to authors’ choices of detail, vocabulary, and style;
  • discuss the relationship between different genres of literary texts and the multicultural environments from which they spring;
  • articulate a critical evaluation and appreciation of a literary work’s strengths and limitations;
  • present their ideas orally;
  • write critical essays employing
  • a strong thesis statement,
  • appropriate textual citations,
  • contextual and inter-textual evidence for their ideas.

REQUIRED TEXTS

  • The Norton Anthology of World Literature, third edition, Package 1 (Volumes A, B & C)
  • Course blog for Syllabus updated, assignments, discussion questions, and student blog posts.
  • Writing Journal in the form of a composition notebook.

EXPECTATIONS

Reading: Plan adequate time for reading. You will have anywhere from 30 to 50 pages of reading per class period, including primary texts and background reading, so plan ahead. You will be graded in part on your preparedness and participation in class discussion, which includes having a copy of the day’s readings and demonstrating, by your responses to discussion questions, quizzes, and in-class writing, that you have read them. From time to time, I will assign additional short readings to compliment the readings on the syllabus.

Writing: I will assign 3 types of writing in the course of the semester:

  • Journaling. In-class writing based on prompts I will provide in class.
  • Blogging. Each student will write 2 posts of 2 to 3 paragraphs to be published on the class’s Blogs at Baruch site. In addition, each student will respond to at least 2 other students’ blog posts.
  • Formal Writing. You will draft and revise one close reading of 3-4 pages, and one fully developed analytic essay of from 6-8 pages. You are encouraged to base your essays on ideas you started to develop in your blog posts or in-class writing.

Group Conference Presentation

You will work in groups of 4 to develop a theme for a mini-conference in which each group member will present an abstract of your final project (your analytic essay) accompanied by a PowerPoint, Prezi, or other digital presentation platform.

Grading: Final grade will be based on the following:

  • Preparedness for and Participation in Class – 20%
  • In-class journal writing – 15%
  • Blog Posts and Responses – 15%
  • Essay #1 – 15%
  • Final Essay – 20%
  • Conference Presentation – 15%

Attendance: Every absence beyond 3 class periods, for any reason, will lower your grade by one letter grade. You will be docked 1/2 period for every 20 minutes of missed class you accumulate (coming late, leaving early, leaving during class, etc.). Missing more than 30 minutes of any class period will count as an absence for that period.

POLICIES

Academic Honesty

Academic dishonesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the college’s educational mission and the students’ personal and intellectual growth. Baruch students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work, to learn the rules and definitions that underlie the practice of academic integrity, and to uphold its ideals. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable excuse for disobeying them. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned. For a full description of Baruch College’s policies on academic honesty, visit http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html

Accommodations for Student with Disabilities

Students with disabilities may be eligible for a reasonable accommodation to enable them to participate fully in courses at Baruch. If you feel you may be in need of an accommodation, please contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at (646) 312‑4590.

COURSE SCHEDULE[1]

Week 1

Mon 2/1          Introductions & Syllabus

Wed 2/3           Raymond Williams, “Literature” from Marxism and Literature

Week 2

Mon 2/8          The Epic of Gilgamesh Intro, Tablets I-V (Norton A 95-124)

Wed 2/10        The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablets VI-XI (Norton 124-151)

Week 3

Mon 2/15        Presidents’ Day – No Classes

Wed 2/17         The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablets VI-XI (Norton 124-151)

Week 4

Mon 2/22        The Hebrew Bible Intro, from Genesis (Norton A 151-174)

Wed 2/24         The Hebrew Bible: from Genesis, Exodus, & Job (Norton A 174-218)

Draft of Close Reading Due via Email

Week 5

Mon 2/29        Homer, The Iliad Introduction, Book I & VI (Norton A 222-256)

Wed 3/2           Homer, The Iliad Books VIII, IX & XVI (256-283)

Week 6

Mon 3/7          Homer, The Iliad Books XVIII, XXII & XXIV (284-331)

                             Revised Close Reading Due in Printed Copy

Wed 3/9           W. H. Auden, “The Shield of Achilles” (available on course blog)  

Week 7

Mon 3/14        Confucius, from The Analects

Wed 3/16         “Early Chinese Literature and Thought” (Norton A 1311-1319)

Classic of Poetry Introduction and Poems (Norton A 1320-1330)

Selections of American Imagist Poetry (available on course blog)

Week 8

Mon 3/21        “Circling the Mediterranean: Europe and the Islamic World” (Norton B 3-17)

“The Christian Bible: The New Testament Gospels” (Norton B 18-33)

Wed 3/23         Friday Schedule – No Class

Week 9

Mon 3/28        Out of Town – No Class

Wed 3/30         The Qur’an Introduction and Selected Text (Norton B 71-98)

Ibn Ishaq, from The Biography of the Prophet (Norton B 100-106)                      

Week 10

Mon 4/4          Beowulf Introduction and lines 1-835 (Norton B 107-130)

Wed 4/6           Beowulf lines 836 – 1798 (Norton B 131-153)                          

Week 11

Mon 4/11

Wed 4/13         Beowulf lines 1798 – end (Norton B 153-182)

Week 12

Mon 4/18        Beowulf TBA

Wed 4/20        Christine de Pizan, from The Book of the City of Ladies (Norton B 781-803)

SPRING BREAK

Week 13

Mon 5/2          “Japan’s Classical Age” (Norton B 1073-1081) Sei Shōnagon, from The Pillow                                  Book (Norton B 1127-1153)

Wed 5/4           Shakespeare Sonnets TBA

Draft of Final Project Due

Week 14

Mon 5/9          William Shakespeare, Hamlet Intro & Acts 1 & 2 (Norton C 652-696)

Wed 5/11       William Shakespeare, Hamlet Intro & Act 3 (Norton C 696-717)

Week 15

Mon 5/16        William Shakespeare, Hamlet Acts 4 & 5 (Norton C 718-751)

                           Revised Final Project Due

Wed 5/18         Wrap Up

[1] The schedule is subject to change depending on the pace of our reading, discussions, and other classroom activities.