World Literature I
COLI 110 Section 04
Meeting Times: MWF 0940-1040
Room: Fine Arts 246
Instructor: Diviani Chaudhuri
Office: LNG 204
Office Hours: TBA
Contact: diviani.c@gmail.com / 607 761 4322
This is an introductory level course on literatures of the ancient world. The idea is to trace thematic and generic continuities in the texts produced by different cultures both diachronically as well as synchronically.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
· Enhance their critical thinking, writing and research skills
· Gain an understanding of some of the canonical works of literature
· Become aware of comparative literature methodology
· Define literary genres such as the Epic and Tragedy.
Books to buy:
Greek Tragedy (Penguin Classics)
Format and Procedures
- This course will use e-texts extensively. You are required to either bring your laptop to class or print the reading material and bring it with you to class.
- There will be a course blog to which you must post your reading notes and class summary.
- You have the opportunity to revise all essays written for this class.
Attendance Policy
More than three absences without informing me will result in the lowering of your final letter grade by one level. For instance, an A will be lowered to an A- and so forth.
Academic Integrity
Please refer to the university’s Student Academic Honesty Code. Any plagiarism detected will result in an automatic F for the assignment concerned.
| Task description | Instructions | No. of tasks due | % of Final Grade |
| Analytical essay | 1. 1000 words not including separate “Works Cited” page. 2. Strictly adhere to MLA citation style. Consult the OWL at Purdue to familiarise yourself with this format. 3. Topics pre-assigned, listed on class schedule. Please consult. 4. Submission required both in hard copy and through Turnitin/SafeAssign on Blackboard. | 3 essays due on Sept 18, Oct 7 and Nov 23. | 30 |
| Oral presentation | 1. Pre-assigned topic: What texts would your World Literature syllabus include and why? 2. Powerpoint presentation. 3. One page handout for your classmates and me with your name on top right. | 1 presentation at the end of classes for the semester. | 10 |
| | 1. 100 word reflective paragraph on the reading for the week, including discussion questions. Write about connections you may find between the texts you are assigned and anything else you may have read, watched or heard about. Take special note of things you did not understand and/or had to Google to find out about. 2. Post on course blog before class the following week. 3. Label your blog post with the name of the text. 4. Title your blog post with your name. | 15 posts throughout the 15 weeks of classes in the semester. Consult class schedule for due dates. | 50 Only the submission of a minimum of 15 posts will qualify you for credit. |
| Class summary | 1. Sign up for a particular day of class. 2. Write 250 words describing class activities and salient points of discussion. 3. Post on course blog before next class. | 1 | 10 |
Class Schedule
| Week | Date | To be discussed in class | Class Preparation |
| 1 | Aug 31 | Introduction to the course: What is World Literature? | None |
| 1 | Sept 2 | Discussion on The Flood: Myths of Origin; The Bible as Literature | Genesis 6 Genesis 7 |
| 1 | Sept 4 | The Bible: The Old Testament, Genesis 6-9 | Genesis 8 Genesis 9 |
| 2 | Sept 9 | Introduction to Gilgamesh | Gilgamesh Tablet I http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab1.htm Week 1 reading notes due |
| 2 | Sept 11 | Gilgamesh Tablet I, XI | Gilgamesh Tablet XI http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab11.htm |
| 3 | Sept 14 | Introduction to Ovid’s Metamorphoses | Start reading Metamorphoses Book I http://classics.mit.edu/Ovid/metam.1.first.html Week 2 reading noted due |
| 3 | Sept 16 | Metamorphoses Book I | Come to class having read Metamorphoses Book I |
| 3 | Sept 18 | Discussion on the similarities and dissimilarities between the three creation stories. | Essay 1 due: Comparative analysis of the three myths of origin. |
| 4 | Sept 21 | Introduction to the Epic | Start reading The Iliad Book 1 In Verse http://records.viu.ca/~Johnstoi/homer/iliad1.htm In Prose http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/iliad.1.i.html Week 3 reading notes due |
| 4 | Sept 23 | Introduction to The Iliad | Book 22 In Verse http://records.viu.ca/~Johnstoi/homer/iliad22.htm In Prose |
| 4 | Sept 25 | The Epic: Abduction and Quest The Iliad Book 1, 22 | Come to class having read The Iliad Book 1, 22 |
| 5 | Sept 30 | Introduction to the Indian Epic | Start reading The Ramayana Book I: Canto 2, 3 Week 4 reading notes due |
| 5 | Oct 2 | Introduction to The Ramayana | Start reading Book III Canto 47, 48, 49 |
| 6 | Oct 5 | The Ramayana Book I : Canto 2,3 ; Book III Canto 47, 48, 49 | Come to class having read Book I : Canto 2,3 ; Book III Canto 47, 48, 49 Week 5 reading notes due |
| 6 | Oct 7 | The Epic in the East and the West: A Comparative Analysis | Essay 2 due: Comparative analysis of The Iliad and The Ramayana. |
| 6 | Oct 9 | Introduction to Greek Tragedy | |
| 7 | Oct 12 | Aeschylus Agamemnon | Week 6 reading notes due |
| 7 | Oct 14 | Aeschylus Agamemnon | |
| 7 | Oct 16 | Aeschylus Agamemnon | |
| 8 | Oct 19 | Sophocles Oedipus Rex | Week 7 reading notes due |
| 8 | Oct 21 | Sophocles Oedipus Rex | |
| 8 | Oct 23 | Sophocles Oedipus Rex | |
| 9 | Oct 26 | Euripides Medea | Week 8 reading notes due |
| 9 | Oct 28 | Euripides Medea | |
| 9 | Oct 30 | Euripides Medea | |
| 10 | Nov 2 | Aristophanes Frogs | Week 9 reading notes due |
| 10 | Nov 4 | Aristophanes Frogs | |
| 10 | Nov 6 | Aristophanes Frogs | |
| 11 | Nov 9 | Introduction to Shakespearean Tragedy | Week 10 reading notes due |
| 11 | Nov 11 | Othello Act I | http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act1-script-text-othello.htm |
| 11 | Nov 13 | Othello Act II | http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act2-script-text-othello.htm |
| 12 | Nov 16 | Othello Act III | http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act3-script-text-othello.htm Week 11 reading notes due |
| 12 | Nov 18 | Othello Act IV | http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act4-script-text-othello.htm |
| 12 | Nov 20 | Othello Act V | http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act5-script-text-othello.htm |
| 13 | Nov 23 | Trajectory of Tragedy | Essay 3 due: Comparative analysis of Greek tragedy vis-à-vis Shakespearean tragedy. Week 12 reading notes due |
| 13 | Nov 25 | Introduction to Sufism | |
| 14 | Nov 30 | Sufi Poetry: Attar | http://wahiduddin.net/sufi/sufi_poetry.htm#Attar Week 13 reading notes due |
| 14 | Dec 2 | Sufi Poetry: Hafiz | |
| 14 | Dec 4 | Sufi Poetry: Rumi | |
| 15 | Dec 7 | Student Presentations | Week 14 reading notes due |
| 15 | Dec 9 | Student Presentations | |
| 15 | Dec 11 | Student Presentations | Week 15 reading notes due |
Instructor reserves the right to change this syllabus. Updated syllabi will be posted on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to keep track of changes and prepare yourself accordingly.