Class on 2/5 and what's upcoming for 2/12

Tonight we

  • Collected the Antigone papers
  • Introduced literary elements and historical background for The Odyssey
  • Viewed a dramatic interpretation of the opening books of The Odyssey
  • Introduced and self-selected thematic **groups.

Homework for 2/12

  • Prepare for quiz on Books I-X (1-10)
  • Be prepared with supplies and notes to work in self-selected Odyssey groups.


**Group thematic assignment


Thematic/Topical Exploration in The Odyssey
The purpose of this activity is to give you the time to explore one assigned theme or topic in The Odyssey in detail with the help of a small group. You will have one and a partial class sessions, and 2/5 & 2/12 to complete this.  The intention of this assignment is to begin to prepare for the analytic thinking and writing that will be required in our analysis paper in April. 

Themes/Topics:
1.      the ritual of sacrificing animals to the gods
2.      the treatment of strangers visiting others’ homes
3.      the existence and use of fate in the story (gods’ will, prophecies, etc.)
4.      the role of women
5.      omens and signs
THE REQUIREMENTS:
In order to successfully complete the assignment, you will need to complete these activities items for your theme/topic:

1.                  Discuss the theme as it appears and develops throughout the poem.
2.                  Design a comprehensive, single-sided handout for the class with key examples of the theme’s emergence throughout the poem.
3.                  Present your theme/topic to the class in an organized and meaningful way on Monday, February 26.
4.                  Reflect on your participation in the group’s written and oral presentation in a one paragraph writing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Stranger: A commentary on style and form

The Stranger : A commentary on style and form STYLE  Camus’s style is simple, clear, and direct. He’s not writing an intellectual essay on a philosophical theme (as he did in  The Myth of Sisyphus ) but a novel that deals with his philosophical preoccupations. In order to do this, he has created recognizable characters and placed them in realistic situations. The clarity of style is the perfect instrument to convey the thoughts of the narrator (Meursault), who is attempting to find order and understanding in a confused and confusing world. Some readers point out the overall subdued quality of Camus’s style. Others compare his vocabulary to that of a child. Notice, also, the brevity of most of the sentences- which are also childlike- and the absence of complicated grammatical constructions. Camus describes objects and people but makes no attempt to analyze them. His attention is always fixed on the concrete nature of things. He uses words cautiously as if he were som...
Read more

UPDATED!!! Syllabus ENG 2403-33 Spring 2018 (red indicates revisions)

Image
Syllabus Fall 2018 Office of Academic Affairs Course Information Course Title:                                    World Literature     Course Number and Section:       ENG 2403 section 33 Semester:                                         Spring 2018 Course Meeting Days/Times:       M 4:30-7:15 p.m.                                          ...
Read more

The Poems of the T'ang Dynasty-- Introduction

The Poems of the T'ang Dynasty Introduction "The classical poems were usually composed of lines of four characters, or words, with every other line rhymed. Lines were allowed, however, of more or fewer words. Under the reign of the Emperor Wu (140-87B.C.) of the Western Han Dynasty new types of poetry were introduced; and the five-character and seven-character poems became popular and have dominated ever since. The Emperor himself invented the latter: While Li Ling and Su Wu, two of his statesmen-generals, wrote their verses in the former type. The number of characters of each lines was uniform; no irregular line might occur. These two types were afterwards named the "ancient" or "unruled" poems. Nearly all poems before the T'ang Dynasty were in this form. The Emperor Wu introduced also the Po Liang style, which is a seven-character poem with every line rhyming in the last word. Po Liang was the name of a pavilion in the Emperor's garde...
Read more