Note:

This syllabus is still strictly provisional. I've only just begun working through the anthology, figuring out what the readings will be. I haven't yet thought about the assignments; what you see below was just copied over from another class. I'll figure it all out later. Still, this will give you an idea of the kinds of readings we'll do over the summer.

Survey of World Literature

English 351, Summer 2008

Jack Lynch

Course Description

Office: (973) 353-5279 x 516; 516 Hill Hall.

Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 1:00–2:30, and by appointment (appointments are best).

Home: (609) 882-4642 (before 10:00 p.m.!).

E-mail: jlynch @ andromeda.rutgers.edu (the best way to reach me).

Listserv: DevLanguage @ andromeda.rutgers.edu (for the whole class).

Course Requirements

Written Assignments: There will be two papers, the first of around 1,500 words (six pages), the second of 2,000 (eight pages). There are also several short exercises (we'll discuss these in class).
Final Exam: A short final examination will include identification of quotations, close reading, and short essays.
Attendance: Almost any excuse, given in advance (in person, by phone, or by E-mail), will receive my blessing. Absences not excused in advance will be frowned upon, and your final grade will be lowered by half a grade for each unexcused absence. The same policy applies to late papers: I'll grant extensions, but only if you talk to me before the due date.
Computing: Some essential information will be available only electronically. All students therefore must have an E-mail account by the end of the first week of classes, and must be able to use the World Wide Web.
Plagiarism: It should go without saying, but all work in this class must be your own. Handing in someone else's work as your own will result in an F for the course with no second chance, and may result in disciplinary action. I encourage you to use outside sources, but you have to cite anything you didn't write yourself. If you have even an inkling of a doubt about what's legitimate or how to cite something, see me before handing in the paper.
Readings: Only one book, available from New Jersey Books (not the Rutgers Bookstore):
- The Longman Anthology of World Literature, compact edition.

Schedule of Class Meetings

Monday, 7 July: Introduction: Class business, &c.
Tuesday, 8 July: Creation narratives: "A Babylonian Theogony" (pp. 28–30); "Hymns from the Rig Veda" (pp. 30–34); "The Great Hymn to the Aten" (pp. 40–44); from Enuma Elish: The Babylonian Creation Epic (pp. 44–54); from Hesiod, Theogony (pp. 54–60); Genesis 1–11 (pp. 62–71).
Wednesday, 9 July: Homer, Odyssey, books 1–6 (pp. 194–268).
Thursday, 10 July: Odyssey, books 7–12 (pp. 268–345).
Monday, 14 July: Odyssey, books 13–18 (pp. 345–420).
Tuesday, 15 July: Odyssey, books 19–24 (pp. 420–89).
Wednesday, 16 July: Euripides, Medea (pp. 575–608).
Thursday, 17 July: Medea, continued.
Monday, 21 July: Selections from the Ramayana (pp. 609–48).
Tuesday, 22 July: Ramayana, continued.
Wednesday, 23 July: The Song of Songs (pp. 126–36).
Thursday, 24 July: Paul, selections from Romans (pp. 816–21); Luke, selections from The Gospel According to Luke and The Acts of the Apostles (pp. 821–39).
Monday, 28 July: Chinese poetry: selections from Wang Wei (pp. 979–82); Li Bo (pp. 982–89); Du Fu (pp. 989–93); Bo Juyi (pp. 993–96).
Tuesday, 29 July: Chinese poetry, continued: Li Yu (pp. 996–98); Li Qinzhao (pp. 998–1000)
Wednesday, 30 July: Murasaki Shikibu, selections from The Tale of Genji (pp. 1000–75).
Thursday, 31 July: The Tale of Genji, continued.
Monday, 4 August: Selections from the Qur'an (pp. 1075–89).
Tuesday, 5 August: The Qur'an, continued.
Wednesday, 6 August: Selections from A Thousand and One Nights (pp. 1099–1151).
Thursday, 7 August: A Thousand and One Nights, continued.
Monday, 11 August: Dante, Inferno, cantos 1–9 (pp. 1259–95).
Tuesday, 12 August: Inferno, cantos 10–18 (pp. 1295–1326).
Wednesday, 13 August: Inferno, cantos 19–34 (pp. 1326–84).
Thursday, 14 August: Boccaccio, selections from the Decameron (pp. 1453–78).
Monday, 7 July: Selections from Marie de France, Lais (pp. 1188–1200); selections from Petrarch, Canzoniere (pp. 1479–87).
Tuesday, 8 July: Michel de Montaigne, selections from Essays (pp. 1517–45).
Wednesday, 9 July: Final exam.