Welcome to the Course!

Welcome to the Spring 2021 version of World Literature to 1700, which this year is focusing exclusively on the works of Homer. No, not the donut-loving father from the Simpsons, but the much more obscure figure from the ancient past who is credited with writing two of the most influential epic poems in existence: The Iliad and The Odyssey. We'll spend this semester reading shortened versions of each work (but not too short!), as well as several critical works about mythology and the historical context of ancient Greece. Ideally, by diving deep into his works and world, you'll better understand where ancient texts come from, and how these works shape us as readers and citizens of the 21st century. 

There are three REQUIRED books for class: The Essential Homer, Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction, and Homer: A Very Short Introduction. The other two books are optional, though you will need one of them (or you can use a third text, which we'll discuss in class): Miller's Circe or Shanower's Age of Bronze. 

The syllabus is pasted below, though I'll give you a hard copy in class. Please let me know if you have any questions at jgrasso@ecok.edu. I can't wait to share these works and the ensuing discussions with you this semester! 

English 3913: World Literature to 1700, “The World of Homer”:

Spring 2021

Tuesday / Thursday, 12:30-1:45

Dr. Joshua Grasso / jgrasso@ecok.edu (X 430)

Office Hours: MWF 10-11 & 1-2; TR 12-12:30

Class Website: ecuworldlit.blogspot.com

From Morales’ Classical Mythology: “Classical mythology only happens when the stories become active agents: when people use them. As such, classical myth is not an object or series of objects to be known. Rather, it is a continual process of telling and retelling, of provoking and responding, of critiquing and revising. It is a process rather than an event. Or, to borrow Mary Beard’s formulation, we should think of it as a verb, and not a noun.”

Course Description: In this class, we’re going to read all the works of Homer (all two of them!) to try to understand why these books are so firmly lodged in the human imagination. Why do people keep reading and “using” these books to explain the past and to make sense of the present? What characters and metaphors have they bequeathed to the world, and why do they remain modern even after the passage of two or more centuries? As Morales suggests above, Homer isn’t a thing but a process, and reading Homer is a verb—we do things with Homer, and it does things to us. Or in the words of the poet Cavafy (who was borrowing from Homer), “Keep Ithaka always in your mind./Arriving there is what you’re destined for./But don’t hurry the journey at all.” (these lines will make more sense after you’ve read The Odyssey!).

Required Texts:

• The Essential Homer, translated by Stanley Lombardo
• Graziosi, Homer: A Very Short Introduction
• Morales, Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction
• (choose ONE): Miller, Circe or Shanower, Age of Bronze

Required Work:

• In-Class Participation: see below
• Response Questions: 20 pts.
• Blog Responses: 20 pts.
• Papers 1-3: 45 pts. (15 pts. each) 
• Final Paper: 15 pts.

In-Class Participation: Since we only meet once a week, coming to class is very important; this is our one chance to make difficult works ‘speak’ and to have wide-ranging discussions about the material. You are required to come to each class unless you are sick, have a verified case of COVID, or other concern (feel free to contact me). If you miss more than TWO classes for any unexcused reason, you’ll lose -10 pts. from your final grade (a letter grade, basically). So please keep me informed if things come up, and don’t hesitate to miss class if you’re sick or have a similar emergency.

REMEMBER: always bring a mask, your book, and an open mind! Leave your laptop and work for other classes at home…you won’t get participation points if you surf the web or do other work where I can see it. Don’t waste the opportunity to enrich the class with your insights or be enriched by someone else’s.

Response & Blog Questions: Whenever we have a reading, I will alternate from response questions due the next day in class, and Blog Responses, where I will post a short video based on the reading, requiring you to post a response ‘comment’ on the blog. These are designed not as busy work, but to get you actively reading the material, and thinking about connections beyond the plot. Each is worth 20 pts. for the semester, and you will get full points so long as you miss no more than ONE response. After that, you lose -5 pts per missed response. So be careful!

Papers 1-3: These are generally short, focused assignments that respond to a single text, but will ask you to make connections beyond each text. Paper #1 responds to Classical Mythology; Paper #2 responds to The Iliad; and Paper #3 responds to The Odyssey. You can revise each paper for a higher grade based on my comments.

Final Paper: This is a slightly more intricate assignment which will use an outside text, either Miller’s Circe or Shanower’s Age of Bronze. Be sure to read one of these books throughout the semester so you’ll be ready to write this paper as your ‘final.’ Hint: Circe is a loose re-telling of The Odyssey, and Age of Bronze is a kind of prequel to The Iliad, so you might read whichever book coincides to the poem you most prefer.

Late Work Policy: One day late = -10 pts. Two days late = -20 pts. Zero after that.

THE FINE PRINT

1.       You must buy all the books for the course. Trying to use on-line summaries will doom you to vague, uninformed responses. If the goal of any class is to become more engaged with the material, reading the books is essential. Read and enjoy the material. :)

2.       If you miss class, check the blog to see if there are any new assignments or material. You can also e-mail me if the blog hasn’t been updated to be sure.

3.       When you e-mail work to me, check the attachments carefully. If I can’t open it (or it’s simply not attached) it doesn’t count. I will contact you if this happens, but the clock is ticking...if you turn in an e-mail without an attachment at 4:59 and the paper is due at 5, it might be late!

4.       If you have any kind of emergency, please contact me as soon as possible. If I know you’re going through something difficult, I can work with you and help you get the work. If you only tell me weeks or months later, it’s too late.

5.       The COVID situation can change our class dynamic at any time. If you’re confused by what’s going on or feel you can’t complete the work, etc., please contact me first. Let’s talk through it to make sure it’s not as bad (or as hard) as you think. I’m always available by e-mail and will respond within an hour or two at most (unless you e-mail me at one o’clock in the morning!).

6.       Academic Integrity link: https://www.ecok.edu/sites/default/files/siteContent/administration/academic-affairs/documents/AcademicIntegrityPolicy.pdf

ADA Statement: East Central University is committed to providing equal access to University programs and services for all students. Under university policy and federal and state laws, students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations. If any member of the class has a documented disability requiring academic accommodations, he or she should report to the Office of Disability Services.  A student seeking reasonable accommodations originating from a documented disability must register with the Office of Disability Services so that said accommodations may be provided. Contact the Academic Affairs Office if any assistance is needed in this process.

72-Hour Transition Statement: Should on-campus instruction be suspended for any reason, ECU’s face-to-face and blended courses will transition to online/virtual delivery within 72 hours.  Online courses will continue as scheduled.

Tentative Course Schedule:

 

WEEK ONE (Jan.11-15)

Discussion: Introduction to the Course

Reading Homework: Morales, Classical Mythology, Chapters 1-2

Writing Homework: Responses for Chapters 1-2

 

WEEK TWO (18-22)

Discussion: Morales, Chapters 1-2

Reading Homework: Morales, Chapters 3-4

Writing Homework: Blog Response #1

 

WEEK THREE (25-29)

Discussion: Morales, Chapters 3-4

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 1-3

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 1-3

 

WEEK FOUR (Feb.2-5) Paper #1 due Thursday @ 5pm!

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 1-3

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 6,9,12

Writing Homework: Blog Response #2

 

WEEK FIVE (8-12)

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 6,9,12

Reading Homework: Graziosi, Homer, Chapters 1-4

Writing Homework: Responses for Chapters 1-4

 

WEEK SIX (15-19)

Discussion: Homer, Chapters 1-4

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 16,18,19

Writing Homework: Blog Response #3

 

WEEK SEVEN (22-26)

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 16,18,19

Reading Homework: The Iliad, Books 22,23,24

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 22,23,24

 

WEEK EIGHT (Mar.2-5)

Discussion: The Iliad, Books 22,23,24

Reading Homework: Graziosi, Homer, Chapters 5-7

Writing Homework: Blog Response #4

 

WEEK NINE (8-12) Paper #2 due Thursday @ 5pm

Discussion: Homer, Chapters 5-7

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 1,4-6,8

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 1,4-6,8

 

WEEK TEN (15-19): SPRING BREAK

 

WEEK ELEVEN (22-26)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 1,4-6,8

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 9-11

Writing Homework: Blog Response #5

 

WEEK TWELVE (29-Apr.2)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 9-11

Reading Homework: Classical Mythology, Chapters 5-6

Writing Homework: Responses for Chapters 5-6

 

WEEK THIRTEEN (5-9)

Discussion: Classical Mythology, Chapters 5-6

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 12-18

Writing Homework: Blog Response #6

 

WEEK FOURTEEN (12-16) Paper #3 due Thursday @ 5pm!

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 12-18

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 19, 22

Writing Homework: Responses for Books 19, 22

 

WEEK FIFTEEN (19-23)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 19, 22

Reading Homework: The Odyssey, Books 23-24 & Homer, Chapters 8-10

Writing Homework: Blog Response #7

 

WEEK SIXTEEN (26-30)

Discussion: The Odyssey, Books 23-24 & Homer, Chapters 8-10

Reading Homework: None!

Writing Homework: Work on Final Paper!

 

Final Paper due Thursday, May 6^th @ 5pm!