English 321 Backgrounds of Western Literature M, W 1:30—2:45 Mark Heberle
Extensive study and discussion of excerpts from or complete texts of the most wonderful, most influential, and greatest works of the Western literary and cultural tradition, including classical epic (Homer’s ILIAD and ODYSSEY, Vergil’s AENEID), classical tragedy (Sophocles’s OEDIPUS THE KING and ANTIGONE), mythology (OVID’S (METAMORPHOSES), Hebrew and Christian Bible (GENESIS, EXODUS, BOOKS OF SAMUEL, PSALMS, ISAIAH, GOSPELS OF MATTHEW & JOHN, REVELATION), and Arthurian romance (SIR THOMAS MALORY’S LE MORTE D’ARTHURE). Requirements include in-class reports, quizzes, one comparative paper, final exam. Extra credit available for film reports on TROY, Godard’s CONTEMPT (Odyssey), THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, EXCALIBUR.
