COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course “Readings in Ancient Literature” offers an in-depth exploration of some of the most significant literary works from ancient civilizations. This course will guide students through a diverse range of epic poems, myths, and narratives, providing insights into the cultural, historical, and philosophical contexts that shaped these timeless texts.
Through critical reading and analysis, students will develop a deeper understanding of the human condition as reflected in ancient literature and its enduring influence on contemporary thought and storytelling.
Key Points
- The Epic of Gilgamesh: Exploring Mortality and Friendship: Students will study The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest known literary works, focusing on its themes of mortality and friendship. The epic’s narrative of King Gilgamesh’s quest for immortality offers profound insights into ancient Mesopotamian beliefs and values.
- The Iliad and The Odyssey: Heroism and the Human Experience: The course will cover Homer’s epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, which are central to Greek literature and Western literary tradition. These works explore themes of heroism, honor, and the human experience through the stories of Achilles and Odysseus.
- The Ramayana and The Mahabharata: Duty and Righteousness: Students will delve into the great Indian epics, The Ramayana and The Mahabharata, focusing on their teachings about duty, righteousness, and moral dilemmas. These texts are fundamental to understanding Hindu philosophy and ethics.
- Norse Mythology and The Poetic Edda: Fate and Heroism: The course will examine Norse mythology, particularly The Poetic Edda, to understand the themes of fate and heroism in Scandinavian culture. These myths reflect the Norse worldview and the heroic ideals of their society.
- The Tale of Genji: Love and Court Life in Heian Japan: Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji will be studied for its portrayal of love, impermanence, and court life in Heian Japan. This work is a cornerstone of Japanese literature and offers a window into the aesthetics and values of the period.
- Beowulf: Heroism and the Anglo-Saxon Heroic Code: The course will conclude with a study of Beowulf, an Old English epic poem that epitomizes the heroic code of the Anglo-Saxon era. The themes of heroism, loyalty, and fate are central to this work.
Core Learning Outcomes
- Develop a Comprehensive Understanding of Ancient Texts: Gain a foundational understanding of significant ancient texts and their historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts.
- Analyze Themes and Characters in Ancient Literature: Learn to critically analyze themes, characters, and plot structures within ancient literary works, focusing on universal human experiences.
- Explore Cultural Perspectives on Heroism and Morality: Understand how different cultures interpret heroism, morality, and social values as expressed through their literature.
- Engage in Comparative Analysis of Literary Motifs: Develop skills in comparative analysis by exploring recurring motifs across various ancient texts and cultures.
- Examine the Influence of Ancient Literature on Modern Thought: Investigate how ancient texts have influenced contemporary literature, philosophy, and cultural narratives.
- Critically Reflect on the Human Condition through Literature: Reflect on timeless themes related to the human experience, such as mortality, love, duty, and fate, and their relevance to modern society.
REFERENCE MATERIALS
for
Full-CLC Students
“A CLC award signifies that the student has attained the knowledge, (through either prior education or experience), equal to or greater than the student would have learned in a traditional college course.”
“Based upon your CLC award, physical classroom attendance is not required; however, you will be required to successfully pass a final exam for each course.”
Based upon your HESEAP Application, you have received full-CLC for this course; therefore, this is a test-out course which does not include traditional education on the subject.
USILACS wants to help you succeed. If you feel you need a little knowledge refresher or want to expand your knowledge on this subject, we recommend that you consider reviewing some of the vast online education resources and search topics below.
Thousands of FREE Online College Courses:
Search Topics: Publications/Videos/Papers
(The majority of the exam questions for this course are based upon information contained in the below search topics)
- (2017) The Epic of Gilgamesh. Mike Rugnetta. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWppk7-Mti4
- (2017) The History of Writing – The Alphabet. Daniel Floyd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHOnhYCskd0
- (2017) Everything You Need to Know to Read Homer’s Odyssey. Jill Dash. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z9FQxcCAZ0
- (2017) Iliad- The Book of Homer’s Iliad. N.S. Gill. Thought Co. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-books-of-homers-iliad-119149
- (2017) Virgil. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil
- (2016) The History of Writing – Where the Story Begins. Daniel Floyd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyjLt_RGEww
- (2016) Georgics. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgics
- (2015) The Foundation of Modern Theatre. Melanie Sirof. https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-battle-of-the-greek-tragedies-melanie-sirof
- (2013) Ancient Writing. ABC Catalyst. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHOnhYCskd0
- (2002) The Iliad of Homer Translated by Samuel Butler 1898. Formatted John Bruno Hare. Sacred-Text.com http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/homer/ili/index.htm
- (2002) THE GEORGICS OF VIRGIL Translated by J. W. MacKail 1934. Sacred text.com. http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/virgil/geo/index.htm
Please note: USILACS is not the source of these links. Therefore we do not have control over the accessibility of the links. You may find that some links are no longer active. We therefore encourage you to copy and paste the title into Google or YouTube to find an alternative source. You are also welcome to email our academic team at academics@usilacs.org for assistance or to inform them of an inactive link so we can replace it with a new one.
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Although we are providing comprehensive study material, if you feel you require more, please copy and paste the topics and titles into Google and YouTube.
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