Course Description
Literature of Western Europe, 1450-1600, with emphasis on the emergence of modern science through such figures as Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler. Special emphasis will be placed on the relevance of these texts, however old, to contemporary society around the world, including the United States.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Additional reading, writing, and research assignments.
Athena Title
Science and Lit in Renaissance
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The course objectives are to introduce students to major works of European Renaissance literature; to teach them about the larger social, historical,and cultural developments of the period, chiefly the emergence of modern science through such figures as Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler; to enhance their critical abilities through the analysis of individual works of literature; and to improve their communication skills through oral presentations and expository writing assignments. Special emphasis will be placed on the relevance of these texts to contemporary society around the world Students' performances will be assessed through presentations, tests, essays, and a final examination.
Topical Outline
The course is organized around readings of majors works of European Renaissance literature, with special emphasis on the relevance of the texts under discussion to contemporary society around the world. The topics considered are specific to the works under analysis. The works studied vary with the instructor. The following is a sample syllabus of readings for a single semester: Boccaccio. The Decameron (selections) Erasmus. The Praise of Folly Rabelais. Gargantua and Pantagruel Machiavelli. The Prince and Mandragola Ariosto. Orlando Furioso (selections) Copernicus. On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (selections) Galileo. Dialogues on two world systems (selections) Leonardo. Codex Leicester (selections) Gaspara Stampa. Selected Poetry Marguerite of Navarre. The Heptameron (selections) Montaigne. Essays (selections)
Syllabus