Course Description
A selection of the most influential literary works in the East Asian and European traditions, from ancient to modern times. Special emphasis will be placed on these works’ relevance to contemporary society around the world and on the complex transactions between literary and socio-political discourse. We shall thus highlight the ability of prominent literary works to challenge the social status quo and propose new models for ethical and social transformation.
Athena Title
World Lit East and West
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
- to introduce students to some of the most influential literary works in the East Asian and European traditions, from ancient to modern times, from a comparative, multicultural perspective, with a special emphasis on these works’ relevance to contemporary society around the world; - to help students situate those works within larger historical and cultural contexts; -to provide students with an understanding of the conventions of literary composition and reception that inform their creation, such as conventions of genre, metrics, style; - to improve students' communication skills through oral presentations in class and expository writing assignments, including in-class and out-of-class essays. Students' performances will be evaluated through a variety of means, including assessment of oral presentations, objective tests, essays, and the final examination.
Topical Outline
The typical course consists of a series of readings in world literature from the East and the West. The topics considered are generated by the specific work under analysis. The works treated will vary with the instructor. Readings would typically include such authors as Goethe, Kalidasa, Rumi, Lu Xun, Kenzaburo Oe, Tolstoy,Rabindranath Tagore, Vladimir Nabokov, and Toni Morison.
General Education Core
CORE IV: Humanities and the Arts