My World Literature I course concentrates, this semester, on selected literary texts of the western world in the ancient, medieval, and renaissance eras. The course pays considerable attention to theological, philosophical, and historical contexts (whatever is relevant)—particularly in the second and third units—but that attention always intends to serve our primary search for understanding and delight in the works themselves. Similarly, though specific items of knowledge are interesting and valuable in themselves, and though I ask my students to learn many such items, they will be of less long-range interest than acquiring the ability to approach any literary text competently—to approach the text, that is, with respect, understanding, and skill. To that end, I will direct the readings of the major works quite firmly, believing that I can best serve my students by demonstrating one way to look at these texts, but never claiming that my way is the only way.
The course contributes as well to the larger aims of the General Education Program at UCA by the knowledge it intends to impart, by the skills it hopes to develop, and by the values it explores. For purposes of this course, the objectives may be stated thus: (1) students completing this world literature course will have attained a foundation of basic literary knowledge and a basic understanding of selected major literary forms; (2) students completing this world literature course will have exercised and developed their analytical skills and conceptual expertise; and (3) students completing this world literature course will have been encouraged to explore issues of human values and cultural traditions.
From the mass of material available in the Norton anthology (see Required Texts), I could make selections according to one of two principles—breadth of coverage or depth of contact. Though one would like to achieve both, a semester is, alas, too short for either. After the introductory readings, therefore, the course will, with only minor detours, focus on a few major works and their treatment of some apparently universal questions:
Readings include The Odyssey and Antigone from the ancient world; The Divine Comedy and a few shorter works (The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Battle of Maldon, The Story of Deirdre, and Eliduc) from the Middle Ages; and Hamlet from the Renaissance. The course begins with a series of brief readings assigned to raise questions about the place of stories in human life and in humanity’s search for what it deams real. The required packet’s Agendas indicate in detail what will be addressed in relation to each work or group of works. (See World Literature Agenda, Fall 1997.)
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Jonathan A. Glenn, University of Central Arkansas
Updated 07/19/97