Pre Modern and Ancient World Studies
Course Descriptions, Spring 2008

ART 110H 01. History of Art I
4.00 credit hours
Gimenez-Berger, Alejandra - Koch Hall

Prerequisites: None
A selective chronological survey of architecture, painting, sculpture and decorative arts from the birth of art in the Prehistoric period through its development in the Middle Ages. Although this course focuses on art created in Western Europe, the survey will also include the art of the Ancient Near East and the Byzantine Empire.
TEXT: Kleiner, et al., Gardner's Art Through the Ages

ART 280 C 1W. Art of Pre-Columbian and Colonial Mesoamerica
4.00 credits
Gimenez-Berger, Alejandra

Prerequisite: ART 110H or ART 120H
This course investigates the development of visual arts produced in Mesoamerica before the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and the richly varied effects in the visual arts resultant from the confrontation and amalgamation of the existing art forms with the European tradition.
The class surveys the Pre-Classic cultures of the ancient Valley of Mexico and the Olmec; art of the Classic period, including the Maya and Teotihuacan, the Early-Post Classic Toltec and Mixtec; and Late Post-Classic Aztec civilizations. After the midterm, the class examines the encounter of the native civilizations with the European conquistadors, Japanese trade, and African influences. These encounters spur independent visual expressions in the formulation of personal and communal colonial identities.
Goals:
Students will develop an understanding of Mesoamerican pre-Columbian and colonial art, its forms, functions, and original meanings for the cultures that produced it. Mesoamerican art represents one of the great aesthetic traditions of the world, yet the relative unfamiliarity of this tradition poses a challenge. Students will complete a critical reading, writing, and research project, divided into 9 stages, to become familiar with the methods of art history that allow us to understand and interpret the artistic record. Students will explore the effects on artistic expression caused by the clash of pre-Columbian and European forces. Through writing assignments and in-class discussions, students will come to an understanding of the forces that shape visual identity: Art does not only reflect the beliefs of a culture, it is also an agent of mediation and change. Writing intensive.

ENGL 180. "How Like a God": Myth, Epic, and Metamorphosis
4 .00 credits
Smith, Fitz

Prerequisite: ENGL 101E
This course will introduce the student to the work of Greco-Roman myth. With intensive readings of The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, and The Metamorphoses, this course not only will consider the various stories and ideas that myths construct and entail, but also will work to question the more modern myths by which we live today. As a writing intensive section, this course will require a daily reading journal, several short essays, two examinations, and a final analytical paper. Course will emphasize student engagement with the readings and ideas, so class sessions will entail lecture but rely heavily upon class participation. The student will leave this course with a familiarity with the dominant myths of the ancients, as well as a broadened understanding of those myths by which we live—myths more naively known as reality.

ENGL 180A. Shakespeare on Film
4 .00 credits
Dixon, Mimi

Prerequisite: ENGL 101
Movies are the popular entertainment of our era, as Shakespeare's stage was in his. And the London stage, like Hollywood today, took the blame for every sort of social evil—the corruption of youth, "bawdrie," godlessness, civil chaos, and the destruction of traditional values. What happens when Shakespeare is reinterpreted for the contemporary public, when the old is made new, Renaissance meets post-modern, when script becomes performance becomes celluloid? This course explores the scripts of Shakespeare through their twentieth-century revision by artists like Lawrence Olivier, Orson Welles, Franco Zefferelli, Peter Brooks, and Kenneth Branagh. We will look at a wide range of performances, from 1930's Hollywood to Kenneth Branagh, to your own dramatic readings in class. We will read about seven plays (probably Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado about Nothing, Hamlet, Othello, and Twelfth Night), see one or two film productions of each, write several short papers, quizzes and a final exam. You will be required to see a film outside class on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 9:00 almost every week.

ENGL 180A 7W. "Sailing the Wine Dark Sea"
4.00 credits
Dixon, Kent

Prerequisite: ENGL 101
The ancient Greeks invented everything from Western warfare to mystical prayer, from logic to statecraft and the city-state. That includes nothing less than Western literature, poetry, drama, philosophy, art, history and architecture. The Jews gave us our Christian values; the Greeks set the foundation and framework for our intellectual lives, providing the tools we bring to bear on problems in philosophy, math, medicine, physics, and really, all the sciences. Athenian democracy as discovered by the humanists of the Renaissance inspires Enlightenment thought, and it is the European Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries that the American experiment derives from.
A manageable book that covers all these bases is Thomas Cahill's Sailing the Wine Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter, and we'll use that book as our guiding text. Following it, we will read Homer's two great epics, tragedies and comedies by the great playwrights, a satyr play, a Greek novel, smatterings of Greek lyric poetry (Sappho, Pindar), oration (Pericles), history (Thucydides), philosophy (the pre-Socratics as well as Plato and Aristotle), and examine the plastic art (pottery and sculpture, as well as architecture). The Greeks also gave us militarism, sexism, disenfranchisement, segregation (racial and sexual), and religious ecstasy. Our alphabet, largely Greek. (We will learn the Greek alphabet, alpha through omega, as part of the course.)

If how to rule, then how to fight; if how to think, then how to feel; how to see, how to play, how to party—we got it here first and we will essay it all. The course is writing intensive, with a series of very short papers, a creative assignment or two, a reading log, and two exams, written and take-home. It is not a course in Greek mythology, but the first great thinkers about myth, are—if you'd venture a guess—Greek.

ENGL 280. British Survey I
4 .00 credits
Dixon, Mimi

Prerequisite: ENGL 200
In this course, we will look at the development of English literature from its beginnings in the Middle Ages to the rise of the novel in the eighteenth century. We will read and discuss representative literary texts and ask a series of important questions: how do these texts grow out of their historical and cultural contexts? How do they build upon, speak to one another? How do they define and redefine the roles of writer and reader? What does a growing literary canon have in constructing what it means to be a British subject, a self, a man, a woman? We will explore as well the way genres-epic and romance, tragedy and comedy, prose fiction-emerge, change, disappear, in response to a changing culture and readership. You should come out of this course with a foundational knowledge of important writers, dates, literary styles, genres, and critical terms that you can build on in more advanced courses. The course will include some periods and a comprehensive final; two or three formal papers and several informal responses to the reading. Writing intensive.

ENGL 307. Love and War in the Eighteenth Century
4 .00 credits
Richards, Cynthia

Prerequisite: ENGL 200 and 280
Out of the 1960s protests of the Vietnam War grew the slogan: "Make love not war," and the title of this course is clearly intended to invoke that now familiar saying. But in the long eighteenth century, this slogan would have taken a different configuration. It might have read: "war makes love."
The wars of this time period were largely domestic, internal affairs that threatened not just domestic peace, but also the very configuration of domestic space. The Glorious Revolution, the Jacobite Rebellion, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution each challenged the definition of patriarchal power and the structure of the family. These seismic changes in political space helped to usher in equally revolutionary shifts in domestic space, such as personal choice and personal virtue in the negotiation of love and marriage.

This course will examine this connection between love and war in the eighteenth century. We will read selections from the work of John Dryden, Aphra Behn, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Olaudah Equiano, Laurence Stern, Edmund Burke, Mary Wollstonecraft, Tom Paine, and Jane Austen. There will be a midterm and final exam, one shorter paper (4-5 pages) and a longer researched final paper (12 pages.)

ENGL 380. The Epic
4.00 credits
Buckman, Ty

Prerequisite: ENGL 200 or 280
This course is designed to introduce students to arguably the greatest genre of western literature, the epic poem. In our search for the essential elements of the genre we will range across the millennia, from the five thousand year old Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh to John Milton's towering seventeenth- century poem Paradise Lost, visiting in between Homer's Iliad, key sections of the Torah and the New Testament, Virgil's Aeneid, the Icelandic Egil's Saga, the Italian tradition from Dante through Tasso, and Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene. The works we will read are not only fascinating on their own terms, but they also warrant attention for their profound influence on western art. A walk through the Louvre (not part of the course, alas!) or a perusal of the footnotes in any literature anthology will indicate how the stories told by Homer and Virgil and Dante have echoed for centuries, inspiring Titian no less than Shakespeare, Walcott no less than Eliot. Indeed, one of the questions we will ask of these texts is why they have appealed to the sensibilities of so many different cultures in so many different periods. The work of the course will include substantial reading, two papers, a seminar presentation, and a final exam. Writing intensive.

HIST 105C/H 1W & 2W. Pre Modern World
4.00 credits
Raffensperger, Christian

Prerequisite: None
The history of the pre modern world is fundamentally about the interconnectivity of the global system. In this class we will discuss kings, emperors, and philosophers from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in addition to how the kingdoms and empires of the world interacted during this period. Key topics include the development of empire from Persia to China to Rome, the migrations of steppe peoples from Mongolia into Europe over the course of a thousand years, and the religious interactions (and their sometimes violent conflicts) in Eurasia and Africa that resulted in the spread of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. In addition to discussing happenings within various kingdoms and fledgling states of the world, this class, specifically in lecture and discussion, is designed to look at how those kingdoms interacted with one another and what the consequences were—culturally, religiously, and economically. What was gained, and what lost? Writing intensive.

HIST 111H 1W Medieval Civilization
4 credits
Bosworth, Amy

The medieval millennium, perhaps more than any other era of history, was a time when personalities shaped and affected the course of history. This course will explore the social, cultural, political and economic changes through the lives of particular medieval people, including peasants, warriors, mystics, kings and saints. Through lectures, discussions, films, debates and readings, the important developments, accomplishments and failings of the medieval centuries will be brought to life. Course assessment will consist of essay exams, short quizzes and class participation. Writing intensive.

HIST 203H 2W: The Historian's Craft: Fact and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
4.00 credits
Livingstone, Amy

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code, has stirred up a lot of controversy. What was so controversial? This course will examine the fact and fiction of The Da Vinci Code. Students will read primary sources and historical monographs relevant to the topics covered in the novel to determine what is "fact" and what is "fiction" in the novel. Specifically the course will examine the historical figure of Mary Magadalene, analyze the Gnostic Gospels, and understand the historical Knights Templar. The aim of the course is to help students determine what is the "real" history behind The Da Vinci Code.

This course is designed to teach students the basic skills in researching and writing a history paper. As a result, class time will be devoted to discussion of writing skills and research techniques. Production of a piece of historical research relevant to The Da Vinci Code will be the main criteria for assessment. Part of this assessment, however, will be assignments key to the production of a research paper, including a paper proposal, outline, bibliography, revised proposal, etc. In addition, students will be required to write analyses of primary and secondary sources and two written exams. Writing intensive.

History 201H 3W Charlemagne and His World: The Early Middle Ages, c.750-950 CE
4 Credits
Bosworth, Amy

On December 25, 800 in the city of Rome and in the presence of the pope Charles the Great (Charlemagne), King of the Franks, became "Emperor of the Romans."  The story of Charles and his family -- today known collectively as the Carolingians -- has intrigued professional historians and the curious for centuries.  And for good reason.  Charles and his family dominated much of Western Europe politically for over a century.  Their story is crucial to understanding the early Middle Ages and their legacy (intended and untended) still resonates today.  Over the course of the semester students will be introduced to the political, social, cultural, economic, and religious history of medieval Europe between c.750-c.950.  Topics covered will include the decline of the Merovingian kings, the Carolingian Renaissance, the role of women, the nature of kingship in the early Middle Ages, interactions between the Carolingians and the wider world (including England, the Byzantine Empire, and the Muslim world), warfare, and the Vikings.  Students will be introduced to primary source documents from the period as well as recent scholarship and learn to critically analyze these materials both in writing and in-class discussions. Writing Intensive.

HIST 301 1W. Eurasian Nomads in the Ancient and Medieval World
4 .00 credits
Raffensperger, Christian

Prerequisite: One course in history or permission of instructor.
Eurasian nomads are part of a variety of histories and historiographies in China, Russia, India, the Middle East, and Europe. But in every one of those cases they primarily exist as an "other," the "outsider" who raids the settled empire, the "barbarian" who ravages civilization. This class will attempt to change that perspective and focus on the nomads themselves as the actors. Over the course of the semester the class will acquire an understanding of nomadic society and traditions, as well as the various cultures involved in the regions and periods under consideration. They will do in-depth research on one particular steppe culture or people and present that material to the class, with the goal of helping to understand who these Eurasian nomad are, why they acted the way they did, and why history and historians traditionally portray them negatively. Writing intensive.

PHIL 380 1W. Plato
4.00 credits
Reed, Don

Prerequisite: Phil 310R or permission of instructor
This is a course on the development of Plato's dialogues. We will focus on what Plato achieved by writing dialogues rather than lectures or monologues. This is also a course on Plato's doubts about Platonism -- which we can discover only by attending carefully to Plato's use of narrative devices in his dialogues. We will read two "early dialogues" (Euthyphro and Laches), three "transitional dialogues" (Meno, Protagoras, and Gorgias), four "middle dialogues" (Republic, Phaedo, Theaetetus, and Symposium), and three "late dialogues" (Parmenides, Timaeus, and Statesman). Students will write two book reviews, three short papers on assigned topics, and a longer seminar paper for the end of the semester on the dialogue of their choice, including research in the secondary literature on their dialogue. Writing intensive.

RELI 100R 01. Topic: Asian Religious Traditions
4.00 credits
Glowski, Janice

Prerequisite: None
This course will consider religious traditions from Asia including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, and popular traditions. In addition we will consider the challenges of religion in a pluralistic world. Students will become familiar with scriptures and practices from these traditions. Class will be in lecture and discussion format. Class requirements include exam, short papers, and class participation.

RELI 121R 1W. Art of Biblical Literature
4.00 credits
Kaiser, Barbara

Prerequisite: None
This course is intended to help readers appreciate the artistry of biblical prose and poetry. We will examine texts from the Old and New Testaments and Apocrypha, paying special attention to plot structure, word-plays, imagery, repetition, characterization, themes, parallelism and aetiology. Throughout the term, we will consider reinterpretations of biblical literature in the music, literature, and film of our own culture. Class sessions have a lecture/discussion format. There will be three or four exams and regular written responses to readings. Writing intensive.

RELI 137R 01. Jewish Tradition
4.00 credits
Millen, Rochelle

Prerequisite: None
This course introduces the student to the Jewish tradition, beginning with its development in the biblical and early rabbinic periods. It focuses upon the general history of Judaism as well as its basic concepts, including readings in primary and secondary texts and discussions of the Jewish calendar and life-cycle events. Required: three exams and two book reviews. Not writing intensive.

RELI 200R 1W. Luther and Lutheranism
4.00 credits
Tune, Anders

Prerequisite: None
This course first examines the life and thought of Martin Luther, in his historical context. It then considers the development of Lutheran ideas and history down to our time, in the context of the broader Christian tradition and some of the challenges of modern culture. Both Lutheran and non-Lutheran contemporary views will be considered. Requirements include two exams, two short papers, and one longer paper. Writing intensive.

RELI 222R 1W. Understanding the New Testament
4.00 credits
Kaiser, Barbara

No prerequisites, but Religion 221 (OT) recommended.
This course is designed for religion majors, pre-theological students and other serious students of religion. Throughout the term we will attempt to understand the historical context of the New Testament literature, discover the religious perspectives which shape the New Testament texts, and appreciate the richness of the New Testament writings. Students will be required to read the New Testament and some non-canonical texts, write two papers, and take three or four exams. The class has a lecture/discussion format. Writing intensive.

RELI 300R/C 1W. Topic: Tibetan Buddhism: Art/Theory
4.00 credits
Glowski, Janice

Prerequisite: None
This course explores Tibetan Buddhism by looking at the relationship between Tibetan Buddhist teachings, ritual, practices and artistic traditions in the Tibetan cultural regions. The course focuses primarily on the Xizang province and neighboring regions in China, but also examines the foundations of Buddhism in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) and the more recent Tibetan diaspora to the West (Europe and the United States). As visual culture, the art and architecture are examined for their role in articulating Buddhist theories and practices within historical and cultural contexts. Writing intensive.

RELI 324 1W. Topic: Apocalyptic Vision in Ancient and Modern Literature
4.00 credits
Kaiser, Barbara

Prerequisites: One previous biblical course or permission of instructor
We will begin the semester with an analysis of ancient Jewish apocalyptic tests – Daniel, Enoch, and 2 Esdras. Historical context and literary style of the Jewish texts will be the focus of our attention. Second, we will consider apocalyptic literature of two sectarian groups, the Essenes and Christians. During this part of the quarter we will read the War Rule from Qumran, Revelation, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Apocalypse of Paul, and selected descriptions of heaven and hell in the early Church. Finally, we will consider apocalyptic aspects of English literature by examining such texts as poems of William Blake, stories from Flannery O'Connor, Nathaniel West's Day of the Locust, and a twenty-first century novel. Students will be responsible for a research paper and several short presentations (theodicy debate, imaging ultimate states of good and evil, reporting on newspaper and magazine articles, etc.). The class is conducted as a seminar with discussion, frequent student presentations, occasional lectures. Writing intensive.

RELI 381R 1W. Women and Religion
4.00 credits
Millen, Rochelle

Prerequisite: None
The aim of this course is to understand the status of women within classical and modern Judaism and Christianity and to assess feminism's influence upon and critique of them. Religious institutions and laws are examined from a feminist principle of interpretation. Writing intensive.

Spanish 301A 1W: Introduction to Hispanic Literature I
(4 credits)
Hoff, Ruth

Prerequisite: Spanish 217
Provides an introduction to the major periods and movements through which Hispanic literature has evolved, from its beginnings to the 19th century. Designed to provide the student with the opportunity to acquire technical vocabulary of the Hispanic literary critic. Includes discussions of the artistic implications of literature and presentation of the four basic genres: narrative, poetry, drama and essay. Writing intensive.

THDN 260H 01. History of European Theatre
4.00 credits
Reynolds, Steven

Prerequisite: None
Beginning with the Greeks, this course will provide an overview of the history of the European Theatre. It will consider the dramatic literature, theories, and practices of theatre during the great ages of western theatre. During the semester we will look at the evolution of acting, directing, playwriting, theatre design, and theatre architecture. Throughout the course we will study the relationship between theatre and society. Course requirements include exams and a research project.