Eastern Illinois University Homepage

English 2601  Backgrounds of Western Literature (2 Sections)

This course is designed to provide an introduction to literary works considered central to the development of western literature. Writers throughout the centuries have responded to and incorporated aspects of works by their predecessors and their contemporaries into their own “new” creations. In this course we will especially explore various lines of artistic and topical influence that stretch from classical origins through literary works of the Renaissance. We will observe how ideas are adopted and adapted to suit the cultural and political times of the writers. Furthermore, we will discuss our own early twenty-first-century impressions of these works, addressing such questions as the following:  What seems familiar or contemporary to us about these writers regarding their social milieux, their historical moments, and their texts? Why have these texts been so influential for so long?  Why do they still fascinate? How should we, reading several of these texts in translation, think about the transitions they have gone through regarding the practices of translating and editing? Above all, by the end of the course you should have a greater understanding of the literary periods and genres of the western literary canon, as well as a sense of the historical shaping of some of your own ideas and values. (Group 1)

The course covers European literature from Homer to Don Quixote and includes the works of Sappho, Sophocles, Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch, among others. These are among the greatest writers ever, so the first priority will be to enjoy them for their own sakes. But we'll also talk about them in context: as glimpses into past epochs and as contemporary forces that still have the power to stimulate controversy and shape our values. Recurring themes include heroism, love, suffering, and death--issues you can sink your teeth into. Requirements include weekly responses, 2-3 short papers, and 3 exams. (Group 1)