(11/11/11) For your journal response for Friday, 11/18, you should visit the Ball State Museum of Art on your own and write a response using the following questions as your guide:
(11/7/2011) Here is a summary of The Aeneid that is keyed to line numbers. It might help you follow the plot if you get lost. You might even want to read the summary before you read Book 4.
Death of Laocoon
(11/7/2011) Apparently, there are several different versions of the death of Laocoon, with the serpents being sent by either Athena, Apollo, or Neptune (Wikipedia). In The Aeneid, what matters is how the Trojans interpret his death. Here is a photo of the sculpture, "Laocoon and his Sons," that I referred to in class.
(10/23/2011) Here is a video introducing the Gita, from the same website as the videos on Gilgamesh on the Odysssey.
Below is a scene from a 1989 movie adaptation of the Bhagavad Gita.
Judges of the Dead
(10/21/2011) Here is some info on the Greek judges of the dead. They were demigods, sons of Zeus. That would mean that when Socrates refers to the four judges as "sons of God who were righteous in their own life," God means Zeus. I learned that there is a reference to one of the judges, Minos, in The Odyssey. Odysseus sees him when he visits the dead in Book 11.
Midterm Reflection
(10/19/2011) Just a reminder that for this week's journal response, I am asking you to write a letter to me reflecting on your learning and on the course so far. You might want to refer back to the course goals that we discussed during the first week of class. You can post this letter to your journals page on the wiki or turn in a hard copy. Below are the types of questions I would like you to consider. You don't need to address them all.
How would you assess your effort and participation so far?
How would assess your learning so far?
What is going well in the course?
What would you change about the course?
Are there any particular moments from the semester (good or bad) that stand out to you?
Share Your Parody
(10/12/2011) Please share your parody by putting it up on your journals page. You can upload it as a file if it's really long, or just copy and paste if it's fairly short (like a song or poem parody). You don't need to upload the analysis or bio. Thanks in advance!
The Hero's Journey: an interview with Joseph Campbell
(10/5/2011) concubine A secondary wife on whom Hebrew law conferred certain minimal rights (Deut. 21: 15–17). Sarah and Rachel gave their handmaidens to their husbands to bearchildren when it seemed they were infertile (Gen. 16: 1–3; 30: 3–6) as also did Leah (Gen. 30: 9), who was by no means infertile. Both Saul (2 Sam. 3: 7) and David (2 Sam. 5: 13) took concubines, and when Absalom lay publicly (2 Sam. 16: 22) with his father's concubines it was making a claim to royal status. Solomon had three hundred concubines(1 Kgs. 11: 3).
from A Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford University Press,
Botticelli
(9/25/2011) Most people seem to have enjoyed the story of Aphrodite's birth. You have probably seen this painting before, but you may see it a bit differently now that you know the story.
TheBirthofVenus.jpg
The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, 1482-1486
Sappho "Translations"--in your own words
(9/19/2011) I've created a page where we can collect your Sappho translations. Please post your group's work (after I hand them back to you).
Poems about Odysseus
(9/18/2011) Here are the poems I read in class on Friday.
(9/9/2011) WRITE responses to two of your classmates' reading responses. Respond to the person above you and the person below you in the list. Use the discussion feature on their page for your response.
Responses to responses
(9/6/2011) I wrote brief responses to your responses on The Odyssey, this time around (just so you know I'm reading them). Next week, I'm going to ask you to respond to each other.
Telemachus in the news
(9/6/2011) I was struck by a line in a recent column by Leonard Pitts, in which he writes about the arrest of a former NBA player, Javaris Crittendon. Reflecting on the need for young men, in particular young black men, to prove themselves, Pitts writes,
"A man or boy has a psychological — perhaps even biological — need to prove his capability, durability, fearlessness, toughness. Recognizing this, it would be a worthwhile mission for families, schools, worship houses and other community institutions working toward violence reduction to formulate means that allow boys to fulfill that imperative constructively."
This got me thinking about Telemachus. How does his need to prove his capability express itself? Does Odysseus have this same need, or has he already proven himself? Why, for instance, does Odysseus stick around to see the Kyklopes? Is he just curious? Or does he have something to prove?
Do you think the statement applies as well to young women? How do they establish their identity? Can The Odyssey tell us anything about this, or do we have to look elsewhere? What do you think of the role women play in this epic? Penelope? Nausicaa? Kalypso? Kirke? Athena?
(9/2/2011) I've made up the presentation schedule, based on your preferences. Please let me know if you foresee any problems with your topic or group or the date of your presentation. After next week, I'll consider the schedule "locked in."
Gilgamesh Journals
(8/28/2011) "This is definitely one of the more “unorthodox” and different hero stories than the typical ones, in that…well honestly, I cannot really just look at the story and know what it is that makes Gilgamesh a hero. For example, everyone knows Superman saves the day, Batman fights evil, Beowulf nobly defends his countrymen, but Gilgamesh…what is it that makes him a hero? It is something I have to think about and read more about to figure out." - Susannah
"Thus far, I personally am not too fond of our epic "hero." Gilgamesh doesn't seem to me like he has earned the word "hero" as of yet." - Adriana
The Odyssey Website and Video
(8/28/2011) There is a website about The Odyssey like the one on Gilgamesh, and it too contains a video that provides a good introduction to reading. Recommended watching.
Site Updates
(8/28/2011) I have added assignment descriptions and due dates to the wiki. The first presentation will be on Wednesday, 9/21. We need to create presentation groups as soon as we can.
(8/22/2011) I have found a copy of Gilgamesh online that appears to be the same translation as the one in our textbook. It is a pdf, so you can print it out or read it on your computer or tablet. Just be sure to have a copy to bring to class. For Wednesday, read sections 1-3. These are the sections we will be discussing in class, but feel free to read ahead if you want. Gilgamesh isn't very long. (I guess you wouldn't want to write Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows on clay tablets.) If you're reading the online text, be sure to check out the teaser video. Also, here is a reading guide with some introductory information.
Dropbox
(8/21/2011) Sign up for dropbox, so you can store your files online and have access to them anywhere.
Five Pillars of Islam
(12/9/2011)Five Pillars of Islam (from the site Muslim Voices, which is out of Indiana University)
The five pillars are:
Islam Video
(12/8/2011)A good PBS documentary on Islam. The beginning tells the story of Muhammad and explains the world he came from.
Citation Guides
(12/6/2011)The Body in Greek Sculpture
(11/30/2011)Greek sculpture
View more presentations from Matthew Hartman
Links for Monday
(11/13/2011)Readings for Monday
(11/11/11)Response to Museum Visit
(11/11/11)For your journal response for Friday, 11/18, you should visit the Ball State Museum of Art on your own and write a response using the following questions as your guide:
Questions for response
Cumaen Sybil
(11/10/11)Cave of Sybil in Cumae
Cumaen Sybil by Michelangelo
The Aeneid summary
(11/7/2011)Here is a summary of The Aeneid that is keyed to line numbers. It might help you follow the plot if you get lost. You might even want to read the summary before you read Book 4.
Death of Laocoon
(11/7/2011)Apparently, there are several different versions of the death of Laocoon, with the serpents being sent by either Athena, Apollo, or Neptune (Wikipedia). In The Aeneid, what matters is how the Trojans interpret his death. Here is a photo of the sculpture, "Laocoon and his Sons," that I referred to in class.
Vinegar Tasters
(11/3/2011)These cheaply made youtube videos turn into ads at the end, but the explanations are concise and clear.
Critical Essay
(10/30/2011)I've written the requirements for the critical essay.
Interesting article about Steve Jobs in light of our discussion of "the good life"
(10/26/2011)"The Limits of Magical Thinking," by Maureen Dowd
The Gita video
(10/23/2011)Here is a video introducing the Gita, from the same website as the videos on Gilgamesh on the Odysssey.
Below is a scene from a 1989 movie adaptation of the Bhagavad Gita.
Judges of the Dead
(10/21/2011)Here is some info on the Greek judges of the dead. They were demigods, sons of Zeus. That would mean that when Socrates refers to the four judges as "sons of God who were righteous in their own life," God means Zeus. I learned that there is a reference to one of the judges, Minos, in The Odyssey. Odysseus sees him when he visits the dead in Book 11.
Midterm Reflection
(10/19/2011)Just a reminder that for this week's journal response, I am asking you to write a letter to me reflecting on your learning and on the course so far. You might want to refer back to the course goals that we discussed during the first week of class. You can post this letter to your journals page on the wiki or turn in a hard copy. Below are the types of questions I would like you to consider. You don't need to address them all.
Share Your Parody
(10/12/2011)Please share your parody by putting it up on your journals page. You can upload it as a file if it's really long, or just copy and paste if it's fairly short (like a song or poem parody). You don't need to upload the analysis or bio. Thanks in advance!
The Hero's Journey: an interview with Joseph Campbell
(10/6/2011)http://www.mevio.com/episode/92858/the-power-of-myth-with-joseph-cambell
Concubine
(10/5/2011)concubine A secondary wife on whom Hebrew law conferred certain minimal rights (Deut. 21: 15–17). Sarah and Rachel gave their handmaidens to their husbands to bearchildren when it seemed they were infertile (Gen. 16: 1–3; 30: 3–6) as also did Leah (Gen. 30: 9), who was by no means infertile. Both Saul (2 Sam. 3: 7) and David (2 Sam. 5: 13) took concubines, and when Absalom lay publicly (2 Sam. 16: 22) with his father's concubines it was making a claim to royal status. Solomon had three hundred concubines(1 Kgs. 11: 3).
from A Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford University Press,
Botticelli
(9/25/2011)Most people seem to have enjoyed the story of Aphrodite's birth. You have probably seen this painting before, but you may see it a bit differently now that you know the story.
The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, 1482-1486
Sappho "Translations"--in your own words
(9/19/2011)I've created a page where we can collect your Sappho translations. Please post your group's work (after I hand them back to you).
Poems about Odysseus
(9/18/2011)Here are the poems I read in class on Friday.
Your turn to respond
(9/9/2011)WRITE responses to two of your classmates' reading responses. Respond to the person above you and the person below you in the list. Use the discussion feature on their page for your response.
Responses to responses
(9/6/2011)I wrote brief responses to your responses on The Odyssey, this time around (just so you know I'm reading them). Next week, I'm going to ask you to respond to each other.
Telemachus in the news
(9/6/2011)I was struck by a line in a recent column by Leonard Pitts, in which he writes about the arrest of a former NBA player, Javaris Crittendon. Reflecting on the need for young men, in particular young black men, to prove themselves, Pitts writes,
"A man or boy has a psychological — perhaps even biological — need to prove his capability, durability, fearlessness, toughness. Recognizing this, it would be a worthwhile mission for families, schools, worship houses and other community institutions working toward violence reduction to formulate means that allow boys to fulfill that imperative constructively."
This got me thinking about Telemachus. How does his need to prove his capability express itself? Does Odysseus have this same need, or has he already proven himself? Why, for instance, does Odysseus stick around to see the Kyklopes? Is he just curious? Or does he have something to prove?
Do you think the statement applies as well to young women? How do they establish their identity? Can The Odyssey tell us anything about this, or do we have to look elsewhere? What do you think of the role women play in this epic? Penelope? Nausicaa? Kalypso? Kirke? Athena?
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/30/2382588/no-manhood-in-the-barrel-of-a.html#ixzz1XCXj1cwR
For Your Amusement (also an example of parody)
(9/2/2011)Presentation Schedule
(9/2/2011)I've made up the presentation schedule, based on your preferences. Please let me know if you foresee any problems with your topic or group or the date of your presentation. After next week, I'll consider the schedule "locked in."
Gilgamesh Journals
(8/28/2011)"This is definitely one of the more “unorthodox” and different hero stories than the typical ones, in that…well honestly, I cannot really just look at the story and know what it is that makes Gilgamesh a hero. For example, everyone knows Superman saves the day, Batman fights evil, Beowulf nobly defends his countrymen, but Gilgamesh…what is it that makes him a hero? It is something I have to think about and read more about to figure out." - Susannah
"Thus far, I personally am not too fond of our epic "hero." Gilgamesh doesn't seem to me like he has earned the word "hero" as of yet." - Adriana
The Odyssey Website and Video
(8/28/2011)There is a website about The Odyssey like the one on Gilgamesh, and it too contains a video that provides a good introduction to reading. Recommended watching.
Site Updates
(8/28/2011)I have added assignment descriptions and due dates to the wiki. The first presentation will be on Wednesday, 9/21. We need to create presentation groups as soon as we can.
Gilgamesh slides
(8/24/2011)Gilgamesh slideshow.
Gilgamesh
(8/22/2011)I have found a copy of Gilgamesh online that appears to be the same translation as the one in our textbook. It is a pdf, so you can print it out or read it on your computer or tablet. Just be sure to have a copy to bring to class. For Wednesday, read sections 1-3. These are the sections we will be discussing in class, but feel free to read ahead if you want. Gilgamesh isn't very long. (I guess you wouldn't want to write Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows on clay tablets.) If you're reading the online text, be sure to check out the teaser video. Also, here is a reading guide with some introductory information.
Dropbox
(8/21/2011)Sign up for dropbox, so you can store your files online and have access to them anywhere.