HUM 351: Perspectives on Humanities I: Antiquity to Renaissance (3 credit hours)
Knowledge, Power and the God
Fall 2005
Dr. Alison Leigh Brown,
18401 North 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85032
Phone: 602.523.2746
Email: alison.brown@nau.edu
In antiquity human action was seen to be heavily determined by the will (sometimes the whim) of the gods. If the gods control the destiny of humans, then the most important weapon a human has to control his or her own fate is knowledge. To have the power to produce meaning or perform free actions, people must figure out why the gods are doing what they do or at the very least figure out how they can have some agency in the face of what the gods dish out for them. Medea and Oedipus Rex are examples of characters trying hard to acquire the knowledge that will give them control of their destiny.
In what may seem an abrupt move, we will jumpstart to the cusp of the Renaissance. One monolithic God has supplanted the gods; disputes around Him make up the discourse of much theatre and also the stuff of war's rhetoric. Doctor Faustus evidences the themes of power and knowledge as mockeries of God, with Faust paying heavily for his thirst for both. As Protestantism fights for ascendancy, Marlowe's Faust has the audacity ask for complete knowledge of heaven and earth. The price for wanting knowledge is heavy: Marlowe loses the possibility of heaven. Speaking to Mephistopheles, Faust says "When I behold the heavens, then I repent/And curse thee, wicked Mephistophilis,/because thou hast deprived me of those joys" (Scene VI, lines 1-7).
Our two Shakespeare plays show us ways of examining the relationship between God (and the gods of nature) power and knowledge seen through the loss of both power and knowledge that accompanies the aging process. Lear, Antony and Cleopatra all rail against the gods for diminishing their knowledge and power, as they grow old. The characters rally against fate but ultimately must succumb to it, as we will see together. So, we will see not only the tension between knowledge and goodness but we will also see the relation of the aging process to our themes of knowledge and power.
Before we start our study of these characters, however, we will find some working definitions of knowledge, power and gods by reading a dialogue by Plato, The Meno. Famous for showcasing Socrates' position that knowledge is remembering and the view that one cannot begin a quest for knowledge without an antecedent desire for it, this dialogue has the side benefit of showing that all humans are on equal footing in the quest for knowledge: a remarkable view for this period of history.
During the reading of our texts I would like you to think of contemporary works of art (painting, plays, novels, films) that are either interpretations of our primary texts or reactions against them. For examples, Pasolini's films Medea and Oedipus Rex focus on the coming to self-knowledge of the title characters. It is unclear if this would be the focus of performances that were contemporaneous with Euripides and Sophocles. Many people have read, enjoyed and learned from Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres without necessarily knowing that it is her rewriting of King Lear. The movie Phantom of the Opera is a reworking of previous reworkings of Doctor Faustus. Indeed, the Faust myth is one of the most commonly retold narratives. Antony and Cleopatra is based in truth and is one of the great love stories. Any good love story should be a story of equals and this is no exception to that rule. A “recent” interpretation is the Burton-Taylor film of the story. You will write your final paper focusing on one of our works and a contemporary artistic interpretation of it. We will discuss this as the class continues.
One objective of this class is to appreciate the primary texts we will be reading in the context of their importance in the intellectual history we share. A secondary objective is to practice thinking about connections between disparate art forms and their further relationship to our healthy and constructive thinking about world events. Finally we have an objective to write well about these crucial themes. This course fulfills the liberal studies requirement for aesthetic and humanistic inquiry. We will work on the skills of creative thinking, critical thinking and critical writing.
Evaluation Methods and Assignments
You will come to class prepared for discussion. Because this is aweb class, “coming to class” may sound strange. I expect you to come into the class at least three times a week. In addition to your formal postings for each module, your informed participation will be worth ten points per work. That is, ten points for The Meno, ten points for Medea, and so on. Your discussions will be worth a total of 60 points.
You will write a term paper comparing one of our works with a contemporary work of art it has influenced or that it is related to in some important fashion. This paper will be up to fifteen pages long. You should announce your intention at midterm. (See calendar of assignments below.) This paper is worth 40 points. I will be looking for a significant thesis, an argument for that thesis, and a lively discussion of two major works of art or literature. You will notice a due date for a paper topic. I suggest that you enter a dialogue with me early about that topic.
There are 100 points possible in this class, 100-90 earns an A; 89-80 earns a B; 79-70 earns a C; 69-60 earns a D; 59 or less, results in failure.
Please be in close contact with the professor about course expectations if you do not understand them. The earlier we discuss potential problems the sooner we can solve them. Plagiarism, indeed academic dishonesty of any kind, will not be tolerated. Please see your student handbook for further information. Additionally, please feel free to email me about the content of the class. I am surprised to find that some students assume that they are bothering me by writing to ask about the materials we are reading together. I assure you that I welcome your questions and comments.
Euripides (485-406 or 5 BC), Medea
Marlowe, Christopher (1564-1593), Doctor Faustus
Plato (428 or 7-322 BC), The Meno
Shakespeare (1564-1616), Anthony and Cleopatra
Shakespeare, King Lear
Sophocles (496-405 BC), Oedipus Rex
You must read all commentary written in the “Course Content” modules. The extra links therein are for your edification but are not required reading. I would suggest that you read those that pertain to the works on which you write your final paper. Most of our class takes place in the discussion area. Please feel free to ask any questions about the texts we are reading in the discussion.
These books are available as links in the course. If the links do not work immediately, please cut and paste the link into your browser. Should you prefer to read hard copies (as I do) you may purchase any edition of our texts. The method of citing from these texts includes Acts, Scenes and line numbers so if we all have different editions it doesn't matter.
The Meno
August 29-September 9
Your assignments for this module are as follows: (1) introduce yourself in the Discussion entitled discussion. (2) Post a commentary on the Meno, after reading both the Meno and my commentary in “Course Content.” Please read the material on the Meno under course content for more information. There are three areas about the Meno about which you may write and they are detailed in the course content area. (3) Engage in discussion with your classmates' postings. The text is available at:
The Meno
Medea
Your assignments for this module are as follows: (1) Post a commentary on Medea after having read both it and my comments under “Course Content.” (2) Engage in discussion with your classmates’ postings. The text is available at:
Medea
To get the full text, you may have to click on the download feature. Email me if you have trouble. Thanks!
Your assignments for this module are as follows: (1) Post a commentary on Oedipus Rex after having read both it and my comments under “Course Content.” (2) Engage in discussion with your classmates’ postings. The text is available at:
Oedipus Rex
To get the full text, you may have to click on the download feature. Email me if you have trouble. Thanks!
Your paper topic is due on October 28. You may have been talking with me about this already. Since you are reading this in late August, take some time right now to review your calendar and write in dates to contact me with ideas about your final paper. I must have a defined thesis by October 28. Thanks! If you have questions about this assignment as you are reading this the first week of class, please email me so that all expectations are understood.
Your assignments for this module are as follows: (1) Post a commentary on Doctor Faustus after having read both it and my comments under “Course Content.” (2) Engage in discussion with your classmates’ postings. The text is available at:
November 7-18
Your assignments for this module are as follows: (1) Post a commentary on Antony and Cleopatra after having read both it and my comments under “Course Content.” (2) Engage in discussion with your classmates’ postings. The text is available at:
Anthony and Cleopatra
King Lear
November 21-December 9
Your assignments for this module are as follows: (1) Post a commentary on King Lear after having read both it and my comments under “Course Content.” (2) Engage in discussion with your classmates’ postings. The text is available at:
King Lear
Final Papers--Revisiting The Meno
December 5-14
You should confer with your classmates about your paper as you provide the finishing touches. Please post this week with comments you have about the material and also provide us with information about the work of art you have chosen for a point of comparison. Your final paper is due on December 14--I am unable to accept any late papers.