English 203.01: Literature of the Non-Western World *  *  * Spring 2003

Course Goals: This course seeks to familiarize students with non-Western literary texts. By embracing these texts, many of which are philosophical and provide guiding principles for the cultures they represent, you will become more familiar not only with the writings considered central to certain non-Western cultures but also with the ideological and philosophical bases of the cultures themselves.

Course Objectives:

• Learning about selected Non-Western literatures and cultures
• Considering new philosophical and cultural ideas
• Identifying and examining various literary genres and critical approaches taken toward them
• Expanding your intellectual abilities as a result of the above

Textbook: Mack, Maynard, ed. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces: Expanded Edition in One Volume.  New York: Norton, 1997.

Selected Handouts

Course Policies: Certain simple rules provide a basis for equal treatment and evaluation of all students. These rules are listed below.

• Attend all classes on time. This is something you can always get right. If you know of a conflict ahead of time, I need to know about it, too. If an emergent situation necessitates your absence, inform me as soon as you can. I will permit six (6) absences. You will fail the course if you miss seven (7) or more classes.
• Hand in work on time. This is also easy to do correctly. Everything contributes to your final grade. Consider every assignment an important one (and consider any questions regarding missing anything important, should you miss class, answered). Moreover, contrary to popular myth, absence does not extend due dates or relieve you from responsibility. Thus, missing class as a method of excusing yourself from course policies will only cause an additional problem.
• Pay attention. Everything has the potential of being included on an exam or quiz. Review your notes--don't just take them down and leave them closed in your notebook. The key factor involved with paying attention, of course, is self-discipline. Anyone engaging in activities that are more suitable outside the classroom will be encouraged to relocate. Pagers, cell phones, and other distractions should be turned off before class begins.
• Do your own work. Lying, cheating, and plagiarizing always earns a zero (0) and may lead to disiplinary action by the University.
• Advise me of any special needs you may have immediately. WTAMU seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This university will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Disability Support Services and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations.
• Other policies may be instituted as needed.

Daily Syllabus:
 

Jan 13 Course Policies	19 & 21 Lu Xun, "Diary of a Madman," 2723-35
15 Egyptian: The Leiden Hymns 42-45	24 Indian Literature & Hinduism
17 Love Songs 45-48	26 & 28 The Ramayana of Valmiki, 576-612
22, 24 & 27 Chinese: Book of Songs, 534-36	Mar 3, 5 & 7   The Bhagavad-Gita, 612-24
"Plop fall the plums," 535	10 Review
"She threw a quince," 536	12 Exam II
"I beg of you," 537	14 Bhakti Poets, 1411-29
"Tossed is that cypress boat," 540	17-21 Spring Break
"We plucked the bracken," 540	24 & 26 Bhakti Poets, 1411-29
"They clear away," 541	28 & 31 Rabindranath Tagore, "Punishment," 2618-27
"Big rat, big rat," 544	Apr 2 & 4 Arabic: Cultural Overview
29 Confucius--Background	7, 9 & 11 Koran, 868-888
31 & Feb 3 Confucius, Analects, 545-55	14, 16 & 21 The Thousand and One Nights, 923-48
5 & 7 Tao Te Ching--Web	23 & 25 Naguib Mahfouz, "Zaabalawi," 2881-93
10   Review	28 Cultural Universals
12 Exam I	30 Review
14 & 17 T'ang Poetry: 827-32; Li Po, "Bring in the Wine"	May 2 Final Exam: 8:00 a.m.
Tu Fu, "Song of P'eng-ya" & "My Thatched Roof"

 

Copyright © 2003 Martin M. Jacobsen, Ph.D. as to this syllabus and all lectures; materials may not be reproduced without Dr. Jacobsen's written consent. Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes during this course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course.