Sept 1 —Introductions & Course Overview

In class, think of a story people tell each other in your home town, or a story that's been passed down from generation to generation in your family. How was it written? How is it told? How do you remember it? What occasions call it forth to be told again?

Email me about a satisfying piece of writing you've done. How was it written? Who read it? Why was it satisfying?

for Sept 3

Reading Assignment: Read the introduction & consider the timeline of texts and contexts. World Literature introduction (105--119) and first pages of the Iliad (120-137).

Quickwrite: Email me three questions or issues or curiostities about the Western Classical Times (and its writing) that you hope to explore more fully this semester.

Extra credit: write your oral tale told in class.

for Sept 8

Reading Assignment for Sept. 8 : Read World Literature the Iliad. pp 137-225.

for Sept 13

Reading Assignment for Sept. 10: Start reading the Odyssey books 1-10.

Quickwrite: Email me your group's question you will be exploring as you read. Meet and discuss the Iliad on your question with each group member email me a 1 page analysis of an example scene from the text. Cite the page, book and line number & write a short response to that passage based on your group's question. Due by midnight Sunday, September 12.

for Sept 13 (in class)

Reading group presentations on the Iliad

Epic hero--who actually fulfills the definition as opposed to the accepted hero?
           Abby Kavanaugh · Bethany Tabb · Leah Hurt

Emotions of the gods and mortals?
          Laura Podeschi · Deanne Drechsler · Shawna Vaughn Interventions and interactions of gods in mortal lives?
          Katie Steimann · Jesse Phillipe · Julie Trueblood • Ryan Hosler

Soothsaying--the role of seeing into the future?
          Jay Stewart · Vincent Rodriguez · Nathan Parker

Fate--Is it possible that man can change his fate? If so, how?
          Amy Gillen · Aaron Bynum · Kelly Walsh · Jenny Jemison
          Amberly Carter · Katie Arnold · Justin Rosenberg · Regan Bledsaw

Messengers & Bards--importance of news & storytelling?
          Hilary Disch · Elizabeth James · Aaron Ottis · David Henson · David Smith

The role and power of women?
          Todd Dare · Jessica Grunden · Courtney Berzon • Sarah Aagesen

for Sept 17

Read Books 1-4 of the Odyssey. Quickwrite for September 17 : Email me a short piece on the role of speech versus action in books 1-4 of the Odyssey.

for Sept 20-24

Epic hero--who actually fulfills the definition as opposed to the accepted hero? (Books 16-end)
email scene analysis due Sept. 24
           Abby Kavanaugh · Bethany Tabb · Leah Hurt

Emotions of the gods and mortals? (Books 8-10)
email scene analysis due Sept. 20
          Laura Podeschi · Deanne Drechsler · Shawna Vaughn

Interventions and interactions of gods in mortal lives? (Books Books 1 & 9 & 13 & 24)
email scene analysis due Sept. 24
          Katie Steimann · Jesse Phillipe · Julie Trueblood • Ryan Hosler • Chris Heisserer

Soothsaying--the role of seeing into the future? (Book 11)
email scene analysis due Sept. 22
          Jay Stewart · Vincent Rodriguez · Nathan Parker

Fate--Is it possible that man can change his fate? If so, how? (Books 16-end)
email scene analysis due Sept. 24
          Amberly Carter · Katie Arnold · Justin Rosenberg · Regan Bledsaw

Death & burial--How is death treated in this culture & importance of proper burial? (Books 11)
email scene analysis due Sept. 22
          Amy Gillen · Aaron Bynum · Kelly Walsh · Jenny Jemison

Messengers & Bards--importance of news & storytelling? (Books 3 & 4 & 8)
email scene analysis due Sept. 20
          Hilary Disch · Elizabeth James · Aaron Ottis · David Henson · David Smith

The role and power of women? (Books 7 & 18)
email scene analysis due Sept. 24
          Jessica Grunden · Courtney Berzon • Sarah Aagesen

for October 1

Complete discussion of O's homecoming and group work day on the take home exam.

for October 4

Discuss epic tradition exams.

for October 8

Reading assignment: Read the introduction to rhetoric from the course pack and come up with 2-3 questions for you and your reading partner to consider in depth.

Analyze and be prepared to talk about with Gorgias or Isocrates for October 6. Read introduction to The Classical Tradition and Gorgias. (COURSE PACKS)

Discussion of Gorgias and "Enconium of Helen"

for October 11

Reading for October 8: Read Isocrates on "Against the Sophists" and consider the role of genius versus practice in education.

for October 18

Reading: Plato's "Gorgias" through page 82

October 15 Fall break

for October 20

Reading: Plato's "Gorgias" (the rest of the dialogue).

for October 22

Reading: Plato's "Phaedrus" through the two speeches.
Quickwrite: Formal essay due Friday, October 27 on What are your highest long-term motives for writing? Do you seek fame, influence, entertainment, fun, self understanding, truth?

for October 25

Reading: Plato's "Phaedrus" to the end. Key questions--the dangers of writing and Plato's conception of the highest purpose for rhetoric?

for October 27 Discuss Phaedrus

for October 29 (share essays/dialogues/story on your long-term motives for writing)

November 1

Aristotle analysis group meeting day (no class)
Reading Partners Work Day (analysis on your question on art of rhetoric)
Form reading Groups on Aristotle's Rhetoric Aristotle's Rhetoric

As a team, prepare a skit or dialogue or creative work or a set of discussion questions on Aristotle's position about your specific question of his rhetorical theory. Be sure to quote Aristotle at least twice in your piece.

Nov. 8 — 1. aims? (motives of the orator and purposes of rhetoric)
appeals—Elizabeth James

Nov. 5— 2. invention? (sources of ideas and content for the writer)
Aaron Bynum, Kelly Walsh & Amy Gillen / Hilary Disch & David Hensen

Nov. 8 — 3. readers? (the audience and its role in the discourse situation--does the orator cue a specfic reader or provide a role for the audience)
Deanne Drechsler, Laura Podeschi & Shawna Vaughn

Nov. 5 — 4. arrangement strategies? (methods of arrangement and strategies of writing)
David Smith & Aaron Otis

Nov. 5— 5. classification and definition? (types of rhetoric and boundaries with other arts) Is rhetoric an art or a craft?
Amberly R. Carter & Justin Rosenberg

Nov. 8 — 6. social role of rhetoric? (to discover new ideas, to reach agreements, etc.)
Regan Bledsaw & Katie Arnold • Abby Kavanaugh & Leah Hurt • Jesse Phillippe & Julie Trueblood

Nov. 8 — 7. delivery
Sarah Aagesen & Courtney Berzon • Jessica Grunden & Bethany Tabb

Nov. 8 — 8. memory
Chris Heisserer & Katie Steimann

for November 3 Reading: Aristotle's Rhetoric--Book 1 (chapters 1-4, 9-10)

[definition & classification] (pages 1-66)
Chapter 1-uses and abuses of rhetoric
Chapter 2-definition of rhetoric, speaker's power (3 appeals), types of arguments, general and special topics
Chapter 3-3 kinds of rhetoric
Chapter 4-subjects of political oratory
Chapter 9-epideictic speaker's concerns
Chapter 10-forensic speaker focused on wrong-doing and its motives

for November 5 Reading: Aristotle's Rhetoric--Book 2 [invention & audience] (pages 90-120) and (pages 121-128) AND Book 3 [style & arrangement] (pages 164-170) and (pages 199-217)

Chapter 1-11-ethos and pathos
Chapter 12-18-audience & types of human character
Chapter 19-4 general lines of argument
Chapter 20-2 general modes of persuasuion: example and enthymeme

Discuss Reading: Aristotle's Rhetoric--Book 3
Chapter 1-style
Chapter 2-quality of style
Chapter 12-classification of discourse connected to style
Chapter 13-19-arrangement

for November 15

Reading: Antigone

for November 17

Guest Presentation from Professor Denise Meyers on staging Antigone.

for November 19

Discussion of Antigone & preparation to reading the Poetics

for November 22 - Reading: Aristotle's Poetics—three minute presentations

Aristotle's Poetics [tragedy]--reading groups analysis (write 1 page synopsis)
• compare tragedy & comedy
• compare tragedy & epic
• definition of tragedy & comedy
• roles of comedy & tragedy in society
• six parts of tragedy
• problems of spectacle in tragedy
• plot in tragedy (unity, simple/complex, peripety, discovery)
• organization of a tragedy (choral mix, complication, denouement)
• character in a high quality tragedy
• logos, pathos, ethos in character
• diction goals
• thought (invention of words and actions) in tragedy

Thanksgiving break (November 24-26)

for November 29- dec 1 Reading: Medea

for Dec 3-6 Reading: Lysistrata

for December 8-13 final project presentations (sign up for your day)

December 8 Presentations--Deanne, Courtney, Abby, Amberly, Katie S., Elizabeth, Vince, Jay

December 10 Presentations--Aaron B., Kelly, Leah, Laura, Hilary, Jesse

December 13 Presentations--Shawna, Justin, Jessica, Nathan, David H., David S.

December 13 Presentations--final written versions of projects due & all presentations completed.

December 17 Presentations--Bethany, Katie Arnold, Julie, Reagan, Sarah, Amy

Take home exam (due by email and paper copy at final meeting time).

December 17 10:30-12:30 LAST DAY--final exams due & makeup day for presentations.