Core Texts of Europe
Foundations of European Studies: Texts, Contexts, and Legacies In this course we will review major texts that serve as a foundation for understanding core aspects of European societies. Covering the period from the Hebrew Bible to Dante’s Inferno, we will read works of religion, literature, philosophy, and politics such as Homer’s Odyssey, Plato’s Republic, Virgil’s Aeneid, the New Testament, Beowulf, an Icelandic Saga, and Marco Polo’s Travels. We will focus on the context in which these texts were written and the legacies they produced for understanding Europe as a region, discussing themes such as friendship, loyalty, family, home, gender roles, slavery, power relations, and the definition of Europe itself.
Foundations of European Studies: Texts, Contexts, and Legacies In this course we will review major texts that serve as a foundation for understanding core aspects of European societies. Covering the period from the Hebrew Bible to Dante’s Inferno, we will read works of religion, literature, philosophy, and politics such as Homer’s Odyssey, Plato’s Republic, Virgil’s Aeneid, the New Testament, Beowulf, an Icelandic Saga, and Marco Polo’s Travels. We will focus on the context in which these texts were written and the legacies they produced for understanding Europe as a region, discussing themes …Read more
This course was difficult in the amount of reading we had to do each week. For example, some of the heaviest weeks were when a lot of genesis and exodus were assigned, or when the entire book of the Odyssey was assigned. The good part is that exams (written in class essays) were graded fairly and not too bad if you at least skimmed the readings each week (which is the best way to go for this course).
This course was difficult in the amount of reading we had to do each week. For example, some of the heaviest weeks were when a lot of genesis and exodus were assigned, or when the entire book of the Odyssey was assigned. The good part is that exams (written in class essays) were graded fairly and not too bad if you at least skimmed t …Read more
This class and its contents were very valuable but the timeline made it very difficult to thoroughly enjoy. We were required to basically read a whole book every week which made comprehension harder.
I didn't know much about Dante's Inferno or other works that we read previous to class but I found the readings to be engaging. I did like the style of discussion within the class and the professor was very friendly and approachable.
Great course for learning about the ancient texts of Europe. Most of the time spent outside of class is simply done on the readings that are assigned. Professor was very engaging and the discussions we engaged in were insightful.
Core Texts of Europe offered a captivating exploration of timeless literature. Delving into renowned books, the course enriched my understanding of European culture. A truly enjoyable journey through literary masterpieces.