UE: HUM 110: Giants of the Arts: Module 7

Giants of the Arts will examine a select group of artists who, through the test of time, have been recognized as true masters; whose works advanced their art form(s), who became a significant influence within their field(s), and who continue to influence

Module 7

Literature

Aim of the Module

To communicate general concepts about the literary instinct: its function in human life, its history, and the major genres it has developed during its evolution.

READ

Chapter 4: Literature

The Iliad

Homer's The Iliad

Assessment

QEP ASSIGNMENT PROPOSAL

(ENGAGING IN ART: “ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?”)

DUE IN CLASS

(10 points)

November 11, Friday

QUIZ 3

Homer and The Iliad

(60 points)

November 18, Friday

LITERATURE: Homer

The chapter assumes that people are natural storytellers and that literature is not something to lock away in libraries. The examples of the major types, or genres, of literature to be explored here are the poem, the novel, and the short story. Some of these works are classics, meaning that they are still relevant beyond their time. Some of the works to be discussed have earned the right to be called masterpieces, meaning that they exceed what other writers were doing at the same time.

The basic literary impulse is people’s need to leave behind a record of themselves. The epic, a genre that emerged in early societies, is a long narrative poem recounting the adventures of a hero who is courageous, strong, and smart, but not necessarily moral. In this module, we will focus primarily on Homer's epic poem The Iliad.

LIBRARY