ENGL 313

Worlds Beyond the West
 
[This course looks at various nonwestern literary traditions.  The following sample syllabus is for a course in Japanese literature.]

 

NOTE: This is representative of the syllabi for this course. It is not necessarily the syllabus being used in any one semester.

 

Objectives

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

Describe different approaches toward story-telling;

Discuss alternative approaches to nature, personality,
culture and religion.

 

Texts

A Pale View of Hills, Ishiguro

Empire of Signs, Barthes

The Road to the Deep North, Basho

Tao te Ching, Mitchell trans.

The Tale of Genji, Lady Murasaki

The Showa Anthology (A Short Story Collection)

The Aesthetics of the Japanese Lunchbox, Ekuan

 

Requirements

Class participation, including evidence of thoughtful and regular class preparation.

Selection and direction of discussion for stories and essays.

Selection of several images for commentary and class discussion.

Visit to the Hackerman House at the Walters Art Gallery.

Two papers. Two exams.

 

Schedule

 

1.  Orientations

A Pale View of Hills

Empire of Signs

 

2.  Travels

The Road to the Deep North
Tao te Ching

The Tale of Genji

 

3.  Designs

The Story of Tea

The Japanese Lunch Box

Landscapes

Scriptures

 

4.  Selectivity

Showa Anthology stories