ENGL 361.101

The Hero and the Quest

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

In this course we will explore several versions of the archetypal heroic quest drawn from the medieval and modern periods. Readings will include tales of physical journeys and spiritual journeys, of quests to dispel evil, to attain the mysterious Grail or some other ideal, or to know the self.

Texts:

Beowulf (translated by Seamus Heaney)

Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival (translated by A.T. Hatto)

Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises

Dashiell Hammett, Red Harvest

Toni Morrison, Beloved

Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

John Gardner, Grendel

Requirements:

Regular, prompt attendance and active class participation

completion, on time, of assigned readings (including some handouts that are not listed on this syllabus)

Occasional quizzes or short papers on assigned readings

Take-home midterm exam

Interpretive paper, 1000 to 1500 words, on the theme of the heroic quest in a literary

work, film, or television show of your choice

Final exam

Class Schedule

Week 1

Introduction: The Nature of Heroism

Dr. Seuss and John Ciardi (story time)

Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Adventure (video)

Le Morte d'Arthur: The Legend of the King (video)

Weeks 2-5

I. The Anglo-Saxon Hero: Combating Chaos

The Chivalric Hero: Redeeming the Waste Land

Beowulf

Parzival

Weeks 6-10

II. Knights in Tarnished Armor: Questing in a Modern Waste Land

The Sun Also Rises

Red Harvest

Robin Williams in The Fisher King (film)

WEEKS 11-13

IV. Travelers Homeward

Beloved

The Secret Life of Bees

WEEK 14

V. Beowulf Revisited

Grendel




			ENGL 361.101 The Hero and the Quest NOTE: This is representative of the syllabi for this course. It is not necessarily the syllabus being used in any one semester. In this course we will explore several versions of the archetypal heroic quest drawn from the medieval and modern periods. Readings will include tales of physical journeys and spiritual journeys, of quests to dispel evil, to attain the mysterious Grail or some other ideal, or to know the self. Texts: Beowulf (translated by Seamus Heaney) Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival (translated by A.T. Hatto) Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises Dashiell Hammett, Red Harvest Toni Morrison, Beloved Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees John Gardner, Grendel Requirements: Regular, prompt attendance and active class participation completion, on time, of assigned readings (including some handouts that are not listed on this syllabus) Occasional quizzes or short papers on assigned readings Take-home midterm exam Interpretive paper, 1000 to 1500 words, on the theme of the heroic quest in a literary work, film, or television show of your choice Final exam Class Schedule Week 1 Introduction: The Nature of Heroism Dr. Seuss and John Ciardi (story time) Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Adventure (video) Le Morte d'Arthur: The Legend of the King (video) Weeks 2-5 I. The Anglo-Saxon Hero: Combating Chaos The Chivalric Hero: Redeeming the Waste Land Beowulf Parzival Weeks 6-10 II. Knights in Tarnished Armor: Questing in a Modern Waste Land The Sun Also Rises Red Harvest Robin Williams in The Fisher King (film) WEEKS 11-13 IV. Travelers Homeward Beloved The Secret Life of Bees WEEK 14 V. Beowulf Revisited Grendel home \| bs, corporate communication \| ba, english \| ma, publications design \| mfa, integrated design \| mfa, creative writing & publishing arts \| people \| portfolio \| facilities \| classes \| undergraduate applications \| graduate applications \| contact \| site index \| university of baltimore