Major Works of Literature - Myths and Archetypes (HUM 201)

2019 Summer
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Humanities(HUM)
3
6/5 ECTS (for students admitted in the 2013-14 Academic Year or following years)
Zeynep Nevin Yelçe zeynepyelce@sabanciuniv.edu,
Click here to view.
English
Undergraduate
--
Formal lecture,Interactive lecture,Seminar,Other
Interactive,Learner centered,Discussion based learning
Click here to view.

CONTENT

This course aims to teach students to do close readings and comparative analyses of a few major works of literature that have influenced their own times and continue to have an impact on our understanding of the world and its cultures. The emphasis is on imagination, feeling and expression in literature, with attention to cultural, social and political issues. Course work involves not only reading but also writing analytically and critically. In addition to the existing pre-requisite " to have completed 23 credits" for this course , a new condition will be added as "to complete SPS 101 and SPS 102 courses at least with D grade" as of the Fall semester of 2015-2016 Academic Year. Students who failed from SPS 101 and SPS 102 courses, do not have right to take this course.

OBJECTIVE

This course introduces a few significant works of literature that influenced their own times and continue to have an impact on our understanding of the world and its cultures.

We engage in an in depth reading of the foundational works of narrative at the dawn of Western civilization. We study the genres of epic, poetry, myth, and prose narrative with a view to understand the nature and meaning of the shift from the oral tradition of Greek wisdom literature?epic, poetry, myth?to the written civilization. Some of the themes covered are: the characteristics of oral and written communication; the birth of narration; the uses of literature; transformation brought about with writing systems; the world of ancient Near East as it shaped Greek and later Western civilization; the nature of mythic thought; the dimension of human experience expressed by myths and multiple ways of reading myths; the difference of mythic thought from philosophical and scientific thought; the archetype as the central figure of the mythic conception of the universe; the archetype of the hero; legends pertaining to heroes as different from myths.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • 1. demonstrate skilled familiarity with literary texts of Western literature and correctly distinguish their different genres and time periods 2. identify some of the persistent myths and archetypes of Western culture and recognize their appearance in contemporary culture 3. recognize artistic and stylistic features of poetry, prose, myths, and the epic 4. recognize what constitutes the object of study for literature scholars and how that knowledge is obtained, evaluated and expanded upon 5. evaluate a claim made about a work of literature 6. construct their own arguments about a text and support them with evidence from the text 7. explain how individual works of literature are both a product of the culture in which they are produced and at the same time shape that culture 8. specifically, interpret myths from multiple angles and comparatively

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES


1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others. 4

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice. 5

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself. 5

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means. 3

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams. 2


1. Possess sufficient knowledge of mathematics, science and program-specific engineering topics; use theoretical and applied knowledge of these areas in complex engineering problems. 1

2. Identify, define, formulate and solve complex engineering problems; choose and apply suitable analysis and modeling methods for this purpose. 1

3. Develop, choose and use modern techniques and tools that are needed for analysis and solution of complex problems faced in engineering applications; possess knowledge of standards used in engineering applications; use information technologies effectively. 1

4. Have the ability to design a complex system, process, instrument or a product under realistic constraints and conditions, with the goal of fulfilling specified needs; apply modern design techniques for this purpose. 1

5. Design and conduct experiments, collect data, analyze and interpret the results to investigate complex engineering problems or program-specific research areas. 1

6. Possess knowledge of business practices such as project management, risk management and change management; awareness on innovation; knowledge of sustainable development. 1

7. Possess knowledge of impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, health and societal context; knowledge of contemporary issues; awareness on legal outcomes of engineering solutions; knowledge of behavior according to ethical principles, understanding of professional and ethical responsibility. 1

8. Have the ability to write effective reports and comprehend written reports, prepare design and production reports, make effective presentations, and give and receive clear and intelligible instructions. 4


1. Develop knowledge of theories, concepts, and research methods in humanities and social sciences. 4

2. Assess how global, national and regional developments affect society. 4

3. Know how to access and evaluate data from various sources of information. 4

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Final 30
Quiz 30
Assignment 30
Participation 10

RECOMENDED or REQUIRED READINGS

Readings

Homer, The Odyssey
Hesiod, Theogony
Hesiod, Works and Days
Plato, "Allegory of the Cave"
Sumerian Myths
Myths of Orpheus, Prometheus, Medea, Dionysus, Hermes

Course Web http://www.sabanciuniv.edu/syllabus/?crn=10218&term=200801