Course Syllabus

LIT 2331-501—Masterpieces of World Literature

Fall 2009 ∆ T 7:00—9:45PM ∆ Meeting Room: AH3 1.306 ∆ The University of Texas at Dallas
Professor: Rezeski ∆ Office: JO 5.410D ∆ Phone: (972) 883‐2186
Email: [email protected] ∆ Office Hours: T 5:15‐6:45pm (and by appointment)

Unfortunately the phone number above is not a practical way to contact me given that I am only in my office once in
a week. EMAIL! I’ll return your call quickly if we cannot deal with the problem via email. Text (SMS) this number
only if urgent: 469.879.3398.

Course Description: This course is a study of world literary works, beginning with early works of the Greeks, the
Bible, to early modern and then more “contemporary” masterpieces. Readings will include selections of poetry,
drama, short stories and the novel. While the focus of the course is on literature and literary studies, it is an
interdisciplinary course in the sense that we will incorporate ideas from cultural studies, philosophy and other
disciplines of the humanities in our study and analysis of text. We will start by answering the question: “What is a
“world masterpiece,” examining what it means to write a “masterwork,” and who decides what masterworks are
included in the “canon.”

We will anchor our study of literature in a most important question: “What does it mean to be human, to be in the
world?” We will examine this question, and how it manifests in our texts, as we explore exile and alienation as
literary themes; the questions and problems of writing; and why these themes and ideas are important if we are find
meaning even in contemporary literature. The study of these themes is important not only because they are common
motifs in storytelling from the earliest times to the present. Comprehension of these ideas is essential to the
understanding of the “nature” of man, of culture, and the uncanniness that is existence as a conscious being.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Students will learn how to read, discuss, research, and write about literature in a scholarly way. Students are
expected to understand and analyze narrative structure and its relationship to the author, society, other literature, and
understand the role of the reader in literature.

Students will:
• Develop a critical awareness of issues in literature
• Demonstrate an ability to discuss literature appropriately and intelligently
• Develop a proficiency in reading and analyzing literature
• Articulate an understanding of several major pieces of World Literature
• Articulate the ways literature reflects the historical period and the culture that produced it; and
more importantly, why this literature is still relevant
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between literature and life
• Demonstrate an ability to write about literature using textual evidence to support assertions, a
thesis and argument

Required Textbooks and Materials

Sophocles. The Complete Greek Tragedies: Sophocles I. (2 edition). Trans. David Grene (Translator, Introduction),
Robert Fitzgerald (Translator), Elizabeth Wyckoff (Translator) Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991.
ISBN-13: 978-0226307855

Plato. PLATO | Republic. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Hackett Publishing Company, 1983. ISBN-13: 978-0915144037

William Shakespeare. Hamlet (Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism). Susanne L. Wofford, Ed. Bedford/St.
Martin's, 1993. ISBN-13: 978-0312055448

Friedrich Nietzsche. The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs. Walter Kaufmann,
Trans. Vintage, 1974. ISBN-13: 978-0394719856
Franz Kafka. The Metamorphosis (Norton Critical Editions). Stanley Corngold, Trans. W.W. Norton & Co., 1996.
ISBN-13: 978-0393967975

Paul Valery. Monsieur Teste. Jackson Mathews. Trans. Princeton University Press,1989. ISBN-13: 978-
0691018799

Jean-Paul Sartre. Nausea. Lloyd Alexander Trans., New Directions, 2007. ISBN-13: 978-0811217002

Samuel Beckett. Three Novels: Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable. Grove Press. 2009. ISBN-13: 978-
0802144478

Jack Kerouac. On the Road. Penguin Classics. 2002. ISBN-13: 978-0142437254

Additional Suggested Course Materials

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Sixth or Seventh edition. New York: Modern
Language Association of America, 2003 (2009).

A college dictionary (a good dictionary is: The American Heritage dictionary, 4th Edition. New York: Dell, 2004.
ISBN:0-440-23701-7

Additional readings, texts, critical essays, film and poetry will be supplied by instructor or from online resources,
including the following:

The Bible (Genesis Books I-IV (Creation and the Fall)

Howl and other poems. Allen Ginsberg.
Endgame (film/play, Beckett)

Course Instructor Policies

Bottom Line Up Front: Read. Attend. Participate in discussion. Think. Write. Read the assignment every week.
Come to class on time. Participate in class discussions. Write thoughtful papers and turn them in on time. You’ll
learn something important, get a good grade and have spent your time wisely.

Attendance and Participation:

The class components are lecture and discussion; therefore attendance and participation are mandatory and will be a
part of your final grade for the course. One of the course objectives states that you will be able to discuss literature;
you must be present in order to accomplish this objective. We will be exploring ways to interpret the texts and to
integrate the reading with discussion of literary issues. Students must participate actively, appropriately,
knowledgeably, and intelligently in all classroom and small group discussions. Students are required to complete all
in-class writing exercises. There will be regular daily reading quizzes or responses of some sort (these will be
administered at nearly every meeting and usually at the beginning of class). There is no make-up for missed
exercises and quizzes; hence students will receive zero (0) points when exercises are missed due to absence or
tardiness. Students can miss two class periods before seeing their overall grade reduced by two grade points. In other
words, if you miss two periods the points you missed out on will be those of exercises or quizzes. However, if you
miss part or all of a third meeting, you will see your grade reduced by up to 200 points. Simply put, there is a strong
correlation between attendance, attention, and the student’s ability to produce effective work.

Assignments & Academic Calendar

Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates:

Week 1) 8/25
Introduction and Orientation: Language / Literature / Legibility
What is “world literature” and what are “masterpieces”
HO “A bibliography of 100 Masterpieces of World Literature”

Course Syllabus 2
Week 2) 9/1
The Crossroads | The Riddle | The Future [or “Sight and Blindness”] and “das Umheimliche”
Reading: Sophocles. Oedipus the King. In the Antigone, read the “Ode to Man” (located at lines 332—383)
Discuss research questions and topics for Paper #1.

Week 3) 9/8
(The Metaphor of the Cave). “From Darkness to Light”
Reading: Plato. The Republic (Books V-VI)

Week 4) 9/15
(The Metaphor of the Cave). “From Darkness to Light” (continued)
Reading: Plato. The Republic (Introduction & Books VII) AND
“The Fall (Into Time)” or “Creation, Naming things, the Fall, and the First Violence”
Reading: The Bible (Genesis Books I-V [Bring your “family Bible” or download :
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Genesis-Chapter-1/ etc.]:
**First Assignment: Proposal for Essay due (via email and hard copy); One paragraph with topic, research question,
and thesis.

Week 5) 9/22
“The First Modern Existentialist Play” or “Chaos in the Castle”
Reading: William Shakespeare. Hamlet

Week 6) 9/29
“The First Modern Existentialist Play” or “Chaos in the Castle”
Reading: William Shakespeare. Hamlet

Week 7) 10/6
“Poetically man Dwells: The Death of God and The Eternal Recurrence”
Reading: Friedrich Nietzsche. The Gay Science (pages 169—220)
Paper #1 Due

Week 8) 10/13
“Poetically man Dwells: The Death of God and The Eternal Recurrence”
Reading: Friedrich Nietzsche. The Gay Science (pages 221—302)

Week 9) 10/20
A Room with a View or “Gregor's Room as a Metaphor for Mind”
Reading: Franz Kafka. The Metamorphosis

Week 10) 10/27

“The Mind as a Fictional Character” | From Zero to Zero
Reading: Paul Valery. Monsieur Teste.

Week 11) 11/3

Exile | Being | Existent
Reading: Jean-Paul Sartre. Nausea.

Week 12) 11/10

Exile | Being | Existent (continued)
Reading: Jean-Paul Sartre. Nausea.

Week 13) 11/17

“Could it be that we are not free?”
Reading: Samuel Beckett. Molloy
(Thanksgiving week)

Course Syllabus 3
Week 14) 11/24
“I sleep little, and that little by day.”
Reading: Samuel Beckett. Molloy : Continued.

Week 15) 12/1

“Endgame” or “Reality TV Before TV”
(Watch Endgame (film/play, by Beckett) in class & brief discussion)
No Reading (use time for paper!)
Final Thoughts: Course Wrap-Up
Paper #2 Due

Writing assignments:
Essays double-spaced, Times or Times New Roman (font), 12 point (size) with one to margins of one inch (no more
than 1.5 inches). The header should contain your name, the course number and the page number. The paper must be
stapled together. No paper clips. No folders. If the assignment calls for five pages, this does not include a cover page
or bibliography. You must follow MLA documentation style. All essays must be created using word processor,
printed out, and turned in to the professor in class. Papers must be turned in on time. Failure to complete any
assignment will likely result in you receiving a failing grade for the course. We will discuss possible topics in class.
You can choose your topic, but I must approve of it in advance. Consider topics early in the semester so you can
begin research and writing early.

Daily questions & daily quizzes:

Students will email the professor no later than 3:00PM one (smart) question before every class meeting relevant to
the day’s reading. These questions will be discussed in class. There will ten or more “daily quizzes” given
throughout the course. They are administered in the first minutes of class. If you are not on time, you cannot take the
quiz and lose 20 points. If more than ten quizzes are given, then I will average your ten highest scores ignoring the
lowest.

Grading Policy

There are a possible 1000 total points for this course. The break-down for these points relative to the course work are
as follows: Attendance and Participation: 150 points (If the students are present but do not participate, then the
student will lose points); Daily Response Papers (quizzes) and exercises: 150 points; Writing Projects (2 papers):
700 points (300 points for paper #1 (4-6 pages); 400 points for paper #2 (6-8 pages) Student papers may be longer,
however they cannot be less than the minimum. Use MLA style for documentation, citation, and bibliography.

Grading will be based on a point system. There are a total of 1000 points available for the course work Students will
acquire points as assignments are completed. The points will go toward your final total. No extra credit will be
given. Don’t ask to read a book or write a paper for extra credit. Apply yourself, read, think, study and you'll do
fine in this course. If you do not understand how the point system works or have any other questions then you
should see me as soon as possible.

Attendance is important to your success in this course. Showing up (on time), remaining present during the entire
period, and thoughtful participation will go a long way towards gaining a satisfactory final grade. Details below:

Activity/Project Type of work Points

Attendance/participation Intelligent, thoughtful involvement 100
Writing Exercises & Quizzes In classroom 200
Essay/Research Paper #1 Topics to be discussed in class 300
Essay/Research Paper #2 Topics to be discussed in class 400

Grading breakdown: 1000 to 970 = A+

969 to 940 =A
939 to 900 = A-
899 to 870 = B+

Course Syllabus 4
 869 to 840 =B
839 to 800 = B-
799 to 770 = C+
769 to 740 =C
739 to 700 = C-
699 to 670 = D+
669 to 640 =D
639 to 600 = D-
599 to 000 =F

Technical Support
If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to: [email protected] or call the
UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.
Field Trip Policies / Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies and
procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations may be
found at the website address http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional
information is available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any travel and/or risk-related
activity associated with this course.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the orderly and
efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be
knowledgeable about the rules and regulations, which govern student conduct and activities. General information on
student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD printed publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all
registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and established
due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Series 50000, Board of Regents,
The University of Texas System, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of
the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations
(SU 1.602, 972/883-6391) and online at http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-HOPV.html

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is
expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct
takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an
academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative
that students demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic Dishonesty, any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is subject to discipline. Scholastic
dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or
materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act
designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90%

Course Syllabus 5
effective.

[Note from instructor: It is my believe that research, analysis, and writing skills are collectively the single most
important skill set a student gains from attendance of the academy. If I believe a student has failed to properly cite
resources, has copied another’s writing in whole or in part, or has otherwise committed plagiarism, I will turn the
case over to University of Texas at Dallas authorities for a determination.

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other
reproductions of copyrighted materials, including music and software. Copying, displaying, reproducing, or
distributing copyrighted works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights and such infringement is subject to
appropriate disciplinary action as well as criminal penalties provided by federal law. Usage of such material is only
appropriate when that usage constitutes “fair use” under the Copyright Act. As a UT Dallas student, you are required
to follow the institution’s copyright policy (Policy Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more information about the fair use
exemption, see http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm

Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and
students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of
each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent
only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it
originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student
with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of
Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to
other accounts.
Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and
times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's
responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any
student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of “F” in a course if you
choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor,
supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot
be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the
respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the
student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s
decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal
will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The
results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff
members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

Course Syllabus 6
As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end
and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8)
weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove
the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a
grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of
their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are
Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
[email protected]

If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with the Coordinator of
Disability Services. The Coordinator is available to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If
you determine that formal, disability-related accommodations are necessary, it is very important that you be
registered with Disability Services to notify them of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Disability
Services can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability
Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and
needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and
observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under
Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the
assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum
of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be
penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may
receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious
holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete
any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into
account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Course Syllabus 7