English 287:  Great Books

Course Schedule -- Part 3

Spring 2005

1 Apr (F):  Quiz over Brecht's Life of Galileo.

• Read  pp. xix-xxii of Willet and Manheim's Introduction.

• Read the following brief texts by Brecht (in our Willett and Manheim's edition of the play, i.e., our text):

  • 'Foreward" (pp. 115-117).

  • "The Life of Galileo is not a tragedy" (pp. 117-118).

  • "Portrayal of the Church" (pp. 118-119).

  • "Three Notes on the Character of Galileo" (pp. 119-121).

  • "Praise or Condemnation of Galileo?" (pp. 126-127).

4 Apr (M):  Begin the readings we are undertaking with Molière's play Tartuffe.  (See the list of Texts for the Course.)  For today:

• Read the Introduction to the play by the translator, Richard Wilbur.
  • How does Wilbur connect this comedy to Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear?
  • What does Wilbur see as the source of Orgon's mental aberration?
• Read Acts One and Two of the play.
• When you have completed these readings, review the two acts in the light of the Outline and Study Guide for Act I of Tartuffe and the Outline and Study Guide for Act II of Tartuffe. 

6 Apr (W):  Finish Tartuffe (Acts 3, 4, 5).

• When you have completed your reading of Act Three, review it in the light of the Outline and Study Guide for Act III of Tartuffe. 
• Read the short article on Tartuffe as political parable.
• Read the short essay on Tartuffe as a satire of religious fanaticism.

8 Apr (F):  There will be a quiz today over Tartuffe.

To prepare for this, review carefully the following scenes from Tartuffe. 

1. Act I, Scene 1 (pp. 11-17):  Madame Pernelle leaves in a huff.
•  Pay special attention to Dorine's character analyses of Daphne and Oronte, and Mme. P's reaction to these.
2. Act III, Scene 2, Tartuffe's initial appearance & Dorine's reaction
   • How exactly does T contrive hear to convey an appearance of holiness?
   • What are the assumptions behind the kind of behavior he pretends to?
   • How does the play convey immediately that he's a fake here?
3. Act III, Scene 3:  Tartuffe puts the moves on Elvire
   •     Pay special attention to his arguments.
   • How does the humor here depend on our being aware of the medieval-Renaissance conception of the soul?
4. Act III, Scene 6:  Tartuffe deflects Damis's accusation
   • What must be going on in Orgon's mind if he reacts to Tartuffe's reply in the way he does?
   • What is the central motive we detect at work in Orgon's determination to have his way?

11 Apr (M): Come to class having read Chapters 1-10 of Voltaire's philosophical tale Candide  (See the list of Texts for the Course.)

There are two study guides to this work.  You may elect to use either, as you please:

• Brief Study Guide to Voltaire's Candide.

• English 233: Study Guide to Voltaire's Candide.

13 Apr (W):  Candide, Chapters 11-20.

15 Apr (F):  Candide, Chapters 21-30.

18 Apr (M):  Quiz over Candide.

20 Apr (W):  Writing Assignment #2 (over a significant point of contrast between 2 of the works we've read since Plato)  is due by 5 p.m. under the office door at ECS-127.

22 Apr (F):  Come to class having read Chapters 1-7 (pp. 1-69) of Black Elk Speaks  (See the list of Texts for the Course.)

• Before beginning BES itself, it would be a good idea to read Vine Deloria Jr.'s Foreword (pp. xiii-xvii).  This gives you some idea of the history of the reception of the book, and points you to different aspects of interest that various readers have found in it.

• As you read, you'll want to be continually referring back to the map that precedes page 1 of the text.  If you have an atlas that shows typographical features (mountain ranges, valleys, etc.), it would be good to get it out and have it beside you.

• Another important resource is Appendix 3 (pp. 221-223), "Lakota Words in the Text."  You should consult this as needed.

• After you've finished Chapter 7, be sure to read John G. Neihardt's Prefaces to the 1932, 1961, and 1972 Editions (pp. xviii-xxx).  These tell you how the book came to be.

25 Apr (M):  Chapters 8-15 (pp. 70-144) of Black Elk Speaks.

Chapters 16-25 (pp. 145-207) of Black Elk Speaks, and the author's Postscript (pp. 208-210).

• Recommended (but not required) is Lori Utect's article "Neihardt and Black Elk," which constitutes Appendix 5 (pp. 245-255).

27 Apr (W):  Quiz over Black Elk Speaks.

29 Apr (F):  Come to class having read Part I (Chapters 1-13; pp. 3-87) of E.L. Doctorow's novel Ragtime.  (See the list of Texts for the Course.)

• In class, we'll start viewing the film Ragtime.

Dead Week begins.

2 May (M):  Read Part II Chapters 14-28; pp 91-77) of Ragtime.

• In class, we'll continue viewing the film Ragtime.

4 May (W):  Finish reading Ragtime (i.e., Part II:  Chapters 29-40; pp. 181-270).

• In class, we'll conclude the film Ragtime and further discuss the novel.

6 May (F):  Further discussion of Ragtime.

The Final Exam

The Prep Sheet for the Final Exam will be posted on Wednesday of Dead Week.

The Final Exam for the 10:30 Section will be held in our regular classroom

on Wednesday, May 11, from 11:50 a.m. to 1:40 p.m.

 

The Final Exam for the 11:30 Section will be held in our regular classroom

on Thursday, May 12, from 11:50 a.m. to 1:40 p.m.

  Suggestions are welcome.  Please send your comments to lyman@ksu.edu .

   Contents copyright © 2005 by Lyman A. Baker. 

Permission is granted for non-commercial educational use; all other rights reserved.

  This page last updated 25 March 2005 .