Classics 42: Exile & Return in Classical & Caribbean Epic
Professor John Van Sickle [e-mail: jvsickle@brooklyn.cuny.edu (click here)]
Office; 2404 Boylan Hall : Monday, Thursday 2:30-3:00, or by appointment (718-951-5078 or better, e-mail)
For books assigned, see end of syllabus.
     
1 J/27/Th Brainstorm: stories we know of exile & return. Places of memory & meaning:
homeland & nostalgia
TERMS: narrative, plot, story, motif, theme, metaphor, memory, tradition, genre, [epic/bucolic {pastoral}]
2 J/31/M Book One read (Book) One. (Chapter) I.(Scenes) i-ii Questions with which to open texts:
Who? Where? When? What? Why? What does this make me remember from my previous…?
Make diary with your answer to these questions for each Scene of each Chapter of each Book.
  F/03/Th Stage #2:
Laying Plots / Plotting Lays. 
I.iii-II.i (pp.8-11)
II.ii (pp.11-14)
II.iii (pp.14-15)
III.i (pp. 15-17)
III.ii-iii (pp.17-20)
IV.i-ii (pp.20-22)
IV.iii (pp.23-24)
V.i-iii (pp.24-32)
 
3 F/07/M Stage #3: Helen  VI.i-iii (pp. 33-36)
VII (pp.37-42)
VIII (pp.43-47)
 
  F/10/Th Retrospect & Reweave  
4 F/14/M Stage #4: Storm Stirs IX (pp.47-54)
X-XI (pp.54-67)
 
  F/17/Th Stage #5: Father's Ghost Tells Poet Do's & Don'ts for Poem. XII-XIII (pp. 67-76)  
5 F/24/Th Read in class drafts of first essay 5-7 paragraphs, compare with other works or trace developments in this one For writing hints see http:F25//academic.brooklyn. cuny.edu/classics/jvsickle/writ.htm
6 F/28/M Book Two Stage #6:
Herstory (Epic Recall)
XIV.i-ii,iii (pp.77-83)
XV.i-iii (pp.84-86)
 
  M/03/Th Stage #7: The Plunketts' Crafts  XVI.i-iii (pp.87-90)
XVII.i-iii (pp.91-94)
1st essay due
7 M/07/M wrapping up the Plunketts XVIII.i-iii (pp.95-99)
XIX.i-iii (pp. 99-104)
 
  M/10/Th Stage #8: 
For "Helen's" Heart
XX.i-iii(pp. 104-109)
XXI.i-iii (pp. 109-115
XXII.i-iii (pp.116-120)
XXIII.i-iii (pp. 120-125)
XXIV.i-iii (pp.125-131)
 
8 M/14/M Read in class drafts for second essay 5-7 paragraphs, compare with other works or trace developments in this one  
  M/17/Th Book Three Stage #9: Dreaming African roots XXV.i-iii (pp.133-39)
XXVI.i-iii (pp.139-43) )
 
9 M/21/M continuing African roots XXVII.i-iii (pp.144-48)
XXVIII.i-iii (pp.148-152
 
10 M/30/W Stage #10: Mother Blesses Poet: identity confirmed XXIX.i-iii (pp. 152-56)
XXX.i-iii (pp.156-160)
XXXII.i-iii (pp.165-68)
 
  M/31/Th Book Four Stage #11: 
Castaway in Chilly North
XXXIII.i-iii (pp.169-174)
XXXIV.i-ii, iii pp.174-77)
XXXV.i-iii(pp.177-182)
XXXVI.i-ii, iii pp.182-88) 
2nd essay due
11 A/04/M Book Five Stage #12:
Travel/Travail in Old World
XXXVII.i-iii(pp.189-193)
XXXVIII.i-ii, iii (pp.193-97)
XXXIX.i-iii (pp.198-201)
XL.i-ii, iii (pp.201-205)
 
  A/07/Th Stage #13: 
Indian Summer to Wintry Death
XLI.i-iii (pp.206-10)
XLII.i-ii, iii (pp.210-13)
XLIII.i-ii, iii (pp.213-19)
 
12 A/11/M Book Six Stage #14:
"Green January": Poet's Return & Hector's last ride
XLIV.i (pp.221-22) + ii-iii (pp.223-24)
XLV.i-iii (pp.224-31)
 XLVI.i-ii/iii (pp.232-35) 
 
  A/14/Th Stage #15:
Philo's Cure by Ma Kilman
XLVII.i-iii (pp.235-39)
XLVIII.i, ii-iii (pp.239-46)
XLIX.i-ii, iii (pp.246-50)
 
13 A/18/M Stage #16: Healing of Major & Maud's Malady L.i-ii,iii (pp. 251-54)
LI.i-iii (pp. 255-60)
LII.i-ii,iii (pp. 260-63 )
LIII.i-iii (pp. 264-67)
 
  A/21/Th Read in class drafts of third essay 5-7 paragraphs, compare with other works or trace developments in this one  
14 M/02/M Stage #17: Poet Ties & Unties Thematic Threads LIV.i-iii (pp. 268-72)
LV.i-iii (pp. 272-77)
 
  M/05/Th Book Seven Stage #18: Looking Back & Taking Stock (Hallucination in Retrospect) LVI.i-iii (pp. 279-84)
LVII.i-iii (pp.285-88)
LVIII.i-iii (pp.289-94)
 
15 M/09/M Stage #19: Reminding, Relating & Unwinding LIX.i-iii (pp.294-99)
LX.i-iii (pp.299-303)
LXI.i-iii (pp.303-09)
 
  M/12/Th Stage #20: Looking & Taking Back (Souvenirs & Farewells)  LXII.i-iii (pp. 310-15) + LXIII.i-iii (pp. 316-20) + LXIV.i-ii (pp. 320-23) + LXIV.iii (pp. 324-25)  
16 M/16/M Wrap-up & Review   third essay due

  BOOK to Buy [at Shakespeare & Company, Hillel Place]
  Omeros by Derek Walcott (paperback)
  Works referred to: Homer, Iliad & Odyssey,
Virgil,
Aeneid; Dante, Divine Comedy;
Shakespeare, Hamlet, Bible;
Ulysses
by James Joyce.
Excellent introduction to Walcott: Nobody's Nation. Reading Derek Walcott Paul Breslin (Chicago 2001)
ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance, careful & detailed preparation, active participation are the keys to success in this course. .
If you must be absent for reasons that override your academic goals, inform me in advance (e.g., by e-mail).
  GRADES: 40 percent class participation; 60 percent written responses.