Foundations of European Studies: Texts, Contexts, and Legacies

In this course we will review major texts that serve as a foundation for understanding core aspects of European societies. Covering the period from the Hebrew Bible to Dante’s Inferno, we will read works of religion, literature, philosophy, and politics such as Homer’s Odyssey, Plato’s Republic, Virgil’s Aeneid, the Christian Bible, Beowulf, an Icelandic Saga, and Marco Polo’s Travels. We will focus on the context in which these texts were written and the legacies they produced for understanding Europe as a region, discussing themes such as friendship, loyalty, family, home, gender roles, slavery, power relations, and the definition of Europe itself. 3 hrs. sem.

Schedule
9:45am-11:00am on Monday, Wednesday (Sep 11, 2023 to Dec 11, 2023)
Location
Munroe Hall 317
Instructors