Discuss the hierarchy  of the Gods  and of humans in the story

Discuss the hierarchy  of the Gods  and of humans in the story. Describe the main action of the tablet you  are analyzing.  Look for specific uses of language that set the tone of the piece and create the images of it.

Discuss the hierarchy  of the Gods  and of humans in the story

Creation Literature The Greek word  cosmos- implies order and beauty-It addressed issues such as the origins of the world- what was it made of- is there an order or pattern to it or is the universe governed by random events? What gods created the earth and how did life begin? How did human beings come into existence? Has there always been evil in the world? How is our scientific understanding of the universe different than the ancient’s  beliefs about the energy in the earth and sky?

Enuma Elish-
Firstly, discuss the hierarchy  of the Gods  and of humans in the story.

Secondly, describe the main action of the tablet you  are analyzing.  Look for specific uses of language that set the tone of the piece and create the images of it..   Are their  patterns  that are repeated  in the telling of the story?

Cannibal Spell For King Unis-

Further, discuss the imagery of the poem as well as the literary devices that are used to create the feeling of the poem. What does the poem reflect about the belief systems of the people at that time?

Also, the Great Hymn To Aten-Discuss this poem as  it relates to the beginning  of monotheism.  Discuss the images and themes contained in the poem.

Hesiod-
Theogeny-Works and Days
What  are the main themes of the story and its events? What other genres is it similar to?   Additionally, look for the images that help create the story as well specific examples of how  the  feeling of the story is created.

Early Greek Philosophy-

Discuss the theories of one philosopher for your essay and the way  that their theories were presented in some of the literature we have examined if relevant. Give examples from  the texts.

Creation Literature in general-
Discuss characteristics of the writing- what view of the world-cosmos do they reflect- be specific
GILGAMESH- Questions for discussion

The arrogance of power is a theme that we see in Gilgamesh discuss where it arises.

There is a  thin line between enmity and deep friendship among men –how is this portrayed in Gilgamesh?

What is the relationship between civilization and nature? What does the civilizing of Enkidu represent? How do the roles of the shepherd and hunter  and prostitute relate to this?

Dreams  are recurrent in Gilgamesh and are of great importance  in the story. What narrative function do they serve? Why is it important to know what is going to happen before it does?

Cities play an important role in the heroic works of the ancients- discuss in Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh depends on the advice of his mother – Ninsun throughout the story-what does this say about his strength  to face his circumstances?

Gilgamesh portrays the earliest representation of the great flood- how does this version compare with the version we see late in Genesis?

As one of the earliest epics- Gilgamesh  explores similar organizing principals as the later epics like Homer’s  The Odyssey and Virgil’s The Aeneid.  How does it approach such issues as – the homecoming-, the founding of a state and the search for immortality?

THE ILIAD

1.Achilles set the model for a kind of heroism still immensely influential in the imagination of the West. Compare the motives that drive his tragic, obsessive behavior with the heroes of the epics of other ancient epics such as Gilgamesh.

2. Aristotle said that the man who is incapable of working in common, or who in his self- sufficiency has no need of others, is no part of the community, like a beast or a god.  Discuss the figure of Achilles in light of this statement.

3. In spite of the constraints imposed by the formulaic language of the oral tradition, Homer according to one critic, “sees his people as individually distinct and makes us aware of their individuality. “Discuss the ways in which Homer succeeds in presenting as differentiated individuals Hector, Nestor, Ajax, Odysseus, Agammemnon and Priam.

4. What do you think of the poem’s conclusion? Is this a suitable ending to the story?

5. How does his interaction with Priam change Achilles? How does the bond between fathers and sons effect the outcome of the story?

Greek Drama-
Describe the function of the choir

 Discuss Oedipus in  relation to  Artistotle’s  Poetics-  which describe tragedy as:
An action that is whole and complete and of a certain magnitude.

Tragedy . . . is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions. The Plot . . . is the first principle, and, as it were, the soul of a tragedy: Character holds the second place. . . .

Third in order is Thought,–that is, the faculty of saying what is possible and pertinent in given circumstances. . . . Fourth. . . comes Diction . . . the expression of the meaning in words . . .[followed by] Song [and] Spectacle

Describe the tragic dilemma

Oedipus

The theme of sight and blindness-its importance in a play that turns on human ignorance of the truth. Discuss this theme in the play.

Oedipus is a figure representative of human confidence that our intelligence makes us masters of the world- expand on this.
What is the correlation between the time covered by the actions of the play and the actual time it takes to perform it? How do you see this issue represented in the play?

Anagnorisis- From ignorance to knowledge- discuss this in terms of Oedipus’s journey.

Sakuntala

How is Sakuntala an example of Sanskrit Writing? Compare Sanskrit poetry to Waka Poetry– what are the similarities/differences? Give specific examples that demonstrate this. How is the goal of Sanskrit writing and its theory of rasa similar to the goals of Greek tragedy? How does Kalidasa handle rasa in throughout the story? Also, how does it impact on the audience or the reader? The Classic of Poetry /Confucious

Discuss some of the characteristics (the style of writing) of The Classic Of Poetry and the audience it addressed. Give some examples from the text to illustrate your ideas.

How does the concept of ren manifest itself in the work of Confucius?

Give examples demonstrating Confucious’s beliefs concerning  efficient action, social roles,ritual, the junzi  and xiaou?
What were Confucious’s beliefs about education? What were three of the “Six Arts”- that Confucious felt his students should be adept in?

How does the poetry represented in The Analects serve as a tool for social change? The Inferno
How does The Inferno reflect the tensions between Church and State that were a part of the social/political structure of Florence in 1300?

Discuss the nature and purpose of suffering in the structure of Dante’s hell including the 66 Cantos that follow The Inferno  in The Purgatorio  and The Paradiso?

Discuss one passage from The Inferno in terms of its style of writing and the manner Dante creates character and tells of the story.

Machiavelli/Montaigne

How did Machiavelli’s handbook on how a Prince can rule effectively differ from his predecessors?

Pick a passage from the selections from The Prince  that reflect Machiavelli’s theories about governing and discuss it in reference to that.

Discuss the work of Montaigne as it reflects some of the aspects of Renaissance thought? How does it represent the quote from Terrence which he referenced:  “I am a man- I consider nothing human to be alien to me-“

Pick important/interesting passages from the Montaigne’s essays that we read that reflect his style of writing and thinking to discuss/analyze.

Hamlet

How does Hamlet reflect the humanistic beliefs and values of the Renaissance? Give examples  of each and compare/contrast their similarities/differences.

How is Hamlet a reflection of the machinations of power ?

Also how does the state of the royal family and the court a world “out of joint”

Reflect the changing world view that was taking place at this time?

Finally, how are the themes of madness and death/decay  which are so prevalent in the story portrayed