/ This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of the concept of “the hero” in the ancient and medieval world. The four segments of the course will cover an important hero of a specific cultural period: the Mesopotamian hero Gilgamesh, the Egyptian folk-hero Sinuhe, the Greek hero Oedipus, and the Arthurian hero Sir Gawain. Each of the four segments will be composed of three phases: 1) Linguistic: an introduction to the alphabets and basic linguistic concepts, as well as the medium of communication in that language. Languages include Babylonian Cuneiform, Middle Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Attic Greek, Anglo-Saxon Runic Script, and Old and Middle English. 2) Cultural: a discussion on the historical events and cultural and philosophical ideologies that shaped artistic expression in that culture. 3) Heroic: an exploration on the concept of hero as demonstrated through a particular hero narrative to illustrate how the character and the role of the “hero” change to reflect the ideologies and values of that culture. We will also study the concept of “hero” in 20th and 21st century America as a basis for comparison. Fall, even-numbered years.
Grade Basis: Letter Grade
Credits: 4.0
