Humans have theorized about great philosophical questions since the dawn of time. While the values and beliefs that guided the views of ancient cultures have undoubtedly changed, it is also clear that those views continue to influence modern lives. From the ancient world through the European Renaissance, LITR231 focuses on these monumental philosophical questions using great works of art, including the major genres of epic poetry, drama, lyric verse, religious texts, and prose fiction, drawn from Classical Greece, Asia, the Middle East, Western Europe, and the Americas. Students will travel through the musings of ancient authors from foreign lands to gain an understanding of cultural practices and values and investigate any connections between the modern-day world and those who lived and wrote before the modern era. Students will explore their ideas regarding leadership, conflict, heroism, friendship, love, politics, and religion to understand how they continue to impact humanity. They will consider what “world” literature means and why the struggles, concerns, and lives of those long dead are still important today. (Pre-requisite: ENGL210 for English majors, or ENGL101 or ENGL110 for non-English majors)

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