ENGL 2111/Spring 2023/Online/Schedule

From Gerald R. Lucas

This schedule represents the ideal outline for our study this semester. Yet, like all best-laid plans, we may not be able to keep up with our agenda. Please be flexible and try to look and read ahead whenever possible.

We will do our best to stick by this schedule, but I will inform you verbally, via an email, and/or a literal change to the schedule below whenever there is a deviation. Getting these updates is solely your responsibility. Therefore, this schedule is tentative and subject to change contingent upon the needs of the students and the professor, and dictated by time and other constraints which may affect the course. For face-to-face classes, this schedule reflects only an overview of the assigned reading and other major course assignments. It may not indicate specific class session assignments or activities. Specific in-class assignments may not be reflected on the schedule.

Achilles Hector MJ01.jpeg

Overview and Instructions for Work

All assignments are due Tuesday evenings at 11:59 pm. Have the assigned text(s) read by Sundays at the latest, so you can post your questions and responses to Packback well ahead of the due date. Procrastination and posting at the last minute will earn you lower grades. I suggest the following work schedule for each week:

  • Wed: Begin reading the week’s text(s), including background materials; take notes as you read.
  • Sat/Sun: Post your question to Packback. Read[1] and consider responding to a seed prompt: i.e., one of the questions I have asked about the material.[2]
     note: You are not required to write on Packback every week, but for each text that we study. The one question/two responses is the minimum requirement per text, so I encourage you to write more, especially on texts that we cover over multiple weeks, like the Odyssey.
  • Sun: Finish the reading. Take the reading quiz on D2L.
  • Mon: Participate in the discussion on Packback. Be sure to support your discussions with evidence from the the week’s primary text and/or the secondary texts, like background materials and assigned videos.
  • Tue: Add follow-up posts to Packback.

Look ahead and plan your reading accordingly. I have tried to keep reading to a minimum, but if you are a slower reader, like I am, you may want to plan out your reading schedule so that you can meet the course deadlines.

Week Date Assignments
1 Jan 11–Jan 17
Course Introduction
Epic Poetry
2 Jan 18–Jan 24
The Epic of Gilgamesh
3 Jan 25–Jan 31
Homer, from the Iliad
4 Feb 01–Feb 07
Test 1
5 Feb 08–Feb 14
Homer, from the Odyssey 1
6 Feb 15–Feb 21
Homer, from the Odyssey 2
  • Read Odyssey background materials.[7]
  • Watch “Literary Classics - The Odyssey.” ❗️
  • Read books 9–12, “Odysseus’ Tale,” of the Odyssey; translated by Robert Fitzgerald.
  • Take the Odyssey 9–12 reading quiz on D2L.
  • Post to PackBack.  note: Your usual one question/two responses is due Feb 28, but you may want to participate this week.
7 Feb 22–Feb 28
Homer, from the Odyssey 3
8 Mar 01–Mar 07
Test 2
9 Mar 08–Mar 14
Aristotle, from Poetics
10 Mar 15–Mar 28
Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 1
11 Mar 29–Apr 04
Sophocles, Oedipus Rex 2
12 Apr 05–Apr 11
Euripides, Medea 1
13 Apr 12–Apr 18
Euripides, Medea 2
  • Watch Medea on Films on Demand.
  • Post to PackBack.
14 Apr 19–Apr 25
Test 3
15 Apr 26–May 02
Ovid, from The Metamorphoses
16 May 03[11]
Lit-Crit Response



notes

  1. Even if you do not respond to a seed prompt, you are required to read them and the links they contain. This is crucial background material about the texts and course content. Failure to read these will result in potential lower grades and failure.
  2. Again: pay attention to these prompts, as they might give hints as to what is important for you to know for the test. These are often asking about the background materials I have posted for the primary texts, usually based on lectures.
  3. It is imperative that you have the unit complete by the end of the first week of class. Failure to do so will have you reported as a no-show, and you will be removed from the class. If this happens, you will not be readmitted.
  4. You must follow the writing conventions and guidelines outlined in this document, including the presentation of titles. This should all be review from ENGL 1102.
  5. You should have received an invitation from Packback already, unless you just registered for the course. If you were not invited, please let me know or register yourself. Note: you need to know your course section number when registering.
  6. You will need to be signed in to Packback and have access to our course to answer all responses. Read the Packback tab for instructions. This will count as one of your required responses for this week.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 I post background materials on all of the texts for the class. These are essays meant to take the place of in-class lectures. I strongly recommend that you read this material to help you with your understanding of the literature and for your exams.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Be sure you read the seed prompts on this week’s material even if you do not respond to them. Then, ask one question and respond to at least two threads. This is the minimum participation on Packback to meet your writing requirement. See the outline of the week above for guidance on how to approach your writing on Packback.
  9. Like most of the videos in this class, this documentary is available via Films on Demand. You will be prompted to login to your MGA account if you’re not on campus.
  10. The ❗️ means that this video is optional, but recommended.
  11. Note that the deadline is two days after classes end.
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