Humanities of the Modern World
LSTD 3243 707
March 15, 29, April 5, 12, 19, 26, May 3, 2007
5:30-9:30 pm
Oklahoma City Community College
Room 2N3
Instructor
Jerry Jerman
325-1254 (office)
329-6152 (home)
jjerman@ou.edu
Course Description
A general survey to help you understand the relevance of the humanities, this course is a guided study exploring a vast period of time and activity from the Renaissance through the present. We will cover a broad range of topics and, at the same time, engage in deeper explorations of areas of particular value to you as a student and as a human being.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, you will:
Textbooks and Instructional Materials
The following texts have been selected to provide you with a broad view of this complex subject. In addition to reading about art, music, architecture, history, and philosophy, you will be reading two major works of literature, works which I hope will stay with you for many years to come.
Required texts for this course
Dennis J. Sporre, The Creative Impulse: An Introduction to the Arts, 7th edition. New York: Prentice-Hall, 2005. 0131936808
William Shakespeare, Hamlet. New York: Signet, 1998. 0-451-52692-9 (preferred edition because it includes an essay—Maynard Mack’s “The World of Shakespeare”—to which we will refer in class)
T. S. Eliot, The Waste Land and Other Poems. New York: Signet, 1998. 0-451-52684-8
For additional help with your writing, the Purdue University Writing Center Web site is outstanding. Find this Web site at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu.
The Four-Part Structure of the Guided Self-Study
This course will meet eight Thursday evenings in the Spring 2007 semester. There are four units of study to be completed for the course.
Class—what you can expect
Yes, you do have a life outside the classroom. On Thursdays, before our class meetings, you probably have worked a full day. Because of this, you may be tired and not particularly excited about exploring literary, religious, historical, artistic, musical, or philosophical ideas and texts. I hope to enliven these class sessions with movies, recordings, slides, and other media. We will have some discussion or other response to these media presentations—and I will present some information via lecture. We may take a field trip to a local museum or exhibition. We of course will take breaks throughout the evening. At the end of each unit, you will take a quiz. The goal is to cover this extremely broad topic as effectively as possible—and to have a good time while we’re doing it!
Writing—and Its Importance
I regard writing as important and, as course time allows, will present concepts and approaches to help you improve your writing. In terms of writing for this class, you will write two response papers that are two to three pages long each (see details below). I also propose that you keep a journal for this class to record your reaction to Gilgamesh’s impossible journey, Oedipus’ dilemma, or something you’ve noticed about medieval cathedrals or a tenet of Islam. This journal is not required and will not be collected or viewed by me. But it would be a way to practice your writing skills. You improve your writing by writing.
The point: After this class, you may never again be called upon to write about literature or any other art form. That’s not the point. In life your opinion will be sought. You will write letters or email messages or give presentations that convey thoughts, both deep and shallow. You will expect your audience(s) to understand clearly what you are writing/talking about. I know of no better way to learn how to organize your thoughts and communicate than to learn and practice the fine art of writing. In business and in personal interactions with others, you will draw upon this skill for the rest of your life—and it will make a difference in the quality of your life.
March 15-29, 2007 — Part One: The Renaissance and Hamlet’s World View
What was really “reborn” in the Renaissance? Art, music, literature, and religion will be our terrain, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet will be our principal guide. We will watch scenes from two or three filmed versions of this play.
Part One Reading (to be read before class)
Hamlet (You need only read the play; however, I commend to you Maynard Mack’s fine essay, “The World of Hamlet,” pp. 191-213, included in this edition.)
The Creative Impulse readings:
Getting Started and Putting the Arts in Context
April 5 , 2007—Part Two: The Enlightenment
Throughout the Middle Ages people looked to the church and to the clergy to provide answers to the major questions in their lives. The Enlightenment ushered in a new faith, one based on human reasoning and intellect. This movement was reflected not only in works of art, music, and literature but in new developments in government and society.
Part Two Reading (to be read before class)
The Creative Impulse readings:
April 12, 2007—Part Three: The Early Middle Ages and the Rise of Islam
Calling something “romantic” usually conjures images of hearts and flowers and other Valentine’s Day clichés. But Romanticism is a formal philosophical perspective and artistic movement. We will consider primarily the artistic and musical tradition.
Part Three Reading (to be read before class)
The Creative Impulse readings:
April 19-26 , 2007—Part Four: From Modernism to postmodernism
What are recent examples of how the humanities have turned up in our lives and helped shape us? T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land will be our starting point for understanding modernism and postmodernism, buzzwords of our present day. (Don’t fret about this poem. I will give you some helpful guideposts; we will not be analyzing it in detail. Rather, we will look at it as a kind of lighthouse to ships on the raging sea of modernism. That’s a metaphor!) We will listen to music, view films and art, and discuss some of the historical/cultural aspects of life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Part Four Reading (to be read before class)
T.S. Eliot, “The Waste Land” (pp. 32 - 59 of The Waste Land and Other Poems; it is highly recommended that you also look at the annotations to the poem on pp. 85 - 93).
The Creative Impulse readings:
Response Papers
You will write two response papers that are two to three-pages in length for this course. For each paper, choose one of the topics below.
Your response papers should be typewritten, double-spaced, properly punctuated, and correctly spelled. Draw your own conclusions and observations and don’t just recite what someone else has written about your topic. I am looking for thoughtfulness, originality, clarity, and general writing effectiveness. These papers should be opportunities to react thoughtfully to material we have read, looked at, or listened to. No library research is necessary for these papers, though you may choose to do some Internet research or you may need to view a film. Other than Internet, any citations (use Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, or APA style guidelines as your prefer but be consistent) should be to the works we use in class. Also, make sure your paper has a title.
Topics for Response Paper One (This paper is due: February 1.)
Hamlet is one of the most complex, and controversial figures in all literature. Was he wise, shrewd, and calculating or a fool who could not make up his mind and then take proper action? Put Hamlet behind a corporate desk and use your paper to describe the kind of leader he would be. Use specific examples from the play to support your view. This paper is due: April 5.
Topics for Response Paper Two (This paper is due: March 1.)
Choose one modernist work of art (painting, sculpture, music) and discuss what makes it “modern” OR: choose a postmodern work (painting, sculpture, music) and discuss what makes it “postmodern.” You will need to describe the work, but most of your paper will be a.) your discussion of modernism or postmodernism and b.) your response to this particular work. This paper is due: April 26.
An Unfortunately Necessary Note on Plagiarism
It is unpleasant to deal with this topic because many students automatically assume that if I bring it up I do not trust them. That is not the case. I assume every student in my class is a trustworthy person of integrity. We will devote some time to properly citing information in papers from other sources. My policy is, simply, any paper discovered to be bought or which includes unattributed material from others will automatically receive an “F.”
Group Presentation
For the last class meeting, you and your team will choose ONE of the following areas to develop a group presentation:
Be sure your 30-minute presentation addresses the issues of:
The fairest approach is to break down your topic and divide the work among your team. Every member of the team should participate in this project!
The presentation may include music, pictures, etc.—anything to make it more interesting. PowerPoint presentations are fine. I have had groups create game shows, tests, movies, protest demonstrations, songs, and other activities to teach the class. Essentially, your group becomes the instructor for your 30-minute time slot. Your grade will be based on preparation, creativity, originality, thoughtfulness, information conveyed, how you address the relevance/context issues, and use of the time.
Course Deadlines
Grading
You will receive a letter grade for this class. Grading is based on:
I do not award credit simply for being in class. I assume, barring some emergency, that you will attend class. It is not my intention or wish to “flunk” students. However, grades are required to measure your course progress, and I will issue grades based on my assessment of your course accomplishments. I do not give “A”s for effort.
You may appeal to me any grade you feel is unfair or undeserved. A proper grade appeal will come in the form of a typewritten request. In this request, you must explain why you believe the grade is an inaccurate reflection of your abilities and should be changed. Grade appeals via phone or in person will not be considered. After receiving your grade appeal, I will make a judgment objectively based on the merits of your case. If I decline to change the grade, your next step will be to initiate a formal grade appeal through the Dean of the College.
Team Cooperation
There is only one graded team assignment in this course: the group mythmaking project. Everyone in your group should be in accord about the topic choice. All should be involved in researching/preparing for/presenting the topic. As mentioned above, I am open to all forms of presentations—PowerPoint, overheads, videos, etc.—as long as your technologies are compatible with those available on the Oklahoma City Community College campus.
Part of the purpose of this team assignment is to create opportunities for you to learn and sharpen your team building and team participation skills. Also, this is an opportunity for you to build confidence in your writing and presentation skills.
It is not my place or purpose to oversee your team’s cooperation and development. If you believe a team member is not performing assigned tasks, it is your responsibility as a team, not mine, to deal with that situation. If your team experience is unfruitful and frustrating for you, and if you feel your grade suffered accordingly, you may do additional work in order to boost your grade. However, since this program revolves around teamwork, you should make every effort to be a cooperative and productive member of your team.
Completion Policy
The College of Liberal Studies expects students to complete all assignments to earn a grade in a given course.
Incomplete (“I”) Policy
For sufficiently extenuating circumstances a student may receive a grade of “I” and receive an extension to complete. To receive a grade of “I” the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of one-half of the course work, have a legitimate reason for not being able to complete the work during the normal time frame, request from the instructor a desire to receive an Incomplete grade via submitting a request for an “I” and a plan to the instructor about how and when the work will be completed. If the student receives a grade of “I” the instructor will indicate to the student, and to the Office of Academic Records via the official OU grade sheet, what must be done to complete the course and set a time limit appropriate to the circumstances, however, the time allowed may not exceed one calendar year. If the course has an associated Web site and the Web site has changed before the student starts work on the Incomplete, the student will contact the faculty member and the faculty member will develop comparable assignments based on the current Web site. If books have changed in the course, the faculty member should be willing to develop assignments based on the books that the student has so the student will not have to buy new books. If by the end of the year, no change in grade has been submitted, the grade of “I” will become permanent on the student’s record. If the student wants to re-enroll in the course they may, and they will need to pay full tuition and fees for the enrollment. History tells us that the longer an Incomplete goes unfinished the less likely it will ever be completed at all. The College recommends that the student remedy their incomplete grade before the start of the next semester.
If you have submitted no work, or less than half of the course assignments, you should not expect to receive a grade of “I” You will receive either an “AW” or a failing grade. Students will make arrangements with the instructor to complete coursework. Work submitted within four weeks of the final course date will be accepted without negative consequences to the grade; work submitted to remove the “I” after four weeks will have consequences to be determined by the professor. Grades of “I” must be completed within one academic year.
The University of Oklahoma Student Academic Integrity
http://www.ou.edu/provost/pronew/content/integritymenu.html
1.1 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF HONESTY
Honesty is a fundamental precept in all academic activities, and those privileged to be members of a university community have a special obligation to observe the highest standards of honesty and a right to expect the same standards of all others. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the university and therefore is unacceptable and rigorously proscribed.
1.2 DEFINITIONS
1.2.1 Academic Misconduct. Any act that improperly affects the evaluation of a student's academic performance or achievement. The following terms illustrate but do not delimit or define academic misconduct.
Accommodation for Special Needs
The College of Liberal Studies is committed to making its activities as accessible as possible. The college and the university provide a range of special services for those with disabilities. Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent her or him from fully demonstrating her or his abilities should contact Frank Rodriquez , Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, as soon as possible to discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and to facilitate this educational opportunity.
Liberal Studies General Policy
Liberal Studies’ policy is to order books in paperback, if available. Courses, dates and instructors are subject to change. Please check with the office. Students should retain a copy of any assignments that are mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to the instructor or the office for the course. The Disability Resource Center can also be found online at http://drc.ou.edu/.
Copyright Statement
Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on this Web site are copyright by the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. Visit OU Public Affairs for more information and for the complete Terms of Use.
Meet Your Instructor
Instructor: Jerry Jerman
325-1254 (office)
329-6152 (home)
jjerman@ou.edu
I was born and raised in Oklahoma City. I received a B.A. (English) from Oklahoma City University, an M.A. (English) from the University of Iowa, and an M.F.A. (writing) from Bowling Green State University. Currently, I am Director of Development for University Outreach, which includes the Colleges of Continuing Education and Liberal Studies. I have written six published children’s books, edited books on residential continuing education and adult degree programs, and am managing editor of Confluence: The Journal of Graduate Liberal Studies. In addition to my Liberal Studies courses, I have taught English at Oklahoma City University and Bowling Green State University, workshops about writing and marketing, and film classes for OU.
Each college instructor you encounter has unique strengths and interests. My own background falls in literature rather than other areas of the humanities, though I have some experience with art, film, religion, and history. If you are curious about my preferences, the following list of literary, historical, musical, and filmed works have particular meaning for me.
For me, the great mystery of life—and its humor—is aptly captured in this remark from author Saul Bellow:
There are many skeptical, rebellious, or simply nervous writers all around us, who, having existed a full twenty or thirty years in this universe, denounce or reject life because it fails to meet their standards as philosophical intellectuals. It seems to me that they can’t know enough about it for confident denial. The mystery is too great. So when they knock at the door of mystery with the knuckles of cognition it is quite right that the door should open and some mysterious power should squirt them in the eye.
Last updated: Apr. 9, 2007