In the Beginning: The Roots of Western Civilization
“Heroes and Villains in the Classical World and Modern Film”
CLAS 160B1
Spring 2015
MWF 11:00-11:50am
Social Sciences 100
Teaching Assistants:
Name:
Emily Prosch
Michael Koletsos
Sachin Maini
Professor Alex Kennedy
Office: Learning Services Building 222
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 12:30-1:30pm and by appt.
Email: [email protected]
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Office:
LSB 203
LSB 203
LSB 203
Office Hours:
Wed 8:30-10:30am
Fri 8:30-10:30am
Fri 1:00-3:00pm
Course Description:
This course will explore the representations of heroes and villains in the Greek and Roman world and the ways
in which modern films draw on these ancient hero/villain models. The course will be divided into four units:
adventure heroes, war heroes, post-war heroes, and villains. Each of these units will begin with readings from
ancient texts and end with viewings of modern movies. Class meetings will focus on discussion of the themes of
the readings/films as well as their literary and historical context.
Required Texts:
R. Hunter, trans., Apollonius of Rhodes: Jason and the Golden Fleece, 1993
S. Lombardo, trans., The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and Odyssey, 2000
S. Lombardo, trans., The Essential Aeneid, 2006
P. Meineck, trans., Aeschylus: Oresteia, 1998
S. Esposito, ed., Euripides: Medea, Hippolytus, Heracles, Bacchae, 2004
Additional readings will be given as PDF files posted on D2L.
All films will be given as streaming videos posted on D2L.
Grading:
Final grades will be calculated as follows:
Exams
50% (equally distributed between midterm 1, midterm 2, and final exam)
Reading Responses 15%
Essays
35% (10% + 10% + 15%)
Final letter grades will be assigned as follows:
A: 90-100%
B: 80-89.99%
C: 70-79.99%
D: 60-69.99%
E: 0-59.99%
Exams:
There will be two midterms and a final exam. All exams may include multiple choice questions, short answer
questions, and/or discussion of terms, themes, and passages from the readings or lecture. The second midterm
and the final exam will not be cumulative.
Makeup exams must be requested at least 24 hours in advance and will only be allowed in cases of serious
illness, family emergency, religious holiday, or absences approved by the UA Dean of Students. In all cases,
appropriate documentation must be given to the professor or the makeup exam will not be allowed.
Reading Responses:
Over the course of the semester, students will be expected to complete six reading responses. Each of these
responses is due on a Friday by 5pm and must be turned in via the Dropbox tab on the course’s D2L site. For
each response, the assignment is to briefly (in 200-250 words) answer a discussion question focused on one of
the required course readings/films. The discussion questions and a more detailed description of the assignment
for these responses will be posted on the course’s D2L site. No late reading responses will be accepted. The
lowest reading response score for the semester will be dropped.
Essays:
Three short academic essays (2-3 pages) will be required. More details about essay topics and requirements will
be distributed later.
Attendance and Absence Policies:
Attendance in class is required. We will discuss material in lecture that is not included in the readings, so it is
important that you attend. Be aware that if you miss class or come to class late, it is your responsibility to find
out what you missed. All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those
students who show affiliation with that particular religion. Absences pre-approved by the UA Dean of Students
(or Dean’s designee) will also be honored.
Expectations and Student Conduct:
Students are expected to come to class on time with the assigned readings/viewings completed. In class, please
be respectful of others (for the UA policies regarding threatening behavior by students, see
http://policy.web.arizona.edu/threatening-behavior-students) and refrain from behavior that is distracting to the
instructor or other students. If you must arrive late or leave early, sit near an exit to avoid disrupting the class.
Silence and put away cell phones and other electronic devices. Laptop computers may only be used in class for
note taking purposes. If you choose to use a laptop computer during class, please sit at the back of the room to
avoid distracting other students. Students engaging in behavior that is disruptive or distracting to the instructor
or other students may be asked to leave the lecture hall.
Email Policy:
If you email the professor or one of the TA’s, you should allow 24-48 hours for a response. If you email one of
us after normal business hours, do not expect a response before the next day. If you email one of us during the
weekend, do not expect a response before Monday.
Do not email the professor or TA’s with any of the following:
 Questions that can be answered by reading the syllabus. We will not answer these questions. Instead, we
will tell you to read the syllabus.
 Questions that can be answered by reading a course assignment (such as an essay assignment, etc.). We will
not answer these questions. Instead, we will tell you to read the assignment.
 Questions about your grade. We will not discuss grades over email. If you wish to discuss your grade, you
need to come see one of us in person.
Academic Integrity:
You are responsible for completing your own work in accordance with the UA Code of Academic Integrity (see
http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/codeofacademicintegrity). Cheating on exams or plagiarizing written
assignments (including reading responses) is inexcusable and will result in an automatic failing grade for the
course and disciplinary action.
During exams, make sure to cover your exam and keep your eyes on your own paper at all times. If you leave
the lecture hall during an exam, you will not be allowed to reenter. After the first student has completed his/her
exam and left the lecture hall, no other student who arrives late will be allowed to take the exam.
Accessibility and Accommodations:
It is the University’s goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience
physical or academic barriers based on disability, please let the professor know immediately so that we can
discuss options. You are also welcome to contact Disability Resources (520-621-3268) to establish reasonable
accommodations. Please be aware that the accessible table and chairs in this room should remain available for
students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.
Honors Contracts:
Honors students may contract this course to receive Honors credit. This option requires extra writing and
creative engagement with the material. Honors Students will develop a written plan for an original film about a
hero and/or villain of their creation that engages meaningfully with the texts and themes of the course. Their
final written assignment will consist of three parts: a synopsis of their film’s characters, setting, and themes; a
detailed outline of their film’s acts and scenes; and a full screenplay for one of the film’s scenes. A draft of each
of these components will be due over the course of the semester. The students will also attend several group
meetings throughout the semester to provide each other with feedback on their works in progress and to present
their final projects. Each student’s final written assignment will be due in the last week of classes. Students will
be assessed on the creativity of their projects and on how well their projects draw on the themes and models of
heroism/villainy presented in the course material.
If you are interested in contracting this course for Honors credit, please let the professor know as soon as
possible.
Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to
change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Tentative Reading and Exam Schedule:
*RR = Reading Response
*Apollonius’ Argonautica = Apollonius of Rhodes: Jason and the Golden Fleece
*EH = The Essential Homer
*EA = The Essential Aeneid
*Aeschylus’ Agamemnon = first play in the Oresteia trilogy
Date
Lecture Topic
Week 1
Wed, Jan 14
Fri, Jan 16
Course Introduction
Greek History Introduction
Week 2
Mon, Jan 19
Wed, Jan 21
Fri, Jan 23
No Class (MLK Day)
Gilgamesh
Oedipus
Epic of Gilgamesh (D2L)
Oedipus chapter (D2L)
RR 1 Due
Week 3
Mon, Jan 26
Wed, Jan 28
Fri, Jan 30
Perseus
Heracles
Heracles
Perseus chapter (D2L)
Heracles chapter (D2L)
Heracles chapter (D2L)
RR 2 Due
Week 4
Mon, Feb 2
Wed, Feb 4
Fri, Feb 6
Theseus
Jason
Jason
Plutarch’s Life of Theseus (D2L)
Apollonius’ Argonautica, Book 1
Apollonius’ Argonautica, Book 3
Essay 1 Due
Week 5
Mon, Feb 9 Luke Skywalker
Wed, Feb 11 Luke Skywalker
Fri, Feb 13
Superman
Week 6
Mon, Feb 16 Batman
Wed, Feb 18 Amateur Superheroes
Fri, Feb 20
Midterm Exam 1
Readings/Films Due
Assignments Due
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (D2L video)
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (D2L video)
Superman (D2L video)
The Dark Knight (D2L video)
Mystery Men (D2L video)
Week 7
Mon, Feb 23 Achilles et al.
Wed, Feb 25 Achilles et al.
Fri, Feb 27
Achilles et al.
EH, Iliad Books 1, 2, 3
EH, Iliad Books 6, 9, 16
EH, Iliad Books 18, 22, 24
RR 3 Due
Week 8
Mon, Mar 2
Wed, Mar 4
Fri, Mar 6
Patton, Act 1 (D2L video)
Patton, Act 2 (D2L video)
Platoon (D2L video)
RR 4 Due
War Heroes: WWII
War Heroes: WWII
War Heroes: Vietnam
Date
Lecture Topic
Week 9
Mon, Mar 9 Odysseus
Wed, Mar 11 Odysseus
Fri, Mar 13 Odysseus
Readings/Films Due
EH, Odyssey Books 1, 5, 8-9
EH, Odyssey Books 10-12, 17
EH, Odyssey Books 21-24
Assignments Due
Essay 2 Due
Spring Break (March 16-20)
Week 10
Mon, Mar 23 Aeneas
Wed, Mar 25 Aeneas
Fri, Mar 27 Aeneas
EA, Books 1, 2
EA, Books 4, 6
EA, Books 7, 8
Week 11
Mon, Mar 30 Aeneas
Wed, Apr 1 Post-War Heroes: Iraq
Fri, Apr 3
Midterm Exam 2
EA, Books 10, 12
Stop-Loss (D2L video)
Week 12
Mon, Apr 6
Wed, Apr 8
Fri, Apr 10
Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, lines 1-913
Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, lines 914-1672
Euripides’ Medea, lines 1-662
RR 5 Due
Week 13
Mon, Apr 13 Medea
Wed, Apr 15 Heracles
Fri, Apr 17
Heracles
Euripides’ Medea, lines 663-1419
Euripides’ Heracles, lines 1-700
Euripides’ Heracles, lines 701-1428
RR 6 Due
Week 14
Mon, Apr 20 Xerxes
Wed, Apr 22 Foundation of Rome
Fri, Apr 24
Foundation of Rome
Aeschylus’ Persians (D2L)
Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita, Book 1 (D2L)
Livy’s Ab Urbe Condita, Book 1 (D2L)
Essay 3 Due
Week 15
Mon, Apr 27 Darth Vader
Wed, Apr 29 Supervillains
Fri, May 1
Maleficent
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (D2L video)
(review Superman, The Dark Knight, & Mystery Men)
Sleeping Beauty (D2L video)
Week 16
Mon, May 4
Wed, May 6
Clytemnestra
Clytemnestra
Medea
Maleficent
Conclusion
Maleficent (D2L video)
Final Exam: Monday, May 11, 10:30am-12:30pm