LIT 3300: Western Literary Tradition:
The Quest from the Odyssey to Star Trek
In this course we will explore the "quest" as a literary form and as an artifact of the
endurance, adventure and imagination of human individuals and cultures over 3,000 years of
recorded time. We will learn about the artistic devices that help us identify the quest as a
genre and analyze their conventional and unconventional usages. We will trace how "quest"
writings have transformed through literary history.
Some quests occur upon geographical terrain, across seas, over land, pushing across
borders between known and unknown spaces. Others trace movements through time or across
cultures. In others, the real quest is a search for something within: the human heart, mind or
spirit. Our readings will present us with inspiring and thought-provoking accounts of human
exploration of time, place, self and space in many forms: epic, legend, American western,
romance, novel, pioneer journal, science fiction, literary anthropology and science "fact-ion."
Among the questions we will consider: Who is a hero? Is a hero made or born? What count
as heroic actions? When are fatal flaws "fortunate"? Who "discovers" and who "loses" as
quests are fulfilled or fail?
GRADED WORK:
- Midterm and non-cumulative final exams (35 % each)
- Attendance and Participation (30%)
- ** Extra credit opportunities of many kinds will be available.
UNIT ONE: The Hero's Journey: Patterns of Place and Purpose
- Homer, The Odyssey
- Beowulf
- Malory, King Arthur and His Knights
- H. G. Wells, The Time Machine
- James Fenimore Cooper, The Prairie
- **VIDEOS: Voyage of Ulysses, First Knight, Last of the Mohicans or The Island of Dr.
Moreau
UNIT TWO: The Hero's Encounters: Cultures, Conflicts, Choices
- Willa Cather, O Pioneers
- Sarah Royce, A Frontier Lady
- John Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks
- Carl Sagan, Contact
- **VIDEOS: O Pioneers, The Outlaw Josey Wales or Unforgiven, Contact (if released in
time), First Contact (Star Trek: Next Generation feature film)
CLASS CALENDAR
This course has been organized into two units: The Hero's Journey: Patterns of Place and
Purpose and The Hero's Encounters: Cultures, Conflicts, Choices.
UNIT ONE: The Hero's Journey: Patterns of Place and Purpose
**EXTRA CREDIT VIDEOS: First Knight, The Island of Dr. Moreau
wk 1: TR Sep. 3/5:
1--Intro. to Course: Structure, Expectations, Definitions
2--Lecture: What is a Quest? Forms and conventions. Traditions and broken traditions.
wk 2: TR. Sep 10/12:
1 and 2--Discuss The Odyssey, Books 1-12
wk 3: TR. Sep 17/19:
1--Discuss The Odyssey, Books 12-24
2--Video, (Odyssey related)
wk 4: TR. Sep 24/26:
1--Discuss Beowulf
2--Discuss King Arthur and His Knights
wk 5: TR. Oct 1/3:
1 and 2--Discuss H.G. Wells, The Time Machine
wk 6: T. Oct 8 (No class R.10):
1 and 2--Discuss James Fenimore Cooper, The Prairie
wk 7: TR. Oct 15/17:
1 and 2--Video, "Last of the Mohicans"
** REVIEW FOR 1st EXAM
wk 8: TR. Oct 22/24:
** 1-- MIDTERM EXAM
2-- Lecture: intro to second unit
UNIT TWO: The Hero's Encounters: Cultures, Conflicts, Choices
EXTRA CREDIT VIDEOS: The Outlaw Josey Wales or Unforgiven
wk 9: T. Oct 29 (No class R.31):
1 and 2--Discuss Willa Cather, O Pioneers
wk 10: TR. Nov 5/7:
1 and 2-- Discuss Sarah Royce, A Frontier Lady
wk 11: TR. Nov 12/14:
1 and 2--Video: O Pioneers
wk 12: TR. Nov.19/21:
1 and 2-- Discuss: John Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks
wk 13 T. Nov 26 (R. no class):
1--Continue discussion of Black Elk / THANKSGIVING Break
wk 14: TR. Dec 3/5:
1--Discuss Carl Sagan, Contact
2--Video: Star Trek: Next Generation (selected episode)
** REVIEW FOR "FINAL" UNIT EXAM
** UNIT EXAM OVER UNIT TWO TAKEN AS FINAL
FINAL FOR TR SECTION : T. DEC 10 @ 11-12:30 PM
FINAL FOR T EVE SECTION: T. DEC 10 @ 6:30-8 PM
Last updated: May 27, 1997
Course Descriptions
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